Job Title: Secondary Headteacher

Location: Chantry Academy, Ipswich

Contract: Permanent, Full-time 

Salary: Leadership Scale L31 - L37 (£108,202 - £125,345)

Closing Date: 14 January 2026

Are you ready to lead with purpose?

Chantry Academy, a successful and inclusive secondary school in Ipswich, is seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Headteacher to lead their dedicated team. This is a pivotal role for an ambitious leader who can drive continued improvement, foster a culture of high expectations and ensure every student thrives.

We are looking for...

• A people leader - someone who leads with emotional intelligence and who knows how to inspire, motivate and bring others with them.
• An experienced educator with a broad and holistic approach to education.
• Someone who values the power of community, and is committed to making a real difference beyond the classroom.

Our People-First Philosophy

At Active Learning Trust, everyone is valued in their role and we make sure that the right people have the right opportunities to find their purpose and progress within our Trust.

We love working with specialists that are passionate about shaping the future of education. Guided by our values of open dialogue, bold thinking and collaboration, we put our staff’s growth and well-being at the heart of everything we do - so that they can focus on making a real difference in our schools and our communities.

Why Join Our Trust?

• Belong to a compassionate and inclusive trust that values you and the role you play.
• Join an experienced group of people that are fully dedicated to delivering the best for our children.
• Gain access to our VivUp employee benefit system, Cycle to Work scheme and local government pension.

Contact

If you would like to know more about this exciting opportunity, please contact Duncan Low, Director of Education: duncan.low@activelearningtrust.org

The Active Learning Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people. We expect all staff to actively share this commitment. All adults working in our Trust in whatever capacity will be part of a thorough safer recruitment process. All appointments will be subject to pre-employment checks including the taking of satisfactory references and enhanced criminal record clearance in line with the need to create and maintain a safe culture.

The Active Learning Trust reserves the right to interview and appoint prior to the advert closing date.  With this in mind, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

To ensure we recruit and retain the best talent, all new employees recruited to the Active Learning Trust (leadership, teaching and support staff) will be subject to a 6 months’ probation period at the start of their employment (except for Early Career Teachers who are subject to a Statutory Induction Period). This policy aims to assess new employees' alignment with our culture, teaching standards, and student needs.  It is designed to foster success; with regular evaluations and support mechanisms in place, helping us to identify and nurture talent. 

We value diversity and welcome applications from all, including those with protected characteristics under the Equality Act. Flexible working will be considered for all roles deemed suitable.