Job Description

Ernulf Academy

Cambridgeshire
65,090 - 71,694 per year

Job type:

Full Time, Permanent

Start date:

ASAP

Apply by:

6 September 2025

Job overview

----------------

JOIN OUR MISSION TO BECOME ONE OF THE BEST SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY!

Are you an ambitious and driven English leader ready to take the next step in your career? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, high-expectation environment where your expertise and leadership can make a real difference? If so, this is your opportunity to join a school on a rapid journey of transformation.


At Ernulf Academy, we're looking for someone who is passionate about curriculum, teaching, and assessment--and who has a proven track record of delivering exceptional outcomes. As Assistant Principal: Director of English & Whole School Literacy, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our school. You'll lead a dedicated team, sit on the Senior Leadership Team, and help drive whole-school improvement with a focus on excellence in English.


This role is ideal for someone who is ready to influence at a strategic level while remaining deeply connected to classroom practice. If you're excited by the idea of being part of a school that is rewriting its story--and want to be a key player in that success--then we want to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and manage the English team to promote highly effective pedagogy and student learning. Oversee curriculum planning and resourcing to ensure excellent progression for all students. Lead departmental 'intellectual preparation' sessions. Provide leadership across the English department and contribute to whole-school improvement. Drive the Astrea Reads programme and coordinate reading interventions such as Thinking Reading and Fresh Start. Ensure no student reads below their chronological reading age by the end of Year 8.

Why Join Ernulf Academy?

This is a transformational moment in our school's journey. When the current leadership team took over in September 2024, Ernulf had never received a 'Good' rating from Ofsted. Just one term later, in January 2025, we were rated 'Good' in all categories. We are on a rapid mission to become one of the best schools in the country--and we want you to be part of it.


Located within an hour's commute of North London, Norfolk, Grantham, and Rugby, Ernulf Academy is a school where ambition, simplicity, and kindness drive everything we do.

Our Ethos: Work Hard, Be Kind

Work Hard


We believe in high expectations, simple rules, and disruption-free classrooms. Our knowledge-rich curriculum is built on 'powerful knowledge' and delivered through evidence-based teaching inspired by Rosenshine's principles and Teach Like A Champion. We back our teachers as the experts in the room.

Be Kind

We are warm, welcoming, and friendly. We teach empathy, respect, and kindness alongside academic excellence. Our zero-tolerance approach to bullying and our strong pastoral care ensure every child feels safe and supported.

World-Class Enrichment

In Autumn 2024 alone, our students visited Cambridge University, The British Museum, The National Gallery, RAF Hendon, and Kenilworth Castle--and even appeared on Channel 5 and BBC Radio! Weekly electives include British Sign Language, clubbercise, robotics, chess, girls' cricket, and more.

What We Offer

A knowledge-rich curriculum and traditional teaching approach. Collaborative planning with centralised resources. Disruption-free learning and a warm/strict behaviour system. Pay above national scales. 8 INSET days per year. Whole-class feedback to reduce workload and increase impact.

Ready to Apply?

If you're passionate about education, excited by rapid school improvement, and ready to make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you. View the job description and candidate pack for full details. To arrange a visit or discuss the role, contact Sarah McCormick at: sarah.mccormick@astreaernulf.org
We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications--so don't delay, apply today!

Our Commitment to Safeguarding and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

At Astrea Academy Trust, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people is our highest priority. All roles are subject to rigorous background checks, including satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS check.


We are proud to be an inclusive employer and actively welcome applications from individuals who are underrepresented in our workforce. This includes candidates from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, and members of the LGBTQI+ community.


As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to removing barriers to recruitment, development, and progression for disabled colleagues. We are happy to provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to ensure all applicants have the opportunity to demonstrate their strengths and potential.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you're passionate about inspiring young minds and want to be part of a supportive, forward-thinking team, apply today and help shape the future at Ernulf Academy!

About

Ernulf Academy

----------------------------

Ernulf Academy

Barford Road, Eynesbury, St. Neots
Cambridgeshire
PE19 2SH
United Kingdom

+44 1480 374748

This is a fantastic time to join TEAM ERNULF on our turnaround journey. We are on a RAPID MISSION to turn our school into one of the BEST in the country! When the current leadership took over, in September 2024, Ernulf had NEVER received an Ofsted 'Good' in ANY category. In January 2025, after just one term, Ofsted rated us 'Good' in ALL categories. If our rapid improvement and ambition EXCITE you, then join us to disrupt disadvantage by transforming the education of our pupils. We are within an hour's commute of North London, Norfolk, Grantham and Rugby.

We belieive in keeping things simple. Our mantra is:

WORK HARD, BE KIND

. We don't just want children to attain incredible academic outcomes; we also want to help them become great people.

WORK HARD

Team Ernulf don't believe in fads. We know the biggest factor in a child's achievement is how hard they work. That is why we have

sky high expectations

. We have simple rules,

centralised detentions,

and we

back our teachers

- so that our classrooms are

disruption-free

. We do this to support our children who want to work hard and do well.



A

knowledge-rich

curriculum, built on 'powerful knowledge', underpins our teaching and learning principles. We offer a traditional approach to teaching, following evidence-based research by

Rosenshine

. Our pedagogy is influenced by

Teach Like A Champion (TLAC)

. Stimulating lessons are delivered by teachers, who we back as the

expert in the room

.

BE KIND

Team Ernulf is

WWF

: warm, welcoming, and friendly. We pride ourselves on having a

family

atmosphere. We teach our pupils empathy and respect and have zero tolerance to bullying. A scholarly approach is at our core, but teaching pupils to be

polite, considerate, and caring

is just as important.



Our

world-class enrichment programme

takes learning beyond the classroom. In Autumn term 2024 alone, children visited Cambridge University, The British Museum, The National Gallery, RAF Hendon, Kenilworth Castle, and were on Channel 5 and BBC radio!! As well as this, every week KS3 children have the opportunity to take part in

electives

such as British sign language, clubbercise, building a robotic arm, chess, girls cricket, and many more!

OTHER BENEFITS

Pay above the national scales! 8 INSET days per year! Whole-class feedback over marking to reduce workload and increase impact! Centralised behaviour systems - you do not have to run your own detentions! Fully-resourced curriculum - plan your lessons, not the whole curriculum!

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion at Astrea Academy Trust

Astrea Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.



Astrea Academy Trust embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. As an equal opportunity employer, we consider all requests for flexible working as we know that diversity fosters creativity and innovation.



We are committed to developing and retaining a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities that we serve. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive and building our culture of belonging. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in Astrea's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ people.



All successful appointments will be subject to suitability checks in accordance with KCSIE, including identity, Right to Work, prohibition, qualifications, online searches, two references and enhanced DBS check including the Children's Barred List.



The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. Guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, which provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974Please note that you are wholly responsible for fact checking in respect of the information provided by schools. Please also check for the latest visa and work permit requirements that may apply. Tes is not responsible for the content of advertisements or the policies adopted by advertising schools. Tes asks that all schools follow

Tes' Fair Recruitment Policy

.