Headteacher - St Mark's CE Primary School

About Us

Following the resignation of the school’s highly respected Headteacher, the Governors of St Mark’s wish to appoint an intuitive and effective school leader to take the school forward in the next phase of its development.

The successful applicant will take up post from January 2027 (for the right candidate we would consider an April or September start).

Job Details

Pay Range: Group 1 school, ISR – Leadership Spine Points L9 £65,278 to L15 £75,664

Location: St Mark’s CE School, Staplefield

The governors are looking for a Headteacher who:

• Has and is able to communicate a vision for this school which builds on the principle that all pupils have an equal right to be safe, enjoy learning, and achieve well
• Understands and can promote and develop excellent teaching and learning
• Is a confident and proven effective leader, able to inspire and motivate adults and pupils of all backgrounds, aptitudes, and abilities
• Is committed to further developing the strong Christian ethos of the school and firmly embedded code of values
• Demonstrates a clear understanding of the specific challenges of leading and managing a small rural church school
• Encourages collaboration and welcomes challenge, support, and the participation of parents, governors, staff, the diocese and the local authority in the further development of the school
• Recognises the importance of good community links, and seeks mutually beneficial partnerships with the church, other schools and groups in the locality (NEARS).

St Mark’s is able to offer

• A well-respected church and community school in an enviable village setting near to beautiful countryside and a number of thriving West Sussex towns
• Pupils who enjoy being at school, behave well, and have good attitudes to learning
• A dedicated and committed staff who work hard and enable pupils to learn
• A strong and distinctive Christian character based on a clearly defined vision and set of values that are known and respected by pupils, staff, governors and parents
• Excellent links with other schools in the North East Area Rural Schools locality, which benefit pupils
• A supportive and capable governing body who work effectively in partnership with school professionals in a culture of continuous school improvement
• Parents who value the school and recognise the important part it plays in helping their children to thrive
• Excellent links with St Mark’s Church and its community
• A financially stable and balanced budget, successful SIAMS (June 25), and OFSTED (March 24)
• An exciting opportunity for a senior leader with successful leadership experience to shape the next stage in the life of the school.

Further Information

St Mark’s School and West Sussex County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to an appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service check along with other relevant employment checks including satisfactory references.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone as this helps us build a diverse and a talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

How to Apply

The best way to appreciate the distinctiveness of St Mark’s is to visit and see the school in action. Visits can be arranged by contacting the school office on: 01444 400398

Our website is:www.st-marks.w-sussex.sch.uk

Please submit your application using the application form with a supporting letter of no more than three sides of A4 when typed. This should tell us how you satisfy the person specification.

Please return your completed application form and supporting letter, quoting reference SCHO02713 by 12 noonon23rd September 2026 to:

Email:HRSchoolAdverts@westsussex.gov.uk

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on23 September 2026
Interviews will be held 06 and 07 October 2026

For an electronic version or hardcopy of the application pack, please telephone 01243 642140 or emailjobs@westsussex.gov.uk(quoting reference number SCHO02713).

Details of how to apply are in the application pack.

NOTE TO CANDIDATES - Please do not select the ‘Apply online’ button as the School processes your applications directly rather than through this site.​