Thistley Hough Academy is seeking an exceptional Principal to lead our vibrant, high-performing school into its next exciting chapter. This is an opportunity to make a lasting impact, drive academic success further and nurture the embedded culture of ambition.
Job Title: Principal
Location: Thistley Hough Academy, Stoke-on-Trent
Salary: Negotiable. Dependent on experience.
Start Date: Ideally January 2026
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full-Time
Application Closing Date: Thursday 9th October 2025
1st Round Interview Date: Thursday 16th October 2025
2nd Round Interview Date: Thursday 23rd October 2025
About You:
You are a dynamic and compassionate leader with a clear vision for educational excellence. With a strong track record of school improvement, you inspire others through high expectations, strategic thinking, and a deep commitment to inclusive, student-centred education.
As Principal, you will champion our core values of Respect, Resilience, and Responsibility, driving continuous improvement and shaping a culture where every student can thrive and succeed.
Our Ideal candidate will have:
* Substantial experience in school leadership, ideally as a Vice Principal or Deputy Headteacher, with a strong track record of raising educational standards.
* Commitment to your own professional development, holding NPQSL or equivalent.
* A deep understanding of school improvement strategies and the ability to lead through periods of change.
* Proven ability to inspire, lead, and motivate staff within a performance management framework, including professional development and managing underperformance.
* A commitment to inclusive education, with the ability to foster a culture of high aspiration and expectation for every student, including those with SEND.
* Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and strong relationships with students, staff, families, and the wider community.
About Thistley Hough Academy:
Thistley Hough Academy is a vibrant, inclusive, and high-performing secondary school at the heart of Stoke-on-Trent. As one of the city’s highest achieving non-selective schools, we are proud to celebrate our best-ever GCSE results with the 2025 cohort, reflecting our relentless drive for academic excellence and student success.
Significantly oversubscribed, our popularity is a testament to the quality of education, care, and opportunity we provide. We are a modern school with a strong sense of community, where students are supported to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically. Our ethos is built on high expectations, expert teaching, and a culture of kindness.
Essential Information:
Creative Education Trust (CET) is committed to Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and young people by keeping them safe, we expect all our colleagues to share in this responsibility.
All shortlisted candidates are subject to online checks prior to interview.
The CET Recruitment Policy follows the guidance set out by Keeping Children Safe in Education, where all offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS Check, separate Barred List Check, References and where appropriate a Prohibition from teaching search.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.
CET is committed to developing, maintaining, and supporting an inclusive culture and environment for the benefit of its employees and the communities it serves.
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