Principal

We are looking for a new Principal to join us at Harris City Academy Crystal Palace, an Outstanding academy located in South London, to join us in September 2024.

As Principal, you will be pivotal in maintaining our high standards of excellence, and committed to championing the needs of our most disadvantaged students. You'll be working at the forefront of modern education, harnessing the power of expert teaching to provide an exceptional learning experience.

You will also oversee Harris City Academy Crystal Palace Teaching School Hub, responsible for delivering professional teaching development to schools within the designated areas of Croydon, Sutton, Epsom and Ewell region. We are part of a wider network of Teaching School Hubs nationally, with a vision to strengthen school improvement through effective partnerships with every school in our region.

We are proud to be a part of the Harris Federation, the leading large multi-academy trust in the country, and you will be joining over 80 highly experienced school leaders, all of whom are committed to working together to transform lives across London and Essex. Collaboration is core to our success and none of our academies work in isolation so you will continuously be able to share best practices with other academy leaders. We have a reputation for investing in and developing successful senior leaders; our track record of performance demonstrates the impact our academy leaders have on delivering transformative change.

As a founding member of the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT), the Harris Federation is at the forefront of evolving teacher and leader development through cutting-edge research, shaping the design and delivery of our high-quality professional development programmes.

Whether you are an accomplished Principal or aspiring to progress to Principalship, this role may be the perfect fit for you. For those considering their first Principal role, we offer comprehensive support, including individual mentoring from an established Executive Principal. Experienced school leaders can benefit from clear development pathways to Executive Principalship, along with the opportunity to complete your NPQEL.

Joining Harris City Academy Crystal Palace means becoming an integral part of this vibrant school and local community. We invite you to get in touch to learn more about this opportunity, and strongly encourage you to visit the academy to discover if this is the right next step for you.

About Us

Harris City Academy Crystal Palace is a mixed academy for 1,300 students aged 11-18 from across Croydon, Bromley, Lewisham, Southwark, and Lambeth, with a large sixth form of nearly 400 students.

The academy has had three consecutive Outstanding judgments by Ofsted, with the most recent inspection in 2014 finding the academy to be Outstanding in every aspect. We are a consistently high performing school. Our motto, ‘All Can Achieve' encapsulates our vision that all members of the academy community are supported and encouraged to achieve their absolute potential. We believe that a well-supported and valued staff body is the key to our success.

We are the ‘Teaching School Hub' for Croydon and Sutton and we are able to offer all teachers an extensive programme of first class professional development. Harris City Academy Crystal Palace is part of the Harris Federation and this enables us to offer you a comprehensive induction programme and training and development opportunities to support your career development.

Main Areas of Responsibility

As Principal, you will need to provide the leadership and management necessary to secure high quality teaching and learning to raise standards of achievement.

The Principal's effective leadership will result in an academy where:

• There is a positive ethos that reflects the Academy's commitment to high achievement, effective teaching and learning, and good relationships
• Staff, governors and parents have confidence in the leadership and management of the Academy
• Staff and governors recognise their accountability for their tasks and contribute fully to the development and successful implementation of policies and practices
• The life of the Academy and the curriculum effectively promote students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and prepare them for adult life
• Effectiveness is kept under rigorous review, and links with the wider community contribute to students' attainment and personal development
• Efficient and effective use is made of staff, accommodation and resources
• Delegated responsibilities to ensuring that finance and administration are effective, and the carefully costed development plan is focused on improving educational outcomes

Qualifications & Experience

The successful applicant must have a proven track record of school improvement, and have gained successful previous experience in leading, or as part of, an SLT to transform a school and raise outcomes. We are looking for a strong communicator who can demonstrate strengths in engaging with and inspiring not just staff, but also students and parents of the local community. You will provide the leadership and management necessary to secure high quality teaching and learning to further raise standards of achievement.

We are looking for an experienced senior leader who ideally has:

• Qualified Teacher Status, Degree, Further relevant professional studies
• Relevant Further Degree or NPQH
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of current curriculum developments and how pupils learn
• Leadership in curriculum development and in monitoring and evaluation strategies
• Proven track record of raising attainment in an urban, multi-ethnic environment
• Track record of raising standards in English and Mathematics and good knowledge of raising standards in Literacy and Numeracy

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation. We encourage visits to the Academy. Please contact Katherine Cumberbatch via Tracey Harrison on harrisont@harriscrystalpalace.org.uk.

Professional Development & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

In addition to the opportunities for career development, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes a Performance Bonus, TPS, Private Medical Cover, electric car scheme, and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.