Head of School

A rare opportunity has arisen to join Lorton School, available from September 2026, as our new full time Head of School - could this be the perfect next step in your leadership journey?

Lorton School is located in the beautiful village of Lorton in the Lake District National Park. Its exceptional grounds face down the Lorton valley, framed by the western fells, looking towards Buttermere and Loweswater. Our pupils come from the village and wider valley area, along with those who choose the school from out of the catchment area, including from the nearby town of Cockermouth. We have 44 pupils currently on roll. The school was established in 1809 and has good links with the village and the local church community. Most children move onto Cockermouth School, with some to Keswick School, and Lorton School has effective links with both. The most recent OFSTED inspection (July 2025) confirmed our school to be Good.

The Local Governing Body of Lorton Primary School are looking to recruit a permanent Head of School to work with the experienced Executive Headteacher. This role includes a 0.7 teaching responsibility. This vacancy is an opportunity for an ambitious and energetic leader with a passion and a joy for outstanding teaching and learning. The successful candidate will continue to develop an engaging and ambitious curriculum and be an inspirational ambassador for our school. Our children are looking for someone who is fair, friendly and understanding, someone who likes outdoor learning and makes lessons fun. We have a dedicated staff team, supportive parents, and motivated pupils. Our school has made strong progress in recent years, and we are now seeking a Head of School who can build on this momentum, further raise standards, and inspire a culture of continuous improvement. The main purpose of the role is to:

• promote and support the vision and direction of the school by providing the day-to-day leadership that will enable it to build success and provide high quality education for its children
• manage the school on a day-to-day basis and be the first point of contact for all stakeholders and external agencies
• be an ambassador for the school and both promote its distinctiveness and raise its profile in the local and wider community.

We are looking for:

• A dynamic person who can be involved in leading the school through its next phase of development
• An excellent teacher who leads by example
• A superb communicator who can inspire the whole school community