Deputy Headteacher (Sandown Primary School and Nursery)

Job Description

Hours of work: 32.5 hours per week

Working pattern: Full-time

Closing date: 20 November 2026

For more information and to apply for the above post, please contact:

Sandown Primary School and Nursery
The Ridge, Hastings TN34 2AA

Phone: 01424 436983

Email: finance@sandown.school

Website: Home | Sandown Primary School

Please note, we do not accept CVs.

“Be the Best That We Can Be”

Are you an inspiring, ambitious, and nurturing senior leader looking to make a lasting difference in a vibrant primary school community?

Sitting right on the edge of vibrant Hastings on the South Coast, Sandown Primary School & Nursery is a thriving, popular two-form entry school. We are proud to combine a deeply holistic approach to education with strong academic success. Our expansive, beautiful outdoor grounds and woodland environment provide a unique backdrop where children are encouraged to explore, take risks, and develop a lifelong love of learning.

With end of Key Stage 2 results consistently above both local and national averages, and a warm, inclusive ethos that puts the wellbeing of every child and staff member first, Sandown is a place where every individual is supported to flourish.

With the upcoming retirement of our long-serving Deputy, we are seeking to appoint an exceptional, highly motivated Deputy Headteacher who will also serve as our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

What We Can Offer You:

• A welcoming, happy, and inclusive school community with polite, curious, and motivated children.
• A moral mission – we serve an area of extremely high socio-economic need and you will find nowhere more deserving of your expertise than Sandown.
• Fantastic school grounds and outdoor facilities, including dedicated woodland areas and expansive playing fields that enrich our curriculum every day.
• A committed, supportive staff team and engaged parents.
• Strong academic foundations coupled with a rich, broad, and progressive curriculum.
• Ongoing professional development tailored to your career aspirations, including support towards NPQH or equivalent qualifications.
• A school strongly committed to supporting staff well-being and work/life balance.

How to Apply & Visit Us:

Visits to our school are warmly welcomed and strongly encouraged so you can experience the Sandown atmosphere first-hand. To arrange a tour with the Headteacher, Mr. Chris Wright, or to request an application pack, please contact the school office via telephone, email or visit our website.

Interview date: Week commencing 30 November 2026

Safeguarding Commitment

Sandown Primary School & Nursery is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, satisfactory references, and statutory pre-employment checks under Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE).

This post is covered by the Childcare Disqualification Regulations 2018.

The school will need to ensure that they are not knowingly employing a person who is disqualified under the 2018 Regulations in connection with relevant childcare provision. Accordingly, the successful candidate will be required to demonstrate to the school, by completing a self-declaration form as part of the pre-employment checks process, that they have not been disqualified under the 2018 Regulations.

If the preferred candidate is found to be disqualified under the 2018 Regulations, the offer of employment will be subject to the application by the preferred candidate to Ofsted for a waiver and the receipt of a waiver from Ofsted.

About us

Additional Information
This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All staff will be expected to hold or be willing to obtain Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced check for Regulated Activity with the Disclosure & Barring Services (previously the Criminal Records Bureau). For further information about what is required in this process please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-check-applicant-criminal-record.
All school based staff have the responsibility for promoting the safeguarding and welfare of children. All school staff should be aware of the school’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and work in accordance with this document at all times.