Head of Boarding and Deputy Head of School

Lead with purpose. Help shape Prebendal’s future.

The Prebendal School is seeking an exceptional Head of Boarding and Deputy Head of School to join its Senior Leadership Team.

This is a significant opportunity for an experienced, ambitious and highly organised school leader to help shape the next chapter of one of the country’s most distinctive preparatory schools.

Working closely with the Headmistress, the Head of Boarding and Deputy Head of School, will play a central role in the strategic and operational leadership of the School. They will help drive high standards across school life, provide visible and compassionate leadership, and ensure that pupils and staff have the support, structure and encouragement they need to flourish.

This is a broad and influential role for someone who enjoys being at the heart of a busy school community: leading people, solving problems and turning ambition into action.

About The Prebendal School

Founded in 1497 and situated within the historic Cathedral Close in the heart of Chichester, The Prebendal School is the oldest school in Sussex. Today, we are a thriving co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 2–13.

Our close relationship with Chichester Cathedral is central to our identity and enriches the life of the School. Small classes, strong pastoral care and an extensive academic and co-curricular programme allow every pupil to be known, encouraged and challenged.

Music has an exceptional place within our community. More than 95% of pupils receive individual instrumental tuition, many learn more than one instrument, and our leavers regularly secure music scholarships to leading senior schools.

Prebendal combines a remarkable heritage with an ambitious outlook. We are looking for a Deputy Headteacher who will value our traditions while helping us continue to develop, innovate and grow.

About The Role

Contract type: Full-Time and permanent.
Salary: Competitive salary, dependent on experience.
Start date: Immediate start available

This is an exciting and rare opportunity for an experienced, committed senior leader to take on a dual role at the very heart of school life: Head of Boarding and Deputy Head of School. You will lead and shape the boarding experience for our full, weekly and flexi boarders, working closely with our team of matrons to ensure every boarder is safe, happy and thriving.

Alongside this, as Deputy Head you will be a key member of the senior leadership team, supporting the Head across the full range of academic, pastoral and strategic responsibilities - including the evening and weekend commitments that come with life as a cathedral school.

As Head of Boarding you will take a lead role in overnight supervision, as well as coordinating the boarding duty rota. It is a role for someone who wants to live and breathe school life, and who relishes the chance to make a genuine difference to children's lives.

This post offers excellent scope for professional growth and career progression within the School's senior leadership for the right candidate.

Key Responsibilities

Head of Boarding

• Lead and manage the boarding house, ensuring the safety, welfare and happiness of all boarders at all times.
• Work closely and collaboratively with the matrons and wider boarding team, providing clear leadership, support and direction.
• Take the lead delivering and coordinating overnight supervision, ensuring appropriate senior staff presence at all times.
• Coordinate and manage the boarding duty rota, ensuring robust staffing and cover across evenings, weekends and exeats.
• Foster the warm, family atmosphere that boarders and parents value so highly, ensuring boarding remains a happy home from home.
• Plan and oversee a rich programme of evening and weekend activities and enrichment for boarders.
• Ensure the boarding house meets and exceeds the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools, and lead on boarding-related compliance and documentation.
• Build strong, trusted relationships with boarding parents and guardians, communicating regularly and warmly.
• Manage health and safety, fire safety and risk assessments within the boarding house.

Deputy Head of School

• Support the Head across the full breadth of school leadership, deputising in their absence with confidence and sound judgement.
• As a cathedral school, Prebendal's calendar includes a significant number of evening and weekend commitments (services, concerts, matches and events); as Deputy Head you will play a leading role in supporting the Head with this rich and busy calendar.
• Contribute to whole-school strategic planning, policy development and continuous school improvement.
• Take a lead role in monitoring academic standards, challenge and pupil progress across the School, championing high aspirations for every child.
• Represent the School and the Head at events, assemblies and functions as required, including in the evenings and at weekends.
• Support and, where delegated, line manage members of staff.

Safeguarding

• Act as a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, ensuring safeguarding policy and best practice is embedded and lived throughout the boarding house and wider school.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of Keeping Children Safe in Education and all relevant statutory guidance.
• Promote a culture in which every child feels safe, listened to and valued.

Academic Challenge and Progress

• Champion high academic expectations and support staff in stretching and challenging pupils of all abilities.
• Contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of pupil progress and outcomes across the School.

Health and Safety

• Bring a thorough, practical approach to health and safety, both within the boarding house and across the wider school site.
• Support the Head and Bursary in maintaining a safe environment for pupils, staff and visitors at all times.

About You

The ideal candidate will have:

• Qualified Teacher Status, with a successful track record of teaching and leadership in a prep or senior school setting.
• Substantial boarding experience, ideally in a Head of Boarding, Houseparent or senior boarding pastoral role.
• Experience as a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, or a clear willingness and aptitude to take on this responsibility.
• A demonstrable commitment to academic challenge and a proven ability to drive pupil progress.
• A sound, practical understanding of health and safety in a school and boarding environment.
• Willingness to live in and reside within the School, with the flexibility to work evenings, weekends and irregular hours as the role requires.
• A warm, calm and approachable manner, with the ability to build trusted relationships with children, staff, matrons and parents alike.
• Excellent organisational skills, particularly in relation to staffing, rotas and administration.
• Resilience, discretion and good judgement, with genuine enthusiasm for life within a small, historic and close-knit school community.
• NPQH, or working towards a recognised senior leadership qualification, is desirable but not essential.

Why join Prebendal?

This role offers the opportunity to have a genuine influence on the direction and development of a remarkable school. You will join a close-knit and committed community in which staff are valued, pupils are known as individuals and no two days are the same.

Our benefits include:

• A competitive salary, reflecting experience.
• Small class sizes and a strong focus on excellent teaching and learning.
• Opportunities for professional development.
• A supportive, welcoming and collegiate staff community.
• A staff wellbeing programme.
• A Refer a Friend scheme with a financial reward.
• Life assurance at three times annual salary.
• Company pension and sick-pay arrangements.
• Lunch provided during the school day.
• On-site parking.

If you are an ambitious school leader who wants to make a visible difference and help lead a distinctive school into an exciting new chapter, we would be delighted to hear from you.

How to Apply 

To apply for this role, please fill out our Application Form and return it to recruitment@alphaschools.co.uk along with your CV.

The Prebendal School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Applicants for ALL jobs will undergo appropriate child-protection screening including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to enhanced level, with costs covered by the company. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.