Our supportive and aspirational school is looking for a skilled and engaging Deputy Headteacher from September 2026 following the promotion of our current Deputy Headteacher to Headteacher.

This is a genuine and exciting opportunity for an ambitious and experienced leader to work closely with the new headteacher to shape the vision, direction and future success of our school.

About Us

We are a warm and welcoming voluntary-aided Catholic primary school with a strong family ethos and a commitment to nurturing every child’s spiritual, academic, and personal growth.

Our values of: tolerance, kindness, respect, forgiveness and love of neighbour underpin and form our ethos together with our mission of ‘Living and Learning through Christ’.

We are looking for a Deputy Headteacher who is:

● A practising Catholic who can inspire faith and a love of learning in all children in the School - nurturing Catholics and those of other faiths alike.

● An energetic and enthusiastic teacher who leads by exemplary practice.

● Has leadership and strategic planning experience which will contribute to achieving the School’s vision.

● Be committed to working in partnership with pupils, teachers, parents and carers, other schools, and the wider parish and community organisations.

● Be enthusiastic in seeking to become outstanding in all aspects; and can work collaboratively with the Headteacher to motivate and inspire staff while making them feel valued and supported.

● A practitioner who can support and promote the vision and ethos of our school and who has high expectations of pupil achievement and behaviour.

In addition we are looking for a candidate who can lead across the school either:

● Inclusion (including SEND) and safeguarding OR

● Teaching and Learning, assessment and learner behaviour.

In return St Bernadette Catholic Primary School can offer you:

● A strong Catholic ethos.

● Children who are committed, enthusiastic and fully engaged in their learning.

● Professional and dedicated staff, supportive parents, and active Governors.

● An enthusiastic and aspirational Senior Leadership Team.

● A vibrant community with a supportive parent group (Friends of St Bernadette)

● Ofsted (2023) ‘Good’ rated school.

● Catholic Inspection (2023)'Outstanding' rated school.

● The opportunity to help shape the educational landscape within our Diocese.

Application

● Closing Date: 12 noon May 11th

● Interviews: Thursday 21st May

Applications submitted on a form other than the CES application form will not be considered. Any electronic applications will have to be signed by the applicant attending an interview.

Please note that we do not accept CVs or applications from agencies. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. References will be requested for all applicants who are shortlisted.

This is a reserved post and is open to practising Catholics only. Please review the document produced by the Diocese of Clifton ’Definition of a Practising Catholic for Reserved Posts” for further Protocol for Senior Catholic Post recruitment

A visit to our lovely school to meet our pupils and staff is warmly encouraged.

If you have questions or wish to discuss further with the Headteacher and current deputy Headteacher, please do not hesitate to contact the school office to arrange this, (01173772373 or email: head.st.bernadette.p@bristol-schools.uk

We are committed to equality and diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We comply with the Equality Act 2010 and do not discriminate based on any protected characteristic.

St Bernadette Catholic Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, governors and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be subject to a full Disclosure Barring Services (DBS) check before appointment is confirmed.

Data Notice: Please note that all personal data provided will be stored securely for the required period.

Foundation Governor Vacancies.

If you know of someone else who may be interested in becoming a foundation governor, please pass this information on to them.

Could you become a Foundation Governor?

Do you:

• Care about children and education
• Enjoy making a difference
• Like a challenge
• Have a commitment to Christian Distinctiveness?

If so, you could become a foundation governor.

What is a foundation governor?

Foundation Governors have a particular responsibility within Church Schools to preserve and develop the Christian character and ethos of the school and to build the community of schools throughout the Diocese.

Foundation Governors are normally practising Christians, but as a school governor, a Foundation Governor is more than a Church representative. They are a full governor with an equal share of the responsibility for things such as: supporting the school; developing the school improvement plan; making budgetary decisions; holding the headteacher to account; and monitoring the implementation of school policies. It is therefore necessary for all governors to have some skills which can support these responsibilities.

What qualities do I need to become a foundation governor?

A foundation governor at a Church school should be a Christian. However, you do not need to be an education professional and in fact it is useful for governors to have skills from other areas of life, for example financial, legal, HR, or health and safety.

What will I be asked to do as a foundation governor?

You should expect to:

• take part in regular governors meetings, often six times a year with extra committee meetings
• sit on occasional appointments panels or panels that handle staff or pupil discipline issues or complaints against the school
• take part in the school visits programme arranged for governors
• undertake governor training as appropriate.

How do I become a school governor?

If you would like to find out more about being a foundation governor please contact head.st.bernadette.p@bristol-schools.uk