Job Description

Hurstpierpoint College

West Sussex

Salary:

Competitive salary and benefits, including membership of The Teachers Pension Scheme.

Job type:

Full Time, Permanent

Start date:

13 April 2026

Apply by:

28 September 2025

Job overview

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About this Role

We are seeking an outstanding individual to lead our thriving Junior Prep School from April 2026. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to join one of the country's leading independent schools, where every pupil is encouraged to achieve their personal best through a truly holistic education.

The Junior Prep School caters for children aged 4 to 11 and is a happy, vibrant and welcoming community. We believe that childhood is a precious time, and we nurture each individual so they flourish and make the most of every opportunity to learn and grow. Pupils are encouraged to explore the world around them, engage fully in co-curricular life, and strive to achieve their personal bests both in and out of the classroom.

This role would suit:

A current Head seeking a new challenge in a forward-thinking, values-driven school.

A confident and ambitious Deputy Head ready to take the next step in their leadership journey.

About the Role

As Head of Junior Prep School, you will:

Lead the day-to-day running of the Junior Prep School, including EYFS. Shape and deliver an ambitious vision for the future of the Junior Prep School. Inspire and support pupils and staff to achieve their personal bests. Oversee academic progress, pastoral care, and enrichment programmes. Play a key role in the strategic development of the College. Champion safeguarding and wellbeing, a qualified DDSL is desirable

What We're Looking For

We are seeking someone who:

Has proven leadership experience, ideally across EYFS and KS1-2. Is ambitious, driven, and committed to continuous improvement. Has a strong track record in teaching and learning. Communicates with clarity, warmth, and purpose. Thrives in a collaborative, high-performing environment.

Why Hurst?

Hurstpierpoint College is one of the country's leading HMC co-educational schools, set within 100 acres of stunning Sussex countryside on the edge of the South Downs National Park. Just 20 minutes from Brighton and under an hour from London, our location offers the perfect blend of rural beauty and urban accessibility.

We are a vibrant, inclusive and forward-thinking community, committed to delivering an outstanding all-round education.

What You'll Receive in Return

We offer extensive and generous benefits, including:

Membership of the Teachers Pension Scheme Fee remission throughout the College. Contributory BUPA health insurance scheme Free meals and refreshments during term time Free use of our extensive sports and leisure facilities Free on-site parking Extensive CPD opportunities across the College.

Closing date

: Sunday 28 September 2025

First stage interviews

: Week commencing 6 October 2025

Final stage interviews

: Week commencing 13 October 2025

Start date

: Summer Term 2026 Hurstpierpoint College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Attached documents
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Head of Junior Prep School_Job Vacancy brochure_2025_V5_web.pdf
1.88MB

Recruiter contact:

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Email us

Call us

About

Hurstpierpoint College

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Hurstpierpoint College

College Lane, Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks
West Sussex
BN6 9JS
United Kingdom

+44 1273 833 636

The College comprises a Sixth Form, Senior School, Senior Prep and Junior Prep with 1,300 pupils in all. Over half the pupils in the Senior School are boarders (weekly or flexi). Hurst is a significant medium-sized enterprise in Mid Sussex with around 480 employees and an annual turnover of 35 million pa.



What particularly strikes visitors to the College is the vibrant dynamic of our community. Situated within a 140- acre campus, surrounded by beautiful countryside, Hurst lies on the border of the South Downs National Park, close to the village of Hurstpierpoint in West Sussex.



This superb location is also just 20 minutes from the city and beaches of Brighton and Hove, whilst London train stations can be reached from Hassocks or Haywards Heath in under an hour. The central campus is thoughtfully laid out and planned with zones for the Academic, Co-Curricular and Pastoral areas of school life. These all lie at the centre of a superbly equipped broader campus.



Hurst has an excellent academic track record and the vast majority of pupils go on to Russell Group universities including Oxford, Cambridge, the various London Universities, as well as large numbers to Exeter, Bristol and Durham.



Founded in 1849 by Nathanial Woodard, Hurst is a Church of England College. The Christian ethos underpins College life but we are a diverse community; we welcome those of other faiths, or no faith, and pursue an inclusive approach in all that we do.



The College is a Co-Sponsor, together with the Diocese of Chichester, of the newly formed Hurst Education Trust, a local Multi Academy Trust. The Trust currently has four local primary schools, although it is envisaged it will grow to over time.

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