Job Title: Head of School
Contract: Permanent
Actual Salary: L13 – L17 (£69,596 - £76,772)
Start Date: September 2026
A unique opportunity to support a Senior Principal in leading a primary academy at the heart of a South Bristol community.
We are looking for an inspiring, forward-thinking leader with vision, resilience and a strong commitment to learning. Woodlands Academy is seeking a Head of School to join its senior leadership team and play a key role in a developing leadership structure, helping to drive excellence, equity and continuous improvement.
Woodlands Academy educates children across the primary age range and is proud to be part of the Cabot Learning Federation, a trust known for its collaborative ethos and dedication to high-quality education. The school benefits from a committed, enthusiastic staff team who work tirelessly to ensure all pupils are supported and challenged to achieve their full potential.
Working in close partnership with the Senior Principal and wider leadership team, the Head of School will take a central role in both the strategic direction and day-to-day running of the academy. You will build on current strengths while leading key priorities that enhance teaching, learning and curriculum development.
The successful candidate will be a confident communicator, able to develop strong, positive relationships with staff, pupils and families. You will bring energy, resilience and strategic clarity, along with a strong commitment to equality, collaboration and ongoing professional development. In doing so, you will help ensure Woodlands Academy continues to deliver an exceptional, inclusive education for its entire community.
Why CLF?
We are a diverse and inclusive community of 36 academies across five cluster regions in the South West that is committed to excellence and making a positive impact. Our people bring unique perspectives, but we’re all driven by a shared moral purpose and a passion for making a positive impact, whether in a teaching, leadership or support role. We’re proud to foster a culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and make a meaningful difference to the lives of others.
We are an equal opportunity employer and proud to serve a diverse student population and our communities. We strongly believe that representation matters. We particularly encourage applicants from those groups in order to represent the students we serve, as well as wider underrepresented groups including gender, transgender, age disability, sexual orientation or religion.
What we can offer you:
- Access to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
- Comprehensive induction and ongoing support for career development and wellbeing.
- Sector-leading professional development entitlement and opportunities.
- Collaboration with colleagues across the trust through subject communities and specialist networks.
- Shared CLF curriculum, written and curated by trust experts, reducing individual teacher workload.
- Career enhancing and progression opportunities within the trust and through the CLF Institute.
- A collaborative culture which supports workload.
- Well-being support through an Employee Assistance Programme.
- Health benefits, including wellness sessions, gym discounts, and flu jabs.
- A range of generous family leave options, including above industry average occupational maternity pay.
- Additional benefits like cycle to work scheme, on-site parking and many more!
Recruitment timeline:
Academy Tours: w/c 11 May 2026
Closing date: 17 May 2026 @ 11.59pm
Shortlisting: 18 May 2026
Interviews*: 21 and 22 May 2026
Please contact Vicky Counsell (Senior Principal) vicky.counsell@ clf.uk if you would like to arrange a school visit prior to the closing date, or to discuss the role in more detail.
*This is a two-day process (a first full assessment day, with the final interview on day two).
How to apply:
Please complete a full application form via the Eteach website. As part of our commitment to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), we do not accept CVs – a full education and employment history must be provided through the application form.
Please note: there is a requirement on page 24 of the Candidate Information Pack for you to include requested information within the Supporting Statement section of the application form. This information will be reviewed during short-listing, as part of your application for this role. The Supporting Statement section does not allow anything over an 8,000-character limit - this is equivalent to 2/3 pages of text in Word, depending on spacing/formatting used. The application form will highlight how many characters you have used/if you reach the limit.
Updates regarding an application, which could include an invite to interview, will be sent to the email address used when registering an account.
As a Disability Confident Committed Employer, we are dedicated to equity and inclusion and commit to interviewing applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria. We aim to provide an inclusive and accessible recruitment process, and support employees throughout their employment. If you have a disability, are neurodivergent, or require any adjustments to support you through the application or interview process please let us know how we can assist.
The Cabot Learning Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles across the trust have a varying level of responsibility for ensuring safeguarding practice, with some roles holding significant responsibility and involving working with children on a daily basis in regulated activity. Regardless of the level of responsibility and involvement in each role, we expect all staff, visiting professionals and volunteers to share this commitment.
All successful candidates will undergo a comprehensive pre-employment checking process, including an enhanced DBS check (including a further check against the appropriate barred list), references from current and previous employers, health, right to work in the UK, child disqualification (where applicable), prohibition from teaching/management and online checks. You must also tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
