Headteacher

Archbishop Tenison’s Church of England High School in Croydon invites applications for a Headteacher to start September 2026. Salary L24-L29 (£95,267 - £107,134 – Outer London). Job type: Full Time, Permanent. Start Date: 01 September 2026. Apply by: 5pm 11 March 2026.

Archbishop Tenison’s has a rare and exciting opportunity to appoint an educator who is committed to leading a school on its journey towards excellence, whilst maintaining and strengthening its Christian ethos. We are seeking a Headteacher with a strong Christian understanding of the purpose and calling of a Church school and a clear vision for achieving academic excellence within a Christian community.

Archbishop Tenison’s Church of England High School, Croydon, is the only Church of England secondary school and Sixth Form in the borough. The school’s Christian vision and ethos were affirmed through its outstanding SIAMS inspection. We are a growing school that values the legacy and sense of community that comes from being small – nurturing strong relationships, high expectations and a culture of care for all.

Following the retirement of our current Headteacher, we are seeking an enthusiastic, committed and values-driven leader to guide our school in the next chapter of our development. This role would suit an experienced school leader with the skills, imagination and ambition to build on existing strengths and take our educational provision for 11-18 year-olds to new heights.

• Demonstrate a deep commitment to the Christian ethos of the school and lead this authentically across all aspects of school life.
• Provide inspirational and strategic leadership, building on our school improvement journey with a clear commitment to excellence for every pupil.
• Be a person of integrity, with the experience, wisdom and relational skills to lead a strong Senior Leadership Team and highly committed staff body.
• Possess the vision and practical leadership skills required to plan strategically, including effective financial and resource management.
• Have experience of leading, supporting and growing a successful Sixth Form that contributes positively to the life and culture of the whole school.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to safeguarding and child protection, ensuring that the welfare of pupils is at the heart of all decision-making and school practice.
• Show ambition, imagination and Christian hope, alongside faithfulness, courage and patience, enabling both personal and professional growth in a secure, purposeful and lively environment.

• The opportunity to lead a growing school into its next phase of development and achievement.
• A cohesive learning community with a strong and ambitious curriculum vision that we are keen to develop further.
• Excellent opportunities for professional development.
• A committed and dedicated staff team, alongside a highly supportive and engaged governing body.
• A nurturing school environment with strong pastoral systems and high expectations for pupils and staff.
• A diverse pupil community drawn from across the borough of Croydon, including local neighbourhoods and church communities.

We believe passionately in educating the whole person. Our aim is for pupils to leave Archbishop Tenison’s as academically successful, confident, emotionally and spiritually mature young people, equipped to take advantage of the opportunities available to them both in school and in later life. The spiritual life of the school is central to our identity, with daily acts of collective worship, regular church services and Eucharists, and the active presence of both a School Chaplain and Lay Chaplain. Our Christian ethos underpins our commitment to helping students and adults flourish academically, spiritually and personally. This vision is reflected in our commitment to a broad and rich curriculum that values music, art, drama and sport alongside academic subjects.

This is a role for a Headteacher with ambition and a clear vision for the distinctiveness of Church school education, who can build on our 512 year history while responding creatively and faithfully to the needs of today’s young people, enabling them to become fulfilled and successful adults.

Archbishop Tenison's is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to pre-employment checks, verification of qualifications, satisfactory references in line with our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy, and an enhanced DBS check. Social media profiles of shortlisted candidates will be reviewed. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

An information pack and application form are attached.

Visit arrangements are highly encouraged. To arrange a visit for the afternoon of Wednesday 25 February or morning of Tuesday 3 March, please contact our HR Manager via email at apply@archten.croydon.sch.uk.

Closing Date: Wednesday 11 March 2026 at 5pm – all applications to be sent to apply@archten.croydon.sch.uk. Shortlisting: Monday 16 March 2026. Interviews: Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 March 2026.

To apply, please follow the application process detailed above. This job does not have a Croydon Council online application form. The “Apply Now” button below only allows you to submit a job alert, not an online application.