Job Vacancies

Starting September 2026

Due to a promotion to Headship, the Headmaster of Shiplake College is looking to appoint a dynamic, forward-thinking and dedicated Deputy Head Academic to start in September 2026.

A significant opportunity exists for an outstanding academic leader to become part of our Senior Management Team in the role of Deputy Head Academic. This pivotal position sits at the centre of the College's educational mission, providing the platform to influence curriculum design, champion teaching quality and direct strategic growth.

In your capacity as Deputy Head Academic, you will lead teaching and learning initiatives, taking charge of delivering the school's educational vision while managing all curriculum matters, assessments and academic strategy throughout the College.

This position serves as the catalyst for outstanding academic achievement through high-quality teaching programmes and ongoing enhancement of pupil outcomes. You will oversee teaching standards and professional growth, encompassing academic performance monitoring, management of the CPD framework, and taking a central role in attracting excellent educators aligned with curriculum requirements and pupil choices.

Working closely with the Assistant Heads (Sixth Form, Academic and Inclusion), you will track academic progress across every year group and establish targeted intervention approaches to ensure all pupils achieve their potential.

As a member of the Senior Management Team, you will partner closely with the Headmaster in bringing the school's vision and ethos to life. You will contribute actively to developing whole school policies and future-focused strategic direction, serve as the College's public face for academic affairs, and promote the College's fundamental objectives and principles throughout your work.

Deputy Head Academic Candidate Pack

Teaching Staff Application Form

Closing Date: Thursday 27 November 2025, 10am
Longlist Interviews: Tuesday 2 December 2025
Shortlisted Candidates Tour of the College: Friday 5 December 2025
Final Panel Interviews: Tuesday 9 December 2025

Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm, all year round
Competitive salary depending on experience plus benefits
To start as soon as possible

This is a superb opportunity for a passionate and energetic professional who believes in outdoor education as more than just a career – someone who understands its power to instil a lifelong appreciation of the outdoors in young people and is eager to embrace this exciting role at Shiplake College.

The successful candidate will become an integral part of our progressive CCF contingent of 68 cadets, serving as their Senior Cadet Instructor (SSI), while also contributing to our well-established Duke of Edinburgh Award team. Beyond this, you will spearhead outdoor education initiatives that form a key element of our whole-school commitment to outdoor learning, integrated throughout our games and activities programme.

We are looking for someone with strong leadership capabilities and excellent organisational skills, proven experience in planning and delivering Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, and active involvement in a CCF, ACF or tri-Service equivalent programme. Potentially, recent service as a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCO) in the Armed Forces would be beneficial for this role.

Early applications are encouraged for this role. We reserve the right to appoint before the closing date if an early application from a suitable applicant is received.

Head of Outdoor Education Candidate Pack

Support Staff Application Form

Closing Date: Thursday 5 December 2025, 10am

Interviews: Week commencing Monday 7 December 2025

20-40 hours per week with both full and part time applications welcome
£12.64 per hour plus benefits
Joining as soon as possible

We’re looking for a dedicated individual whose role is focused on ensuring a safe, well-maintained, and clean environment is sustained throughout Shiplake College. You must be dependable and trustworthy, comfortable working independently as well as being part of a larger team. Whilst prior cleaning experience is not essential, it would be desirable as well as flexibility to occasionally work evenings and weekends.

Working collaboratively with our domestic team your responsibilities could include efficient and prompt cleaning of day and boarding houses, offices, classrooms, meeting rooms, changing rooms and other areas of the College. This could include dusting, sweeping, vacuuming and mopping. You will also work in our onsite laundry on a rota basis washing, drying and organising the return of laundry to the right location across the College. 

Domestic Team Member Candidate Pack

Support Staff Application Form

Closing date: Friday 5 December 2025, 10am
Interviews: Applications considered upon receipt

Teacher of Geography (Spring Term Only)
Starting January 2026
Fixed term contract of 1 term

We are seeking to appoint a dynamic and enthusiastic Teacher of Geography to teach across Years 7-13 starting in January 2026 for the Spring term. This is a superb opportunity for a suitably qualified practitioner to join a successful and innovative department. The role would suit an energetic teacher committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning; a teacher who can inspire and challenge all our pupils to achieve their personal bests.

Applications are welcomed from inspirational teachers who will strive for excellence in all aspects of the geography curriculum. This could present a great opportunity for an ECT. 

Early applications are encouraged for this important role. We reserve the right to appoint before the closing date if an early application from a suitable applicant is received.

Teacher of Geography (Spring Term) Candidate Pack

Teaching Staff Application Form

Closing Date: Friday 28 November 2025
Interviews: Interviews will be on receipt of applications

Term-time only plus INSET
Three days a week (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) 
Pro-rated salary of £13,077.22 per annum
To start as soon as possible

This is a superb opportunity for an organised, empathetic and resourceful individual who has a passion for the wellbeing of young people. The House Pastoral Leader is a vital member of the pastoral team, led by the Housemaster/mistress.  

The House Pastoral Leader assists with the smooth day-to-day running of the House and helps ensure the highest standards of pastoral care are in place.

The House Pastoral Leader will supervise and provide care for pupils, with responsibilities for the physical, social and emotional wellbeing and presentation of the pupils in the House.

The successful candidate will have good interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with young people, their parents and guardians. They will be a good listener, reliable, warm and friendly in their disposition with sufficient sensitivity to show tact and diplomacy. A flexible approach alongside a good sense of humour and an even temper dealing with all situations in a co-operative and sensitive manner are also fundamental to carrying out this role.

Confidentiality and integrity are key.

This is term-time only role working 3 days a week from 7.30am to 5pm, plus INSET of 3 day per annum. There is an additional 4 weeks work available as paid overtime. 

House Pastoral Leader Candidate Pack

Support Staff Application Form

Closing Date: Friday 12 December, 10am
Interviews: Will be held the week commencing 15 December

£32,000 - £34,500 per annum (pro rata for part-time)
Full-time or part-time considered (30-40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year)

We are seeking an organised and detail-oriented Compliance and Estates Co-ordinator to join our Estates team. This is a key role ensuring our school operates safely, efficiently and in full compliance with health and safety regulations.

You'll coordinate all statutory health and safety checks and servicing, maintain comprehensive compliance records and calendars, and ensure documentation is inspection ready. Working closely with the Estates Management Team and external contractors, you'll manage risk assessments, arrange remedial works, and track training requirements for the Estates Team.

The role encompasses residential property administration, supporting camps and facility lettings, and managing supplier relationships. You'll maintain records for buildings, maintenance logs and contracts, while liaising between the Estates Team and other school departments to ensure smooth operations across the College.

We're looking for someone with a strong working knowledge of health and safety regulations, excellent organisational skills, and experience liaising with contractors and service providers. You'll be confident working independently, managing multiple priorities in a busy environment, and have strong IT skills particularly in MS Office. A NEBOSH/IOSH qualification (or equivalent) is desirable, as is experience in education settings and understanding of safeguarding principles.

If you're an excellent communicator with strong initiative and the ability to find solutions under pressure, we'd love to hear from you.

Compliance and Estates Co-ordinator Candidate Pack

Support Staff Application Form

Closing Date: Friday 12 December 2025, 10am
Interviews: Week commencing 15 December 2025

We reserve the right to review applications and interview on receipt.

At Shiplake College, we are proud to be a Thinking School, where metacognition forms a core part of our teaching and learning culture. Every lesson includes a metacognitive element, supporting pupils to develop awareness of how they learn as well as what they learn. This approach is firmly rooted in the science of learning, with all staff using consistent visual tools and shared language to help pupils articulate their thinking and learning strategies. New members of staff receive dedicated training in the principles of cognitive science and metacognitive practice as part of their induction, and this professional development continues throughout the year with ongoing guidance, resources, and reflective opportunities. As a result, we work together as a cohesive, thoughtful community, equipping our pupils with the skills to become confident, independent learners.

All teaching staff at Shiplake College are expected to contribute to the Learning Research Group within their first two years of joining the College, with Early Career Teachers (ECTs) expected to engage within their first year. The Learning Research Group is built around the model of practitioner research, where teachers undertake research into their own classroom practice with the specific aim of solving problems and improving teaching and learning. Unlike purely theoretical research, practitioner research is directly focused on enhancing professional practice. The process follows a one-year cycle: staff join or lead a research group in the autumn term, complete secondary research in the spring, and carry out and report on their research in the summer term. Findings are then published in an in-house journal at the start of the next academic year, with staff sharing their work through presentations at September INSET. Recent research projects have included topics such as metacognition for SEND learners, the use of AI in the classroom, pupil feedback to improve practice, and the merits of digital versus handwritten learning, among many others. This culture of reflective practice and professional enquiry is central to our commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.