St John's School, Leatherhead is a flourishing independent school for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. Renowned for exceptional pastoral care and delivering an excellent, all-round education, the success of St John's is underpinned by a strong sense of community, a vibrant house system and an exemplary co-curricular programme.

St John's School, Leatherhead is a flourishing independent school for over 800 boys and girls aged 11 to 18.  We are predominantly a day school (75% day, 25% boarding) but have an innovative boarding offering which includes weekly, flexi or ad hoc options to create the best possible balance between home and school life for busy families.

There is something about St John’s which engenders a deep sense of belonging and community and this is felt across pupils, staff, parents and friends. St John's values its rich heritage but is forward-looking and has always been progressive; we have changed with the times and the needs of the families we educate but our core values of courtesy, respect and tolerance hold true. This is an exciting time for St John’s - Rowena Cole joined as The Head in September 2017 and is leading the School to new levels of success.

St John’s has a reputation for innovation, academic excellence, strong pastoral care and a ?rst class all-round education for every pupil. It is heavily over-subscribed with three candidates for every Year 9 place and four candidates for every Year 7 place. Our academic staff body is actively involved in developing creative and sophisticated teaching and learning practices through regular CPD, self-reflection and peer observations. Class sizes are small, our staff support is first-rate and the high standards set in the classroom reflect in excellent public examination results. We are firm believers that academic results are not the only measure of a successful education and our rounded approach aims to create open-minded, thoughtful, confident and happy young men and women who will go on to have productive, positive experiences in higher education and their adult lives. 

Set in the beautiful Surrey countryside, the School’s impressive 50-acre campus is close to Leatherhead town centre and the cultural attractions of nearby London. It has excellent transport links by road, rail and nearby airports Heathrow and Gatwick.

If you're searching for your next teaching post, why not contact us now? You'll be working at a great school and be part of a friendly, helpful team. We're always interested to hear from enthusiastic, committed teachers - send us your CV now via our School Talent Pool and say what sort of role you're looking for. 

By joining our School Talent Pool we'll know you're interested in working here when a future vacancy occurs.

For more information about School Talent Pools visit www.eteach.com

As soon as you walk through the door into St John's you immediately sense the warmth and purpose that pervades our school. From the historic architecture to the infectious enthusiasm of staff and pupils, this is a welcoming and exciting school in which to belong.

All children have untold potential that will emerge and prosper with the appropriate opportunity and suitable encouragement. The strength of a St John's education is that we have the expertise to do this, not only in the pursuit of academic excellence but through the experiences we provide to develop wider talents and interests. In our classrooms you will find teachers with a genuine love for and expertise in their subjects who thrive on sharing their knowledge. Beyond the classroom, the opportunities we offer are exceptional in every sphere and help to set our pupils apart in the development of their character, values and confidence. I consider it a privilege that, as educators, we have the chance to unlock that potential. St John’s is an amazing place to learn, work, teach and live and we look forward to welcoming exceptional new staff members to our team.

Rowena Cole MSc MBA
The Head

St John's School was founded in 1851 by a clergyman, Ashby Haslewood, who was vicar of St Mark's, Hamilton Terrace in St John's Wood, north London. He had a dual purpose in founding the School - to offer free education for the sons of poor clergymen and to provide a choir for his large church. The School was a success but the dual purpose imposed restrictions so, in 1854, the School moved outside the parish boundaries of St Mark's into neighbouring Kilburn. This was the first of three moves before the School moved to Leatherhead in 1872.

Despite much progress, St John’s remained essentially a charity school until the significant headmastership of Arthur Rutty (HM 1883-1909) when the School developed all the characteristics of a public school and began to attract fee-paying parents, while remaining loyal to the sons of poor clergymen. St John’s expanded throughout the twentieth century, despite the problems faced by all independent schools due to the Depression. After the Second World War, St John's was fortunate to attract the interest of Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, himself the son of a clergyman, who was chairman of the governing body from 1951 to 1966. Monty's contribution to the development of the School was enormous - he promoted it, raised money for it and gave generously of his own time and wealth.

The development of the School has continued in recent decades. In 1989 the first Sixth Form girls were admitted and in 2010 girls joined the Fourth Form for the first time. St John’s became fully co-educational from September 2012. In September 2016 the School opened its doors to Year 7 pupils for the first time, with a brand new Lower School for 11+ entry and today St John's is a vibrant community of over 800 pupils. While always forward-looking and innovative in its approach, the School remains loyal to the principles of its foundation and offers subsidised education to the sons and daughters of clergy with limited means, as well as children from other low income backgrounds.

St John’s aim to provide pupils and staff with the very best facilities, creating an environment which is inspiring and enjoyable in which to learn, live and work.  We are fortunate to have a beautiful 50-acre school site which combines stunning historical buildings with contemporary spaces and extensive sports facilities.  

In recent years, St John’s has undertaken a number of significant projects, both to create innovative new spaces and to renovate and revitalise older parts of the School. For example, in the spring of 2014, the School’s Old Chapel refurbishment was completed and it opened as a multi-purpose venue for use by the School and the local community. We are proud of our Science Centre, which opened in November 2015, providing eight state-of-the-art biology and chemistry laboratories. The building's innovative design engages and stimulates pupils, motivating them to explore the sciences through experimentation, study, research and discussion. In 2016 one of the School’s original Victorian buildings was completely refurbished to create the new Lower School. With its own entrance and reception, and inner connections to the main school, the St John’s Lower School offers our younger pupils the chance to feel fully involved in school life, whilst providing them with the comfort of their own community within the School. In 2018 a significant and exciting project took place to replace the old swimming pool with a new competition-standard six lane, 25m pool and sports centre facilities and this was completed in 2019. These ongoing developments stand as testament to our ambition and vision to offer the best possible environment for our pupils.