Headteacher in Taunton

We are seeking to recruit an outstanding leader and teacher, with a track record of successful leadership, to become the Headteacher of Orchard Grove Primary School from September 2026. We are looking for an individual who has a strong knowledge of curriculum, who has experience in safeguarding and who can deliver excellent learning opportunities alongside achievement and progress outcomes for all children across the Primary and Early Years key stages.

You will be responsible for the strategic leadership of the school in respect of all areas relating to quality of education, behaviour and attitudes and personal development, as well as being the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for the school.

You will join an ambitious, talented and hardworking team of staff who offer support in an academic and pastoral sense, and are dedicated to making a difference to young people, families and the wider community. You will uphold the values of Team Orchard Grove and help galvanise and grow the team further. You will work with other BEP headteachers to help shape the future of education in Somerset and Devon.

This post involves 2 days per week of classroom teaching initially; over time the role will develop to a non-teaching headteacher position. You must be an exceptional classroom teacher, as the teachers and support staff led by the headteacher are highly capable.

If you would like to take a look at Orchard Grove, join a school tour. Tour sessions: 16:15 on Friday 6th February; 17:15 on Wednesday 11th February; 16:45 on Tuesday 24th February; 16:15 on Monday 2nd March. Please see the application pack for details of how to book a visit. CVs are not accepted; please complete the application form in full. If you can meet the requirements, we would love to hear from you. All applications should be made by completing the online application form via E-teach and include evidence of how you meet the person specification for the role.

Key Dates: Closing date: 9am on Monday 9th March 2026. Interviews: Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th March at Orchard Grove Primary School.

Safeguarding Statement: This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 under the Exceptions Order 1975 (as amended in 2013 and 2020). This means that both spent and unspent convictions and cautions may need to be disclosed. Certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’ under filtering rules and do not need to be disclosed. Guidance on what should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website.

Blackdown Education Partnership is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We particularly welcome applications from underrepresented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexuality or religion. The successful candidate will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS). Shortlisting may include an online search of publicly available material to identify any incidents or issues for discussion at interview.

References: References will be taken up on short-listed candidates and may include questions about past disciplinary actions or allegations in relation to behaviour with children. Previous employers may be contacted for information to verify experiences or qualifications before interview.

Data Protection Act: Information held complies with the Data Protection Act 2018. If your application is successful, the information provided will be used for payroll purposes and may be disclosed as required by the school.

BEP Privacy Statement – Recruitment: Please see our website for further information. Note: This job description is subject to reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of the service.