Year Leader

King’s Leadership Academy Wavertree. Part of the Great Schools Trust

There are jobs where you inherit a culture. And then there are rare opportunities where you help build one.

King’s Leadership Academy Wavertree is a new secondary school in one of Liverpool’s most challenged communities, now moving into its second year. We are seeking an ambitious, compassionate and resilient Year Leader to join our team and help shape the culture, routines and ambition of the academy as it continues to grow.

This is more than a pastoral role. It is a chance to change the daily experience, expectations and life chances of young people who deserve nothing less than excellence.

At King’s Wavertree, we believe every child can succeed, regardless of postcode, background or starting point. No glass ceilings and no excuses. Just high expectations, strong relationships, exceptional care and a relentless belief that education can transform lives.

As part of the Great Schools Trust, King’s Wavertree will combine academic excellence with outstanding character education. Our ASPIRE values — Achievement, Aspiration, Self-awareness, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect and Endeavour — will not be words on a wall. They will be lived through routines, relationships, leadership, curriculum and the way we speak to every child, every day.

This is the King’s Way.

The Role

• As Year Leader, you will oversee the pastoral welfare, safeguarding, attendance, behaviour and personal development of a designated year group.
• You will know your pupils well. You will know their families. You will notice when something is not right. You will challenge, support, encourage and hold the line when needed.
• Working closely with senior leaders, teachers, families and external partners, you will help create a culture where pupils feel safe, valued and known, but also stretched, challenged and expected to give their best.
• As a founding member of staff, you will help establish the systems, routines and standards that will shape King’s Wavertree for years to come.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who believes deeply in young people and refuses to lower the bar for them.

You will bring strong experience of working with children or young people in an educational setting, alongside excellent communication, organisation and problem-solving skills. You will be calm under pressure, professional in difficult moments and able to build trust with pupils, parents and colleagues.

Great pastoral care is not soft. It is precise, consistent, warm and courageous. It means seeing the whole child while still expecting them to rise.

We are particularly interested in people who:

• Build strong, respectful relationships with pupils, families and staff
• Understand safeguarding, inclusion, attendance and behaviour as central to school culture
• Believe routines and high expectations help children feel safe and succeed
• Remain calm, clear and kind when things are difficult
• Want to grow as a leader within a values-driven Trust
• Believe character, leadership and academic excellence belong together

Why Join Us?

You will be joining a Trust that is ambitious for children and serious about supporting staff. We believe adults flourish when they are trusted, developed and valued. That means high-quality weekly CPD, coaching, leadership development and access to innovative AI systems designed to reduce workload and improve how we work.

Please contact Louise Livingston to arrange a tour of King's Wavertree - l.livingston@kingswavertree.com

If you are passionate about pastoral leadership, ambitious for young people and excited by the opportunity to help create a school that will serve its community with pride, purpose and integrity, we would love to hear from you.

Join the Great Schools Trust. Help us build King’s Wavertree. Help us create something remarkable.