High Mistress / High Master

For September 2025

London W6

GSA/HMC INDEPENDENT SCHOOL 800 girls (aged 11-18 with 230 in Sixth Form)

The school

St Paul’s Girls’ School is an iconic school. Widely recognised as one of the most successful girls’ schools in the world, it was founded in 1904 by the Mercers’ Company, the City of London Livery Company. 

The emphasis on liberal learning was established from the outset and it finds expression today in an academically adventurous curriculum which encourages intellectual freedom, discovery and the joy of scholarship.  St Paul’s provides its students with a lively, creative, forward-thinking, and open-minded academic community equipped with excellent facilities for all subjects and activities. There is a vibrant co-curricular life as well as a busy programme of partnership and service activities, demonstrating the importance of collaboration, diversity, and inclusion.     

St Paul’s believes passionately that it is its moral duty to contribute to social mobility through education. The school’s bursary programme currently provides financial support to 10% of students, and the school is at the early stages of an exciting journey to double that figure.

An education at St Paul’s is underpinned by a commitment to supporting student wellbeing, enabling its capable young students to contribute now and in the future. The school values kindness as highly as courage, inclusivity, and intellectual curiosity.

To support the curriculum and learning, the school is investing significantly in a programme of building works and refurbishment, including a new Centre for Design and Innovation. 

St Paul’s is also at the beginning of an important new chapter in its history with the recent opening of its first international sister school in Chengdu, China, and plans to develop a network of International schools in China and beyond.

This is an exceptional opportunity to lead an extraordinary school. Not only does St Paul’s regularly achieve amongst the best public examination results in the country, but it has a truly distinctive ethos, focused on nurturing creativity, curiosity, and a love of academic discovery. St Paul’s is a school full of opportunity and the new High Mistress / High Master will relish working in such an energising environment, building on the solid foundations of the past to ensure that the education provided today remains forward-looking and responsive to future needs.

The new High Mistress / High Master will have the opportunity to contribute to and shape this vision and to drive it onwards, working closely and openly with a supportive Chair and governing body.

The search for a new High Mistress / High Master for St Paul’s Girls’ School is being led by RSAcademics and the new post-holder will be selected by the Governors, chaired by Mr Simon Wathen, Chair of Governors.

Further information and details of how to apply can be found at RSAcademics’ website: www.rsacademics.com

Interested candidates are invited to contact RSAcademics to arrange a confidential discussion with one of the consultants handling this appointment:

Michael Stephens, Head of Senior School Search: michaelstephens@rsacademics.com 

Diana Vernon, Senior Advisor: dianavernon@rsacademics.com

Claire Oulton, Head of Leadership Appointments: claireoulton@rsacademics.com

The deadline for receipt of the application is 10:00am on Tuesday 21 May 2024

·       St Paul’s Girls’ School is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children; applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure & Barring Service.

·       This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

·       The safeguarding responsibilities of this post are detailed in the candidate information brochure.

·       RSAcademics is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to promoting diversity and inclusion in schools.