Assistant Principal: Science

Salary: Leadership 11-15
Start Date: January 2027

Astrea Academy Trust is looking for a candidate who is ready to take their next step in leadership to become an Assistant Principal: Science at Astrea Academy Dearne. This is an excellent opportunity for an existing senior leader or middle leader, with a track record of whole-school impact and an interest in improving teaching and learning for children. The position is a great match for someone who shares the Trust’s vision for educational excellence and has the focus to drive rapid, transformational improvement; this is main driver for this position, above the specific areas of responsibility that colleagues may have previously experienced.

About you:

• You are a highly effective senior leader or aspiring middle leader, who is able to motivate and encourage colleagues to the shared vision
• You align with our values and mission.
• You passionately believe that all children can achieve, no matter their starting point, background, or needs. You never make excuses for what children can achieve.

About Us: Astrea Academy Dearne is an 11-16 secondary academy situated in Barnsley, with around 1100 students. We are within commutable distance from Wakefield, Leeds, Doncaster, and Sheffield and are proud members of the Astrea Academy Trust family of schools. We have the highest aspirations for our students to achieve their very best and grow both as individuals and as members of their community. We are a truly comprehensive and inclusive academy, reflected in our approach to all areas of our work.

Our Commitment: We are dedicated to a knowledge-rich curriculum and a traditional approach to teaching, behaviour, and culture. We believe in teaching powerful knowledge, the best that has been thought and said,’ and an ‘entitlement curriculum’ for all. Influenced by Lemov’s ‘Teach Like A Champion,’ Rosenshine, and recent developments in cognitive science, we create a scholarly culture that is warm and strict, disciplined and joyful, ensuring impeccable behaviour so teachers can focus on teaching and pupils can focus on learning.

What We Offer:

• Extensive support and progression opportunities
• A knowledge-rich curriculum built on ‘powerful knowledge’ and a traditional T&L approach influenced by Rosenshine and TLAC
• Collaborative planning with centralised, shared units of work and resources
• An excellent Science curriculum and resources
• A feedback policy focused on whole class feedback - no onerous marking policies
• Disruption-free learning and a ‘warm/strict’ behaviour system
• Highly visible and supportive senior leaders who have your back
• Centralised detentions, including homework detentions (no need to organise/run/chase them)
• No formal graded lesson observations - just ongoing ‘no-stakes’ instructional coaching to continuously develop
• Excellent ongoing CPD, career development, and promotion opportunities across the Astrea South Yorkshire region
• Opportunity to complete NPQs
• An unrivalled professional progression model

Why Join Us? Astrea Academy Dearne is committed to providing an inclusive, aspirational, and academic education for all our students. We believe in teaching powerful knowledge and creating a scholarly culture that is warm, strict, disciplined, and joyful. Our values-driven approach ensures impeccable behaviour, allowing teachers to focus on teaching and pupils to focus on learning.

Interested in Applying? If you are passionate about education, looking for a fresh opportunity, or simply want to make a positive impact, we would love to hear from you. Take a look at the job description and candidate pack to find out more about the role and how to apply. In addition, we actively welcome visits and would be delighted to show you around our academy to appreciate fully our excellent learning environment; please contact hannah.peace@astreadearne.org to arrange a visit or to find out more about the role.

Commitment to Safeguarding and EDI: Astrea Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All posts are subject to satisfactory background checks, including references and enhanced DBS checks. We value diversity and encourage applications from candidates who are underrepresented in our workforce. As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to promoting a culture that ensures there are no barriers to the recruitment, development, and progression of disabled staff across the trust. We provide reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process to ensure disabled job applicants have the best opportunity to demonstrate their abilities.

Ready to Make a Difference? If you're ready to take the next step in your career and contribute to our dynamic and forward-thinking team, apply today and be a part of our mission to create a positive impact!