Head of School - Commercial Industries and Access School

Fixed Term Contract Maternity Cover from October 2026. Kingston College is seeking a Head of School - Commercial Industries and Access School to lead the strategic development and operational management of the school's curriculum in line with college objectives and performance targets. In this specific role, this means a high-quality curriculum that is connected to the local and regional needs of the community the College serves.

You will be a member of the Curriculum Management Team (CMT) reporting directly to the Principal - FE. Reporting into the Principals Group on budget planning, monitoring and intervention, you will work closely with STCG Directors of Quality, Student Support Services & External Relations, HR, Finance and MIS. A critical role for the Head of School is to identify and evaluate strengths and areas for improvement and to translate this into operating plans with clear actions and targets to be met over a defined period of time. You will monitor these closely with the School Management Group (SMG) and report on progress at College CMT which will feed into the College annual operating plan.

As Head of School, you will supervise and support the work of the Heads of Section, including Deputy and Team Leaders forming a School Management Group who are responsible and accountable for the key priorities of the College and School as described and monitored in the annual quality improvement plan.

We would like our Head of School to hold a degree or appropriate professional qualifications in an area relevant to the work in the School, hold a teaching qualification (or be willing to work towards) and have substantial relevant teaching experience and excellent teaching skills. You will have demonstrable leadership and management skills in the context of curriculum and staff management with experience of leading and working within teams and the ability to identify training and development needs for both teaching and support teams.

You will possess strong knowledge of the School's curriculum, including current provision and impending changes, alongside a clear understanding of curriculum development, accreditation and validation processes. You will have a proven track record of developing and managing a high-quality curriculum that responds effectively to student demand and learner needs. You will also demonstrate a thorough understanding of quality assurance and continuous improvement processes, using these to enhance the learner experience. In addition, you will have experience of successfully leading change and a sound understanding of funding mechanisms and their impact on the School's provision.

The successful candidate will be eligible for any increase in salary as a consequence of the annual cost of living review that will be implemented in the new academic year. Closing date for the return of completed applications is 3rd June 2026.

The benefits package includes generous annual leave of 37 days plus up to 8 additional days over Christmas/New Year as well as an additional 5 days Wellbeing leave to enhance employees' physical and mental health. There is an excellent pension scheme that receives a significant financial contribution from the employer (Teachers Pensions or Local Government Pension Scheme), subsidised sports facilities and professional development and training plus a salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme.

As outlined in the Public Sector Equality Duty of the Equality Act 2010, we are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

As part of our due diligence checks on prospective employees, successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references, an online search and proof of eligibility to work in the UK.

The South Thames Colleges Group is made up of Carshalton College, Kingston College, Merton College and South Thames College, which merged on 1 August 2017. South Thames Colleges Group is one of London's largest providers of post-16 education and training and is an ongoing and significant contributor to its local communities. We aim to put students' success at the heart of everything we do.

We are looking for hard-working and collaborative people who can join our team and help challenge our students to progress and achieve.