School Improvement Advisor

The successful candidate will work with our Trust education team: Jo Evans Deputy CEO; John Parr, Director ofStandards (Outcomes); and Eve Morris Director of Standards (Inclusion), along with other Headteachers from ourfamily of schools. They will be supported by a strong central Trust team. Further to this Mary Webb has a strong anddedicated governing body, from the local community, who bring stability, challenge and support to the school., Above all things we require our Headteacher to believe in the fundamental importance of education in youngpeople's lives.The Headteacher has delegated responsibility for the day-to-day running of the school.

• This includes responsibility for the education of all pupils, and the quality and effectiveness of that work.
• The Headteacher is responsible for: employment matters, work, and wellbeing of our team of staff; the
implementation of the school budget and resources; buildings / assets, Health and Safety and compliance matters under the direction and as delegated by the Trust. These areas are all supported and guided by central Trust services.The post holder is required to meet the relevant standards required for the role, such as the DFE: National standardsof excellence for headteachers 2015 and where relevant to adjust their work in line with other future changes toexpectations and or regulations.The Trust can alter levels of support according to the needs of the school and for the experience of the newpostholder.Qualities, Knowledge, and Vision
• The highest ambitions for all pupils and for the school.
• Communicate, articulate, sustain, and further develop the school's clear values and moral purpose providing
a first-class education for our pupils, ensuring staff and all pupils are empowered to excel.
• Lead the School inclusively, in the pupils' best interests, bearing in mind their needs as individuals.
• Inspire everyone with a vision for the future of the school, having regard to opportunities and risks that
might arise, drawing on the support and guidance of the LGB and Trust as appropriate.
• Visibly demonstrate optimistic personal behaviour and positive relationships and attitudes towards all.
• Lead by example with integrity, creativity, resilience and clarity, drawing on the resources and expertise of
others.
• Pursue continuous professional development by sustaining strong knowledge about all educational matters
including schooling, curriculum, innovations and local, national and international developments.
• Use a deep and accurate knowledge of the school to report strengths and weaknesses to the Trust and to
Governors.,
• Use a wide range of qualitative and quantitative approaches, including data and research to know the school
well and drive improvements.
• Work with the Trust to draw up Strategic Objectives.
• Show strong strategic leadership and management of change by developing and implementing the School
Improvement Plan to meet those priorities and others identified and report on this progress regularly to governors.
• Lead the school, building a strong cooperative team and maximising available resources, to develop the
school and the school improvement priorities.
• Build on the School's local reputation for excellence and a caring, inclusive ethos, regardless of background,
culture, religion etc. Use this to develop a successful marketing strategy.
• Cherish, protect and nurture our school's special culture, while ensuring that the school continues to evolve
to be highly effective and fit for purpose into the future.Educational Leadership, Self-improving School
• As educational leader of the school, provide the vision and strategy for continued improvement to meet
highly ambitious goals.
• Place high standards and expectations at the heart of the role and the school
• Bring support, challenge and accountability to all aspects of schooling including extra-curricular, ensuring
that the pupils receive an inspiring high-quality education.
• Inspire staff to continually strive to improve their work and to share responsibility and accountability for
maintaining the highest possible standards throughout the school.
• Encourage and inspire pupils to participate and engage with the life of our school and to fulfil their potential.
• Be ambitious for our pupils in overcoming disadvantage and ensuring equality.
• Encourage and inspire all staff - teaching and non-teaching - to fulfil their potential, with high quality training
and sustained professional development for all staff.
• Manage staff performance in line with Trust policies addressing any underperformance, holding staff to
account and supporting staff to improve and share expertise.
• Inspire and encourage staff to support and develop each other's practice.
• Distribute leadership throughout the school making sure there is wisdom, clarity and fairness over roles and
responsibilities and that leaders are both supported and held to account fairly.
• Secure excellent teaching through using a strong knowledge of pedagogy and practice.
Pupils, Staff and Working with others
• Provide a safe, inclusive, calm, caring and well-ordered environment for the pupils and staff, ensuring that
the culture of safeguarding permeates the school.
• Develop and secure an effective behaviour management system.
• Ensure the personal development and welfare of pupils, understanding that these aspects of the school are a
part of our wide educational remit.
• Lead by example, understanding the importance of being a role model for others and being visible and open
for communication within School, taking a genuine interest in the individuals in our school community and striving for them to flourish.
• Welcome strong governance, actively working with the LGB and Trust enabling them to deliver their defined
functions effectively.
• Learn from and contribute to the development of other senior leaders in the Trust, and actively support the
development of other schools in the Trust.
• Ensure communication processes and methods are fit for purpose and facilitate the effectiveness of our
school.
• Be outward facing in working with the Trust, other schools and organisations, maintaining warm and
effective relationships and good communications with our parents and relevant members of the wider community.
• Be an active member of the community, knowing our catchment well and building on links.
Mary Webb School Headteacher Recruitment Pack 2026Business & Finance and compliance
• Work with financial and political astuteness steering the work of the school towards common goals in line
with the school's vision and the needs of pupils.
• Ensure the school's systems and processes are well considered, efficient and effective, including upholding
transparency, integrity and probity, complying with Trust regulations and national standards (e.g. financial handbook)
• Work effectively with and welcome the leadership, support and guidance of trust staff in the areas such as
Finance, business, estates, Health and Safety and HR.
• Ensure the continued financial well-being of the school, using the support of the Trust finance team and
under the structures and systems that are in place, including the preparation and effective administration of the school budget.
• Manage and maintain, with the assistance of the Trust, the School estate and assets.
• Appoint, induct and train the best staff that can be found, to ensure that our students have the best possible
experience in their education here.
• Ensure strategic, curriculum / learning led financial planning in the best interests of pupils and the school's
effectiveness and sustainability
• Ensure equitable deployment of resources (including human resources) and that Trust policies for HR and
related areas are followed.As a Headteacher employed by a Trust, the postholder will be part of a senior group of Trust employees. This groupis led by the CEO and the Director of Education and School Improvement, who coordinate and direct some aspects ofwork by Headteachers as required. This is a team of like-minded professionals who are open and supportive of eachother's work, including at times working in each other's schools.Any other duties that the Governing Body/ Board of Trustees feel is commensurate with the post. Whilst every effortis made to explain the main duties and responsibilities of the post each individual task undertaken may not beidentified, 17. Can monitor and evaluate all aspects of education (including lesson observations, book reviews and the use of data), to drive forward the
• achievement of the school, all groups and pupils (essential).
• 18. Can sustain and develop pupils' high standards of behaviour and can also consistently promote pupils' welfare (essential)
19. Is passionate about 'quality first teaching', ensuring that an effective system is in place for self-evaluation, actions for improvement and monitoring of all staff and can apply management skills to support and
coach / develop staff (essential). 20. Able to write high quality and user-friendly evaluations and reports to guide the future actions of others (desirable).
• , 33. Experience of managing staff and contributing to HR processes such as
performance management and capability (essential).
34. Currently contributes to the development and implementation of a broad and rich curriculum and the informal / wider curriculum (essential).
• 35. Can demonstrate a commitment to the development of the whole child through experience of work in personal development, welfare, SMSC etc.
(essential). 36. Understand the challenges that some pupils face, and the complex needs that some pupils have (essential). Demonstrate, in current post, tireless
• work to support such pupils (desirable). 37. An appreciation and interest in the use and challenges of AI in education.
• Community, Trust and Governance 38. Commitment to leading a community school, and pupil's place in their community, both during and beyond school (essential)
39. Experience of, or commitment to, working closely and collaboratively with a Trust / Governing Body / other schools to develop and implement a
shared vision (essential). 40. Experience of working in partnership with Governors or a Trust, providing effective communication information and advice (desirable).
• 41. Willingness and capacity to work in partnership with Governors, and under the direction of a Trust, to enable them to meet their responsibilities, including holding the school to account, HR systems and financial
regulations (essential). 42. Welcome the opportunity to work in a Trust, receiving and implementing its expectations (including financial and HR) and making full use of the
support and developments on offer (essential). 43. Willing and able to contribute to the development of the Trust and other Trust schools (essential).
• Mary Webb School Headteacher Recruitment Pack 2026Additional Employment mattersThe post is subject to:The terms and conditions for teachers as set out in the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document 2019; theother terms and conditions set out in the various national collective agreements in force from time to time; theTrust's terms and conditions including any local agreement entered into with the Trusts' forum (including recognisedtrade unions); the conditions set out in the Job Description and in the letter of appointment.Salary and PensionThe salary for this post is Headteacher Group 7 but the range within this will be set on appointment. The post ispensionable in accordance with the Teachers' Pension regulations, and relevant contributions will therefore beautomatically deducted from the post holder's salary other than where or until such time that the Academy/Trustreceives notification that they have elected to opt out of the Scheme. More information can be found online by visitingwww.teacherspensions.co.ukSafer Recruitment StatementOur Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people within all trustschools. The Trust complies with the statutory legislative requirements and guidance that seeks to protect children inaccordance with statutory guidance including 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' guidance (September 2023). Inorder to meet this responsibility, this includes a rigorous recruitment & selection process to discourage and screen outunsuitable applicants. Trust Job descriptions and persons specifications make reference to safeguarding and childprotection and that all posts are subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service certificate (DBS). All advertisementsinclude our safeguarding statement and commitment.Interview and appointmentShortlisted candidates will take part in an in-depth interview and selection process. Candidates called for interviewshould bring with them a form of identification e.g. driver's licence or passport. Any offer of appointment will besubject to satisfying any arising safeguarding matters at interview and formal pre-employment checks. All checks willbe made in the strictest confidence and used solely for the purpose of considering applications for the post. ADisclosure and Barring Service Enhances Certificate (DBS) with Barred List Check will be required for all appointedposts. The Trust will carry out other appropriate pre-employment checks. These include Qualifications and Status e.g.QTS, Prohibition check, EEA check, Section 128 Directive check and Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006check. A fitness to work declaration will be required following appointment to ensure that a candidate has the healthand physical capacity for the job. Further identity checks to determine identity and proof of eligibility to work in theUK and social media checks. The successful candidate will be included on the Trust/school's Single Central Record(SCR).Probation and MobilityNew staff may be subject to the probation procedure for a period of six months. The probation period is to enable theassessment of an employee's suitability for the job for which they have been employed which includes the monitor andreview of the performance of new staff in relation to duties, skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the jobdescription and person specification. This will also include an employee's suitability to work with children and youngpeople and their commitment to safeguarding and child protection.Our Trust's Mobility Policy applies to new staff which specifies how and when staff may be deployed to work in anotherTrust school. This policy specifies how deployment across schools operates, for promotion, staff development,secondment or redeployment. A copy of this policy is available on request.Equal OpportunitiesOur Trust recognises the value of, and seeks to achieve, a diverse workforce which includes people from allbackgrounds. TrustEd Schools Alliance takes positive steps to create an employment culture in which people feelconfident of being treated with fairness, dignity and tolerance irrespective of their individual differences. This Mary Webb School Headteacher Recruitment Pack 2026commitment extends beyond the relationship between and conduct of employees and potential employees, to thewhole community. TrustEd Schools Alliance is committed to the elimination of unlawful discrimination and to thepromotion of good relations between all.General Data Protection RegulationOur Trust is committed to ensuring that all employees privacy is protected. By signing a contract of employment, youwill agree for TrustEd Schools Alliance, and/or agents appointed by the Trust, to process your personal data, including"sensitive personal data" as defined in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), for the purposes of theoperation, management, security and/ or administration, as well as, complying with applicable laws, regulations andprocedures. The information you provide (except Equality Monitoring Information) may be shared with partnerorganisations that provide services to our Trust. A full list of these organisations is available upon request.Further Information for ApplicantsAny canvassing in respect of this selection process will disqualify the applicant. The appointment may be terminatedupon three months' written notice by either side taking effect on 30 April or 31 December, or upon four months'written notice by either side taking effect from 31 August, except in the case of dismissal.
  
  1. Qualified teacher status with a graduate level qualification (essential).
• 2. Relevant professional qualification NPQH or other (essential) - or working towards.
• 3. Substantial and successful teaching and leadership experience in the secondary setting (essential).
4. Successful prior experience of Headship, Deputy Headship or equivalent (essential)
5. Successful prior experience of leadership in more than one school (desirable)
• 6. A proven track record of leading school improvement and raising standards (essential).
7. Has proven commitment to professional development in leadership and management (essential).
8. Track record of leadership within both curriculum and pastoral areas (desirable).
• 9. Successful senior leadership experience in either curriculum or pastoral areas, and of successfully leading and developing middle leaders (essential).
10. Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding (essential)
• Qualities, Skills and Knowledge 11. Have the best interests of pupils and the highest ambitions for all pupils, as the guiding principles of personal practice (essential).
• 12. Have personal leadership qualities that inspire the work and trust of others, and the humility to use this authority with wisdom and compassion
• (essential) 13. Consistently demonstrate integrity, determination, positivity, fairness / equality and strength / resilience in professional practice (essential).
• 14. Demonstrate the ability to clearly communicate the strategic vision; motivate and inspire the school community in the constant pursuit
• of excellence (essential). 15. Have a proven track record of running an effective team and securing the support of other key professional / staff (essential).
Mary Webb School Headteacher Recruitment Pack 2026 16. Has a proven track record, reflected in high levels of ambition for every child through an engaging education (essential).
• , 22. Can demonstrate highly effective management skills (essential) and apply
these skills during times of educational and financial pressure, to ensure that resources are appropriately allocated to drive the continuous
• improvement of teaching and standards of learning for all pupils (desirable). 23. Experience in the re-structuring of staffing or the design of new teams and structures (desirable). Demonstrate the capacity to draw on other leaders'
strengths and target training where needed (essential). 24. Has up to date knowledge of statutory requirements, Ofsted and curriculum and able to translate this into policies and administrative
practices (essential). 25. Has up to date knowledge of pastoral, safety and inclusion matters and is able to apply this for 'in the moment' problem solving, and longer term
administrative / monitoring practices (essential). 26. Demonstrate commitment to keeping the school environment and pupils safe, and maintain up-to-date knowledge of health and safety, training and legislation. Able to direct staff to ensure this is consistently applied
(essential). 27. Value partnerships with external organisations, both educational and community based and be able to develop these for the benefit of the school community, including to support pupils next steps beyond school
(essential). 28. Is 'Trust Minded' and values partnerships with internal partners, such as the Trust, other Trust schools and Sports Partnership (essential).
• 29. Able to find ways to enable everyone - parents, pupils, staff and the wider community - to feel a valued part of our inclusive school and its work
(essential). 30. Excellent communicator with demonstrable experience of communicating effectively to different audiences across different channels (essential). Experience of working to develop a successful marketing strategy
(desirable). 31. Knows what an engaging, rigorous, broad and rich curriculum is and how to develop one across a school (essential).
32. Understanding of how financial considerations connect to all aspects of school life and ability to maximise resources (essential).
• 
  
  On behalf of TrustEd Schools and Mary Webb's Local Governing Body, we would like to thank you for your interest in
the post of Headteacher at Mary Webb School. The new headteacher will take over from the outgoing HeadteacherPete Lowe-Werrell, who has led the school since September 2018. We are looking for a candidate who can ideallyjoin the school in January 2027 or April 2027.Our School is situated in Pontesbury, Shrewsbury, in the beautiful county of Shropshire, a short distance fromShrewsbury. Mary Webb serves both the local community and surrounding local area, with a high proportion ofstudents coming by bus to school. The school has a comprehensive intake with approximately 650 students on roll.Appointment to this post comes at an exciting time for the school. The school enjoyed a 'good' Ofsted in 2023recognising many of the school's strengths. Leaders and staff are working together to raise KS4 outcomes, and areathe successful candidate will pick up as a focus. The school ethos is inclusive and positive and there is adetermination that pupils will receive a truly great education.We are looking for a new Headteacher with the ambition, experience and skills to lead our school into the next phaseof its journey. Candidates who have previously been Headteachers, Deputy Heads, or equivalent will be warmlywelcomed, and the level of trust support given by the trust can alter depending on experience of the successfulcandidate.Mary Webb School is part of a family of nine schools, that make up our MAT, TrustEd Schools. The school now, like allour schools, benefits from the support the Trust provides. Our Heads contribute freely to each other's schoolsaccording to need, in a collaborative and open way, within a strong Trust structure and Trust processes. We lookforward to appointing a colleague who shares our Trust collaborative vision.Our financial planning and processes are supported by the Trust finance team, led by Gwyneth Evans our Director ofFinance, and the school has a secure budget with reserves., Mary Webb School enjoys a spacious site in the small town of Pontesbury,located on the edge of the Shropshire Hills and just eight miles fromShrewsbury. The school is easily accessible from the West Midlands, using theconvenient M54 / A5 to Shrewsbury, from which it is a further 10 minutes drive.Pontesbury is a thriving rural community offering an excellent quality of life,with strong local amenities, picturesque views of the Shropshire hills and awelcoming village atmosphere. Mary Webb School serves a wide catchmentarea, including Pontesbury and surrounding villages such as Hanwood,Westbury and Ford, many of whom travel to school by coach. The school also attracts many families from Shrewsbury whochoose Mary Webb as their preferred secondary school, reflecting its strong reputation. The breadth of our catchment,with accompanying travel times is something that the school accommodates well, and this unique combination of ruralcharacter, community connection and accessibility creates a vibrant, inclusive and ambitious learning environment.Our school serves 650 pupils, and we have a comprehensive intake. We enjoy excellent relationships with our parents andthe community that we serve, recognising the importance of our school to the people of Pontesbury. Our pupils are wellbehaved, friendly and welcoming nurtured by a strong form tutor system and we have five forms in each year group. As arelatively small school our pupils are well known to us and each valued. Although we are comprehensive, our numbers offree school meals pupils are lower than national averages. Our numbers of SEND pupils is broadly in line with nationalaverages, and the school has a strong SEND team.Our dedicated staff work well together and there is a team ethos across the school. There is a genuine commitmentamongst staff to get the education of our students right and to support them into their next stages beyond our school.We have very few vacancies, and staff turn-over is low.Governors and leaders are united in their vision for Mary Webb School and Science College as an inclusive school thatinspires every member of its community to achieve high expectations and fulfil their personal goals. At the heart of theschool is a strong commitment to care, guidance and support. The school is committed to ensuring that individual needsand aspirations are recognised and nurtured within a culture of mutual respect, personal responsibility and honesty. Theschools' curriculum is dynamic and is responding to changes in the needs of our intakes over time. The school iscommitted to an education that is engaging, challenging and relevant.Our ethos is rooted in four core values: ambition, respect, resilience and support. The school's work in personaldevelopment has focussed on encourage reflective learning, promote kindness and integrity, foster independence throughperseverance, and create a collaborative environment where everyone is empowered to succeed and achievements arecelebrated.The school were pleased with the outcomes of the Ofsted report in 2023. Ofsted found that the school to be Good. Thefollowing quotes we feel reflect our school very well:· Pupils feel safe and happy in this inclusive and supportive school., TrustEd Schools is comprised of a family of nine schools. We have four schools around the market town ofBridgnorth, two schools around the market town of Church Stretton and three schools around the county town ofShrewsbury / nearby Pontesbury.In 2022 Mary Webb School, Meole Brace Secondary School, and Belvidere Secondary School, merged with our trust.Prior to this they were in a small trust of three schools called Central Shropshire Academies Trust (CSAT). Our trustwas started with Oldbury Wells as the founding school in Summer 2015. Alveley Primary School joined the Trust as asponsored school in 2016. Since this time Alveley School has gone from strength to strength, and enjoys verystrong results and a recent staring Ofsted too. St Leonards CE Primary School joined us in 2017 at which point theTrust changed its status and we became 'mixed MAT.' This means we can have both secular and Church of Englandschools in our family and our MAT now has a Church of England Articles of Association. We are proud of thisinclusivity, and we cherish this variety. Castlefields Primary School also joined the family of schools in 2017.Church Stretton Secondary School joined us in 2019 and are in the market town of Church Stretton, quite near toPontesbury. Stokesay Primary School also joined our Trust in 2019 and is situated in Craven Arms. Stokesay wasalso a sponsored school, and has most recently had the accolade of an 'exceptional' result in their recentinspection.Our Governance has two tiers. The Trust Board (and its committees) has the overarching responsibility forgovernance of the Trust and each school. Each school also has delegated powers to their Local Governing Body.Our Headteachers report to three groups: the Executive Team (led by the CEO), our Trust Board (Chair is MarkAnderson) and their own Local Governing Body.As a Trust we support our schools with a helpful suite of central services which has its offices in both Bridgnorthadn Church Stretton. The team consists of Sarah Godden (CEO), Jo Evans (Director of Education and SchoolImprovement), John Parr and Eve Morris (Directors of Standards), and Gwyneth Evans (Director of Finance), alongwith a central team who all support in the core aspects such as finance, HR, and premises. Each Headteacherretains leadership and responsibility for these areas but is supported in these tasks by the trust. As a result of thisapproach all our schools continue to develop and improve under their Headteacher's leadership, and each enjoyshealthy finances. Aspects of HR are run through our Trust, as the employer of all staff our schools, including ofcourse Headteachers.Our schools are also supported by a central service for education improvement and governance. Sarah Godden andJo Evans , supported by Nicky Murray who is our Governance Professional, lead this joint work. We employ aSchool Improvement Advisor, and four of our Team are Ofsted inspectors, which is most helpful. We work in aconsistent way on several key education processes, such as Ofsted preparation and improvement planning. Again,each headteacher retains leadership and responsibility for education in their schools, but these processes aresupported by the Trust. As a result of this approach each school continues to develop and improve but each schoolretains their uniqueness. We alter the amount of support given to schools according to need, and according to theexperience and background of any newly appointed Headteacher.Out trust has three ethical foundation stones which guide the way we work with our schools. These are, Stewardship,Collaboration and Flourishing (inclusion). All our schools are affiliated to the Association of Character Education andworking towards the Character Education Award. The way we work together is important to us, giving our schoolsautonomy over areas such as curriculum, behaviour policies, staffing structures and Personal development approaches.Our schools are aligned in key areas such as performance management and HR policy, examination / assessment windows,school self-assessment systems, ICT platform, estates projects / Health and safety and budget setting. Our heads havecontributed, where possible, to decision making about that alignment.As a medium sized Trust in a close geographical area, our school leaders frequently work together on joint projectsand support each other. Our Executive team are regular visitors to schools and governors' meetings and take akeen interest in all aspects of our schools. As a Trust and group of Heads we look forward to welcoming a newHeadteacher who shares the same vision for working in a family of schools, in a collaborative way, placing theinterests of all our pupils at the heart of our work. For more information see: www.trusted-schools.com Mary Webb School Headteacher Recruitment Pack 2026 Trust Values: Together we are TrustEdFlourishing:Together at TrustEd we have the highest ambitions for our pupils. All of them. Thisinclusive ambition is for our young people to flourish within and for themselves, theirschool, their communities, and their futures. Our Trust serves across south and centralShropshire, we know that if our pupils thrive, then our communities will gain too.Collaboration:Together at TrustEd we know we benefit from working as a team, and value thecontributions of our school communities and partners. We are stronger from sharing ourthinking, professional knowledge and experience. This helps us to be resourceful,resilient, and to bring combined wisdom to decision making.Stewardship:Together at TrustEd we understand the importance of the work we do, in serving ourpupils and communities. We embrace the responsibilities that come with thisstewardship, acting with courageous advocacy in their interests. We use CharacterEducation in our teaching and in our work together. We place our values at the heart ofour work in our schools, especially, compassion & kindness, fairness & equality, andhonesty & integrity.