Assistant Principal / St James Academy

St James Academy are seeking an Assistant Principal for Safeguarding, Welfare and Attendance. The successful applicant will be the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the academy and lead on all aspects of safeguarding, welfare and attendance. You will also work with the Trust's Safeguarding and Inclusion officer, and Attendance Officer to lead and develop best practice in these areas. We ensure the success of our learners through outstanding teaching, positive behaviour and embracing the talents of every individual. With a strong caring ethos, learners are provided with high levels of support that has created an atmosphere of mutual respect throughout the school. You will be joining the Trust at an exciting time as we are continuing our journey to provide a first-class education for the young people of Dudley, with outstanding teaching and learning being the Trust's foremost priority. Closing date is Sunday 17th May 2026 - we reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the date advertised. Interviews will be held on Thursday 16th April 2026. All successful applicants will need to undertake an enhanced disclosure and barring service check and children and adults barred list checks, where the applicant will be employed in a regulated activity. Dudley Academies Trust is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds, including disabled, and black and ethnic minority applicants.

Dudley Academies Trust was formed in September 2017, uniting four secondary schools under the sponsorship of Dudley College of Technology, which is one of the UK's leading FE colleges and rated 'Excellent' by Ofsted. The schools are: Beacon Hill Academy, Pegasus Academy, St James Academy and The Link Academy. The Trust, when combined with the sponsor, annually supports 8,500 young people aged 11 to 19 years old and employs almost 1,300 staff. The Trust has a strong emphasis on providing the very best educational experience for pupils so they can experience both academic and personal success. It has a strong central team that works across the schools to ensure that our aspirations for them are put into practice. We believe that our investment in people, technology and our estate makes the Trust an attractive employer for anyone who wishes to work in a progressive, environment where achievement is valued. Our Chief Executive, Jo Higgins, joined us after a career in school leadership in South Yorkshire, where she led Penistone Grammar School for ten years. She also contributed to the borough wide school improvement system in Barnsley and she led the application process for a cross phase MAT of eleven schools. As a school leader, Jo is motivated by the conviction that all young people should be able to access outstanding provision, irrespective of their starting point in life. As part of her previous work she has driven rapid school improvement, and brings this experience to help strengthen each school's performance. The vision for Dudley Academies Trust is that our family of schools will be the first choice for young people and parents in north and central Dudley. We will achieve this through:

• innovative teaching and learning supported by a team of expert practitioners who work across our schools
• access to the latest available learning technologies
• a relentless focus on aspiration
• a rich, broad and varied curriculum, meeting the needs of learners of all abilities
• providing clear pathways to educational advancement and employment
• instilling positive values in our learners through a system of Values Driven Expectations that rewards achievement and good behaviour
• developing a culture in which our staff can contribute, develop and thrive.