About

The Cathedral School Llandaff, Cardiff’s leading independent school for girls and boys, seeks to appoint a dynamic and forward-thinking strategic leader. The successful candidate will be someone with a passion for educational excellence, an innovative mindset, and a collaborative style. 

The Deputy Head (Strategy & Operations) is a newly created strategic leadership role designed to shape the future direction of the school. Working alongside the Head, Bursar, Head of Primary and Deputy Heads, they will provide executive-level leadership across key strategic priorities while holding operational accountability for the Senior School. They will teach a reduced timetable and contribute fully to the life of the school.

This is a multi-faceted role that requires an individual with significant experience in senior school leadership. Applications are welcome from the independent or state sectors. We seek someone committed to our Christian ethos, our founding mission as Wales's only surviving Anglican choir school, and our core values of achievement, care, opportunity, ambition and leadership. 

The salary for this post will be competitive, commensurate with the seniority and scope of the position and the experience of the successful candidate. Please see the candidate pack, below, for further information about the role and staff benefits.

Standards at the school, academic and behavioural are very high and there is a strong Christian ethos. We are committed to a policy of equality. It is recognised and welcomed that teaching and support staff will come to the school with a variety of faiths, beliefs and backgrounds. We aim to ensure that no job applicant, member of staff, student or other member of the school community is treated less favourably on any grounds. We particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups.

You will be joining us at an exciting time, following the school being named third in the UK independent school rankings for A Levels in 2023 (The Telegraph) and the Sunday Times Welsh Independent School of the Year for two years’ running; 2024 and 2025. Alongside this, in the school’s most recent Estyn inspection it was judged to be excellent in all five categories. Pupils were described as “confident, ambitious, aspirational and well-informed learners” and the report celebrated the “outstanding subject knowledge” and “passion and enthusiasm” of the teaching staff. It highlighted teachers’ committed contribution to “exceptional levels of support within and beyond the classroom to help pupils to develop self-confidence”.

The school not only prides itself on its musical, academic, sporting and artistic achievements, but also on its ability to challenge and motivate all of its students. We want children to take risks in the classroom, not to be afraid of getting it wrong, but rather to be confident enough to ask questions and think for themselves. All children have talents and gifts, both in and out of the classroom, and we are always looking to identify and celebrate these at every opportunity.

Apply

The successful candidate will be required to undergo full DBS clearance in order to establish their suitability to work with children. 

Applications are invited by Tuesday 10th February 2026 at 9.00am. Interviews will take place during the week commencing 23rd February. 

Further details of this post and a downloadable application form can be found on the school website (see ‘Join Us’).

The Cathedral School is a Woodard School in membership of the HMC, the Society of Heads, the Choir Schools Association, IAPs and is an accredited School of Sanctuary. It is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment.