Assistant Principal (English)
Lift Firth Park
Fircroft Avenue, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S5 0SD
United Kingdom
Salary: Leadership Scale 13-18 + well-being cash plan + pension scheme (TPS) + additional Lift Schools benefits
Hours: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Start date: January 2027 (an earlier start date is welcomed)
Closing date: 22nd June 12 noon
Interview date: 29th June
Be part of something transformational. Help shape the next chapter at Lift Firth Park.
At Lift Firth Park, we believe strong English skills are a powerful driver of opportunity, confidence, and future success. Knowing the importance of English capability in a child's education, we have created the new role ‘Assistant Principal (English)’ to drive our ambitious Lift 490 agenda and further drive improvement within English at Lift Firth Park.
We believe every young person is entitled to an excellent education, in every classroom, every day. Our 490 promise reflects that commitment. It isn’t just a number, it’s a shared ambition for what’s possible- 90% of students achieve a grade 4 or above in GCSE English and maths.
This is a rare and career-defining opportunity for an inspirational leader who is passionate about English, driven by impact, and committed to ensuring; an excellent education for every child, in every classroom, every day.
Why this role matters
As Assistant Principal, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of the school. You will lead on key whole-school priorities while spearheading the development of English across all year groups and subjects.
You will drive a culture where English fluency is visible, valued, and consistently applied. Through strong leadership, you will ensure high-quality pedagogy is embedded across departments, supporting staff to deliver engaging, rigorous, and inclusive English teaching.
At the heart of this role is a commitment to excellence, raising standards in teaching, learning, and behaviour, while fostering a positive and supportive environment for both students and staff.
Key responsibilities
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Drive whole school English excellence.
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Lead the strategic vision for English across the school.
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Promote a culture of English fluency and confidence for all learners.
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Embed robust, evidence-informed pedagogical approaches across departments.
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Use data intelligently to identify gaps, inform interventions, and raise outcomes.
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Ensure consistency and high expectations in English teaching across all key stages.
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Play a key role within the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to whole-school strategy and improvement.
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Lead on designated strategic priorities that drive academic excellence and student wellbeing.
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Line manage teaching and support staff, providing clarity, coaching, and high-quality professional development.
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Uphold and promote outstanding standards of teaching, learning, and behaviour across the school.
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Model and embed the values and ethos of Lift Firth Park in all aspects of leadership.
We are seeking a passionate and ambitious leader who brings:
Essential
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A degree in English (or a related subject), PGCE and Qualified Teacher Status.
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A strong track record of excellent classroom practice and raising student achievement in English.
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A strong understanding of evidence-informed English pedagogy and curriculum design.
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Proven experience of improving outcomes within a UK secondary school setting.
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The ability to inspire, develop, and influence colleagues at all levels.
Desirable
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Experience leading whole-school or cross-curricular initiatives.
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Experience supporting schools in challenging contexts or driving rapid improvement.
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Above all, you will be values-driven, intellectually curious, and relentless in your pursuit of excellence. You will believe in the transformative power of education and be committed to ensuring every student at Lift Firth Park achieves their full potential.
About Lift Firth Park
Lift Firth Park is a vibrant, mixed secondary school for students aged 11–16. Located in Shiregreen, Sheffield, we serve around 1,200 pupils and reflect a richly diverse community, with more than a third of students speaking English as an additional language.
The school is currently undergoing an exciting period of New Leadership and transformational change, and we are already seeing its positive impact, in the classroom, across the curriculum and throughout our culture. This is an excellent time to join our team. We are looking for individuals who share our dedication to inclusive, aspirational education and who are excited to contribute to our renewed vision and ambitious future.
We would warmly welcome visits to the school, please contact: both [email protected] and [email protected]
In your school
You’ll have our constant support, as well as access to our world-class expertise in curriculum and assessment. We offer bespoke support to each of our schools and we’ll always be ready with additional help and advice when you face specific challenges. With our expert operational support, you can get on with what matters most – your students and staff.
In your career
We know what it means to be on a career path. With us, you can forge your own leadership path and your own success. Our experience in education means that wherever you are on your journey, you can access exceptional advice and support, and develop your skills every day.
In your community
We believe in the ripple effect of great education because positive growth for children means the same for you, your peers, and everyone involved in a Lift School. And we look beyond the classroom walls; making a positive impact in communities, families and beyond.
Who is Lift Schools?
We’re a diverse and inclusive network of schools with one clear mission; to provide an excellent education to every child - in every classroom, every day. And we do this across each of our 59 schools. As with our students, we want our team to be empowered to do their best work, supported by the best leadership they’ve ever had.
We acknowledge and appreciate the exceptional efforts of everyone here in making this an incredible organisation.
We offer you:
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Career development and training: Access a wide range of statutory and developmental training to boost your career.
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Our partnership with One World powers our innovative Instructional Excellence Program. We also offer a comprehensive range of CPD programs, including Ambition Institute's Early Career and NPQ offerings, tailored to both individual and network needs.
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Generous benefits: From your pension plan to healthcare and financial support, we've got you covered.
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Lifestyle perks: Enjoy discounted gym memberships and travel deals.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response. All candidates are advised to refer to the job description and person specification before making an application.
Lift Schools are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our people and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair and consistent recruitment process which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.
Lift Schools embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.
We are a Disability Confident Employer and there is a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
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Lift Schools is recruiting for Teacher Training placements. Please click here to view the website for further details.
