Deputy Headteacher

Desborough College in Maidenhead, part of Pioneer Educational Trust, has an exciting opportunity for a school leader to take on the Deputy Head Teacher role from September 2024.  

With the Headteacher and leaders from across Pioneer Educational Trust, you will be ensure all children at the school receive the best possible standard of education; achieving their full potential across the breadth of the curriculum.  You will also have the opportunity to collaborate with and support the senior leaders across Pioneer’s family of schools.    

As a confident, innovative and organised individual, you will be able to maintain good relationships with all colleagues in the Trust schools, the entire school community and participate fully in the life of the school.   

Pioneer’s schools are Desborough College in Maidenhead, Foxborough Primary School in Langley, Trevelyan Middle School in Windsor and Upton Court Grammar School in Slough.  Pioneer’s schools serve diverse communities which we see as a strength of our trust.   

The most recent Full OFSTED inspection (2014) graded the school as ‘Good’ and in the subsequent Short OFSTED inspection (2019) the school continued to be ‘Good’. 

The Trustees are seeking candidates with: 

• An unrelenting drive to continually strive for excellence 
• A clear, consistent focus on teaching and learning 
• A track record of supporting and developing outstanding teaching 
• Excellent management, leadership and communication skills 

As a confident, innovative and organised individual, you will be able to maintain good relationships with all colleagues in the trust schools, the entire school community and participate fully in the life of the school. 

Every school within Pioneer Educational Trust will provide an outstanding education to all children and young people. In a post-pandemic world, this means preparing children and young people to thrive at intrapersonal, interpersonal, societal and global levels. Through an exceptional curriculum, strong pastoral systems and meaningful personal development, our learners’ experience will be inclusive, relational and empowering. 

Pioneer Educational Trust will continue to be the employer of choice as a result of its commitment to professional development for all colleagues, a positive and enriching working environment and outstanding leadership development opportunities underpinned by the vertical leadership principles. Coupled with a systematic approach to school improvement, the trust will provide high support and high challenge to enable all to flourish and be fulfilled. 

Our community will be knowledgeable and empowered taking principled action in service to others. As such, we will continue to lead ethically demonstrating a commitment to outward-facing work with our local, national and international educational communities. Our mission is grounded on four core values which our schools embrace: 

• we pioneer: by preparing the way for others to follow, we transcend barriers through aspiration, merit and risk. Pioneer engenders determination, commitment and responsibility to better society through education and learning, never accepting mediocrity  
• we inspire collaboration: we believe in working in partnership. In a culture of high trust and intelligent risk-taking, collaboration exists at all levels and between all stakeholders  
• we invest intelligently: by providing high-quality professional development for all staff and a positive and enriching work environment. We provide high support and challenge that enables all colleagues to flourish  
• we consciously liberate: providing equal access to an outstanding education is central to the aims of the Trust. The Trust champions the vulnerable and disadvantaged, breaking down barriers to learning. 

We believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more innovative, more creative and gets better results.  We want our workforce to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our workplace to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop. 

This means that when we are recruiting, we actively seek to reach a diverse pool of candidates. It also means that we are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful.   

We welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented throughout Pioneer Educational Trust. We also welcome applications from, LGB and Trans and non-binary candidates. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we commit to employing disabled people by offering an interview to all disabled candidates who meet the minimum essential criteria for the role as set out in our job descriptions and person specifications. 

We believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more innovative, more creative and gets better results.  We want our workforce to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our workplace to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop. 

This means that when we are recruiting, we actively seek to reach a diverse pool of candidates. It also means that we are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful. 

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working. 

We are a Flexible Working Ambassador MAT and Schools for the Department for Education, we are happy to discuss any flexible working requests with you.  

The school is changing rapidly, in many ways. This will doubtless continue as the needs of society and our context change too. It is never dull, often challenging, demanding in the best possible way - an exciting and extraordinarily worth-while and fulfilling place to be. 

Before submitting an application, if you would to have a confidential discussion with the Headteacher or a member of Pioneer’s Leadership Team, please contact Bhamini Lynn, HR Manager on blynn@pioneereducationaltrust.org.uk  

Visits to the school are warmly welcomed.  Please contact Nicola Humphries, Head’s PA on nicolahumphries@desborough-college.net to arrange a convenient time. 

Further information about the school is available via the school’s website; www.desborough.org.uk 

To find out more about Pioneer, please visit  www.pioneereducationaltrust.org.uk