Assistant Headteacher: Head of House

Assistant Headteacher: Head of House
Salary: London Leadership Scale Points L12-16 ( 65,629 - 72,144)
Contract: Permanent, Full Time
Start Date: January 2026
Reports to: Deputy Headteacher
Location: St Mary's Catholic High School, Woburn Road, Croydon, CR9 2EE, London Borough of Croydon

We are seeking to appoint an exceptional Head of House to lead the pastoral development and wellbeing of approximately 150 students from Year 7 to Year 11. Alongside their pastoral responsibilities, the successful candidate will provide strategic leadership of the Discovery and Enterprise Faculty, which includes Mathematics as a core subject. They will work closely with the Head of Mathematics to support curriculum development and drive improvements in teaching and learning. In addition, they will lead on the implementation of a whole-school numeracy strategy. We are looking for a dynamic and committed leader with a strong track record of improving outcomes, who works collaboratively and shares our ambition to deliver excellence and equity for every student.

St Mary's is a small but growing Catholic secondary school at the heart of Croydon. With excellent behaviour, a culture of academic excellence, and a strong sense of community, we are proud to be consistently ranked among the highest-performing schools in the borough. Our 2024 Progress 8 score places us in the top 5 schools locally, and our commitment to continuous improvement is matched by our passion for social justice. We are deeply committed to ensuring that every student (regardless of their background) has the knowledge, skills, and character to thrive in life beyond school.

OFSTED Quotes:
"St Mary's Catholic High School is a deeply caring community. Its pupils and staff live up to their core values of being welcoming, serving others and working hard."
"Pupils like coming to school and enjoy learning. They feel safe here and know that staff go the extra mile to check their whereabouts and well-being."

Your New Role:
The Assistant Headteacher, under the strategic direction of the Headteacher, plays a key role in the leadership and development of the school by:
Embedding and championing the Catholic ethos, vision, values, and inclusive culture of the school
Leading John Bosco House and the Mathematics, Art, and DT faculty, while driving a whole-school strategic focus on STEM; exercising high-level leadership with autonomy, initiative, and accountability.
Driving excellence in the quality of education through innovative curriculum leadership, rigorous assessment, and staff development
Leading on inclusion and safeguarding, ensuring every student is known, valued, and safe.
Advancing student achievement, personal development, and well-being for all learners, especially those from vulnerable or disadvantaged groups
Leading school improvement initiatives and developing robust systems, policies, and practices that secure long-term impact

Visits to the school are warmly encouraged, please contact Francisca at the details below to arrange. Excited to find out more about our school? Please see our Welcome Video here. You do not need to be a practising Catholic to apply.

Benefits of working at St Mary's Catholic High School:
Ranked 5th place out of all schools in Croydon for progress.
Excellent travel links with Central London and South London: 5 min walk from West Croydon (Southern Railway, Windrush Line - Overground, Tram and Bus) and 7 min walk from East Croydon (Thameslink, Southern Railway, Southeastern Railway, Gatwick Express, Tram and Bus).
Great location close to excellent shopping and local amenities.
A collaborative approach and positive relationships.
Strong strategic leadership.
Support from managers and colleagues.
Equality of opportunities for staff.
Appreciation of staff achievement and contribution.
Induction of new staff and ongoing development for ECT.
Students' respect for staff and others.
Support for career progression.
Links with St Mary's University for professional development (10 members of staff have either completed or progressing on the MA in Catholic School Leadership).
Access to on-site car and bicycle parking facilities for all members of staff.
Generous local authority pension scheme for support staff.
Our staff are deeply committed to promoting social mobility, ensuring that every student, regardless of background, has the opportunity to succeed.

How To Apply:
To apply, you are required to complete our school application form. Please request an application pack from Francisca at or call her on (phone number removed) for more information. You can also click apply now to register your interest Francisca will send you the forms.

Your application is a direct permanent application to our school (not through agency), Hays is our recruitment partner for all permanent appointments.

Closing Date: Immediate, no later than 12 pm noon on Tuesday 14th October 2025. Please note early applications are encouraged and will be considered as they are received.
Interview Date: Week commencing Monday 20th October 2025

Please note, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited for interview. St Mary's Catholic High School reserves the right to close adverts earlier than the stated deadline.

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), medical online and social media prohibition from teaching, right to work, satisfactory references, suitability to work with children. You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

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