The Meadows Academy
Whitworth Road
Spennymoor
County Durham
DL16 7QW
PRINCIPAL - The Meadows Academy (Leadership 21 to 27)
Please View The Meadows Brochure <HERE> including personal specification and job description.
Horizons Specialist Academy Trust consists of eight academies and one sixth form across the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire serving a population of approximately 1000 students aged 5 to 19 with a broad range of learning difficulties.
The Meadows Academy is situated in Spennymoor, Durham, and provides education for 75 pupils aged 11 to 16 years who have SEMHD as their identified primary need. The Meadows Academy has only recently joined the Trust in February 2025. Since that time, rapid progress towards improvement has been realised due to the commitment of the staff team, the positive direction of Leaders and the robust support from the Trust’s Executive Principal.
The Trust is now looking for an experienced and inspirational senior leader for the post of Principal at The Meadows Academy. The successful candidate will be enthusiastic, dedicated and energetic in leading the academy in its continuing journey of school improvement. The Principal will be responsible for the overall management and leadership of the Academy, supported and challenged by the Executive Leaders.
Successful candidates will:
- Have significant experience of working with students with special educational needs, in particular SEMHD and associated learning difficulties.
- Be an outstanding and experienced leader and practitioner.
- Provide effective leadership in raising standards of attainment and achievement.
- Work collegiately to build on the strengths of the Academy and Trust.
- Be able to motivate staff that are fully engaged in the goal of achieving excellence in all areas of the Academy both personally and professionally.
The Trust can offer:
- An ambitious and proactive Chief Executive and Board of Trustees.
- An experienced and supportive team of Executive Leaders and a collegiate team of Trust Principals.
- A committed and dedicated team of cross-Trust staff and services including Finance, HR, Admin and IT.
- Excellent systems and structures.
- A warm, friendly academy which provides a positive learning environment.
- Extensive and varied professional learning opportunities.
- A modern learning environment for students with SEMHD.
- Assistance with relocation expenses.
If you feel that you have the skills, vision and drive to lead The Meadows Academy in the next stage of our journey, we would very much like to hear from you. Please apply by downloading the application form from our website www.horizonstrust.org.uk. The closing date for this post is 12 noon on 2nd May, 2025. Completed application forms should be emailed to HSATHR@horizonstrust.org.uk Interviews will be held during week beginning 19th May, 2025.
If you have any questions about the vacancy or would like to visit Horizons Specialist Academy Trust or one of our Academies, please don’t hesitate to contact us by emailing HSATHR@horizonstrust.org.uk or by calling 01642 677113 and asking to speak to a member of the HR team.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore will be subject to an enhanced DBS check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Please note - if you are shortlis1ed, you will be subject to an online search. This is not part of the shortlisting process, and you will have the opportunity at interview to address any issues of concern that come up during t he search.
