Current Vacancies

• Grade: L33 – L37
• Hours: Full-time
• Based in: St Albans, Hertfordshire

About this Role

Scholars’ Education Trust (SET) was founded in 2012 and consists of 13 schools across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Essex. We are a cross-phase trust providing a high-quality education for nearly ten thousand children between the ages of 3 and 18. Within our family of schools we have nurseries and first schools, primaries, secondaries, an extended secondary as well as an all through school.

We are a diverse community of schools whose vision is to work collaboratively together to provide the young people in our care with the knowledge, skills and qualities they need to make a positive difference in the world. We want all our pupils and staff to feel included, valued and supported, so that they are able to achieve more than they ever believed possible. Our schools will be schools of choice in their local areas, the wellbeing of our staff will be protected and our pupils will become scholars who are able to meet the challenges of the changing world – whatever those may be.

The Role

The Chief Education Officer (Secondary and Special) will provide strategic leadership across the Trust’s secondary phase ensuring consistently high standards of curriculum, teaching, inclusion and outcomes.

You will:

• Provide strategic oversight of educational performance across our secondary academies
• Line manage and support secondary headteachers
• Lead Trust-wide secondary improvement strategies
• Provide executive leadership and oversight for educational performance, safeguarding and curriculum quality
• Lead and develop the Trust’s inclusion strategy for secondary education, ensuring high-quality provision for all pupils, including those with additional and complex needs
• Develop leadership capacity and succession planning across the Trust
• Ensure robust systems for quality assurance, self-evaluation and school improvement

 

This is both a strategic and operational leadership role, requiring the intellectual clarity to define educational excellence and the expertise to deliver improvement at scale.

About You

We are looking for a leader who:

• Has significant successful experience as a headteacher or principal
• Has a strong track record of improving standards and outcomes
• Brings deep understanding of curriculum, teaching and school improvement
• Has experience of working across multiple institutions or within a trust
• Demonstrates integrity, judgement, emotional intelligence, a strong commitment to inclusive education and the success of pupils with additional needs, and strong moral purpose.

Why join Scholars’ Education Trust?

At SET, everything we do is focused on enabling young people to achieve their very best. Our Trust is built on collaboration, shared responsibility and an unwavering commitment to improving lives through education.

This role offers the opportunity to:

• Influence education across a growing and ambitious trust
• Work with a high-performing executive team
• Lead improvement across diverse secondary contexts
• Help shape the next stage of educational excellence across Rochdale

How to Apply

For further information on the role please contact HR on hr@scholarseducationtrust.co.uk or 01727 734420.

You can also apply via TES and Teach in Herts.

• Closing date for application: 22nd April 2026
• Interview dates: 28th and 29th April 2026
• Start date: 1st September 2026

 

Early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to make an appointment before the closing date.

 

Diversity: Scholars’ Education Trust is fully committed to the principles of equal opportunity, diversity and inclusion. We want to attract and retain the very best staff in all areas of the Trust, ensuring our staff body reflects the diversity of our students and local community.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Declaration of criminal offences

The Trust is required to give you the opportunity to voluntarily declare convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings that are not ‘protected’ as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013 and 2020). You will be provided with a criminal

self-declaration form by the school if you are shortlisted for the post. All posts in schools are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. If you are appointed you will be required to have an up to date Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Certificate. The existence of a criminal background does not automatically mean that you cannot be appointed but it may do so.