Watling Academy
Milton Keynes
Salary:
Competitive
Job type:
Full Time, Permanent
Start date:
01 January 2026
Apply by:
2 October 2025
Job overview
Headteacher, Watling Academy
Location: Milton Keynes
Start date: January 2026 or April 2026 by negotiation
Close date for applications: Thursday 2nd October, 9am
The Alliance Schools Trust is looking for a new Headteacher to lead Watling Academy in Milton Keynes, who will have the schools' values of respect, responsibility, and kindness at their very core. The academy opened as a new, purpose-built free school in 2020 on the expanding western flank of Milton Keynes. Following an impressive journey of growth and achievement ever since, the school was recognised with an Outstanding Ofsted judgement in all areas in 2023 and the first cohort of Sixth Form students joined in September 2025. When full, the school will serve 2,225 students, making it one of the fastest-growing schools in Europe. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to lead this thriving, ambitious, and inclusive school at a pivotal point in its development.
The Alliance Schools Trust is a dynamic, growing MAT of two secondary and four primary schools, never settling for second best for our students and providing a brilliant education for all. We are committed to removing any barriers to achieving this, with schools that are both fully inclusive and high-performing, where all children learn, thrive and go on to lead fulfilling lives. The Trust's mission – to provide the highest standards of Education, Care and Opportunity for all its students- is underpinned by the core values of each of the schools. Watling Academy exemplifies our mission in action: delivering an ambitious and inclusive education, fostering a culture of care and empathy, and creating inspiring, memorable learning opportunities.
Whether you are an existing, successful Headteacher, or an experienced and talented Deputy Headteacher, leading Watling Academy into the future will be a career-defining move. The scale and potential for the academy requires a seasoned, passionate, and resilient leader. You will have a flair for motivating others, for embedding inclusive cultures, and leading with integrity and the highest expectations for all. As our next Headteacher, you will relish the opportunity to ensure that all pupils have an exceptional educational offer and the very best opportunities, building on the excellent grounding that has already been set at the school. To support you to achieve this, you will have access to the full support and resources of the Alliance Schools Trust.
If you are aligned to our mission and values and have an excellent track record, we would love to hear from you. To arrange a confidential and informal discussion about the role, please contact our recruitment partners Propelo on in the first instance. For details of how to apply, please visit
Close date for applications: Thursday 2nd October, 9am
Interviews: Thursday 16th and Friday 17th October
The Alliance Schools Trust is committed to safeguarding children; successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance, we may also conduct an online search about any shortlisted candidates as part of our due diligence to identify any matters that might relate directly to our legal duty to meet safeguarding duties, in accordance with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)
About Watling Academy
Watling Academy
Barrosa Way, Whitehouse, Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire
MK8 1EP
United Kingdom
Watling Academy is a brand new, purpose built 11-16 secondary school on the rapidly expanding western flank of Milton Keynes, comprising of the Whitehouse and Fairfields developments. The Academy opened in September 2020 but due to a delay in the completion of the main build we initially opened on the top floor of Fairfields Primary school, approximately 1 mile away from the Academy building. The main build is now fully operational and we moved our first cohort of Year 7s into the main build in June 2021.
The Academy will have 1800 students when it reaches its capacity, taking year groups of 360. Our first cohort of Year 7 students, however, was restricted to 180 and we will fill up a year group at a time from that point onwards, our second cohort being 300 before we begin taking subsequent cohorts of 360 from September 2022.
Watling Academy will serve the communities of Whitehouse and Fairfields, which are currently expanding rapidly – there is currently 1 Primary school operating in each area, but this will increase to two in each area by 2025, each one of those having cohorts of 90 children per year.
In the first few years of operation, Watling will take students from further afield in Milton Keynes, but this radius will reduce year on year as the communities continue to expand. The projected numbers for students selecting Watling Academy as their first preference school in September 2023 demonstrates that there is more than adequate need for our planned 330 intake and that we are significantly oversubscribed.
Watling Academy was commissioned by the Local Authority as an 11-16 school and as such opened on that basis. The philosophy of the Trust, however, is that a community school should offer an education through from We are currently in discussion with the Local Authority about how we secure sixth form provision from 2025, when our first cohort of students reaches the end of Year 11. Those discussions have proved positive to date, and we remain fully committed to providing a clear sixth form pathway for our students.
Core values and vision
The Trust's mission – to provide the highest standards of Education, Care and Opportunity for all its students is underpinned at Watling by our core values of Respect, Responsibility and Kindness, which is an integral part of our language within lessons, extra-curricular activities and around the school.
The curriculum
Whilst the curriculum is broad and balanced and offers the complete range of subjects the three themes that provide the foundations for everything we do are based on STEM, sustainability, and the development of Milton Keynes. As the fastest growing city in the UK, we believe it is important that our students understand how Milton Keynes has developed over time, where its sits now as a centre for innovation and the latest technology and prepare them to have the skills and knowledge to be successful as the city continues to expand. We have a responsibility to work with our students to help them understand and contribute to tackling challenges around the environment and sustainability and this manifests itself not just within the formal curriculum but through the way we operate as an Academy.
The Academy is part of the Denbigh Alliance Multi-Academy Trust, which currently contains one other school – Denbigh School, approximately 1.5 miles away from Watling and from September 2023 will also include Watling Primary, a brand new 630 place Primary school, just behind the Watling Site.
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