Headteacher

A school worth believing in. A future worth shaping. What if your headship was about more than leading a school? What if it was about helping a whole community rediscover what it can be? We are looking for a practising Catholic leader who sees the potential in Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School and is inspired by the opportunity to help realise it. Archbishop Ilsley has a proud Catholic heritage, a committed community and young people whose hopes, talents and aspirations deserve to be recognised and nurtured. It also faces significant challenges. Following its Ofsted inspection in May 2026, the school was placed in Special Measures, and there is important work to do. We won't pretend this will be an easy headship. It will require courage, resilience, clarity of purpose and an unwavering commitment to improvement. But the work has already begun. Important foundations have been established by the interim leadership team and staff, and we are looking for someone who can build on that work, bring people together and lead the next stage with energy, ambition and determination. This is an opportunity to strengthen a school's culture, unlock the potential of its staff, rebuild confidence with families and, above all, make a lasting difference to the lives of its young people. If you believe that every child deserves to be known, valued and given the opportunity to flourish, we would love you to consider joining us. About Archbishop Ilsley Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School is an 11-18 Catholic secondary school in Acocks Green, Birmingham. It has served its local community for generations and has a proud history and a distinctive Catholic identity. Our mission is rooted in Jesus Christ and in the belief that every young person is created and loved by God, with inherent dignity, unique gifts and the potential to make a difference. We want every pupil to be known, valued and supported, and to experience a school community shaped by faith, compassion, service and respect. The school has much to build on: committed staff, young people with considerable potential and a community whose hopes and aspirations deserve to be realised. We want to build a school in which pupils are excited to attend, staff are proud to work and families have confidence in the education, care and opportunities their children receive.

The role

As Headteacher, you will provide the strategic and day-to-day leadership needed to secure rapid and sustainable improvement, while ensuring that the school's Catholic mission remains at the heart of its identity and purpose. Working closely with colleagues across St Teresa of Calcutta MAC as we prepare for the formation of Jesus the Good Shepherd Catholic Multi Academy Trust, you will:

• Establish a clear and compelling vision for the school's future, creating a shared sense of purpose, ambition and collective responsibility.
• Secure significant improvements in the quality of education, ensuring an ambitious, coherent and well-sequenced curriculum and consistently effective teaching.
• Establish high expectations, strengthen behaviour and attendance, and create a calm, safe and purposeful environment in which pupils can learn and flourish.
• Ensure that safeguarding is embedded in the culture of the school and that every pupil feels safe, known, valued and supported.
• Strengthen inclusion and provision for pupils with SEND and those who are vulnerable, ensuring that every young person receives the support and opportunities they need to succeed.
• Develop and empower leaders at every level, building the capacity, expertise and shared responsibility needed to sustain improvement.
• Build strong relationships with pupils, staff, parents and carers, parish communities and external partners, rebuilding confidence through visibility, communication and follow-through.
• Establish rigorous systems of evaluation, accountability and improvement, ensuring that actions lead to meaningful changes in pupils' experiences and outcomes.
• Be an active and visible leader of the school's Catholic life, nurturing its mission through prayer, liturgy, Mass, Religious Education, chaplaincy and the Gospel values that shape everyday relationships and decisions. About you

We are seeking a practising Catholic with a deep personal commitment to the faith and an authentic understanding of the distinctive mission and purpose of Catholic education.

You will bring:

• A successful track record of senior leadership and securing school improvement, with the credibility and experience to lead a school through significant change.
• A strong understanding of high-quality teaching, curriculum, assessment and achievement, and the ability to translate ambition into improved outcomes for pupils.
• The leadership skills and determination to secure improvements in attendance, behaviour, safeguarding, inclusion and the wider culture of a school.
• The ability to develop a clear strategic direction, evaluate progress honestly and take decisive action where improvement is needed.
• A visible, approachable and relational leadership style, with the ability to listen, build trust, communicate openly and bring people together.
• The confidence to make difficult decisions, alongside the humility and compassion to recognise the contribution and potential of others.
• A commitment to developing leadership at every level and creating a culture in which staff feel valued, supported and collectively responsible for the school's success.
• An understanding of effective governance, accountability and partnership working.
• A belief in the dignity and potential of every young person, and an unwavering commitment to ensuring that all pupils receive the education and opportunities they deserve. Above all, you will have the faith to believe in Archbishop Ilsley, the courage to address its challenges and the determination to help its community realise its potential.

The next chapter starts here We know the scale of the challenge, but we also know what Archbishop Ilsley could become. We are looking for someone who shares that belief and is ready to turn it into reality. We are not looking for someone who arrives believing they have all the answers, but a practising Catholic leader with the faith to believe in the school, the courage to make difficult decisions and the determination to bring people together and move forward. Could you be the person to lead the next chapter? Come and visit. Meet our pupils and staff. Spend time in the school and see its potential for yourself. If you leave believing, as we do, that Archbishop Ilsley has a future worth fighting for, we would love to hear from you. Visiting Archbishop Ilsley We warmly encourage prospective candidates to visit Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School before submitting an application. A visit provides an opportunity to meet pupils and staff, experience the school community and see first-hand the potential, opportunities and ambition that make Archbishop Ilsley a school worth believing in. A dedicated visit day has been arranged for Tuesday 24 November 2026 . To arrange an appointment, please contact Maria Salas at m.salas@ilsley.bham.sch.uk. Relocation Expenses In accordance with the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD), reimbursement of reasonably incurred housing or relocation costs may be considered for the successful candidate, subject to the relevant arrangements and approval.