We are seeking an exceptional and compassionate leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as Deputy Headteacher with responsibility for Pastoral Care and Safeguarding. This pivotal role offers the opportunity to shape the culture and ethos of our school, ensuring every child feels safe, supported, and able to thrive.
The successful candidate will:
- Lead whole-school strategies for pupil well-being, behaviour, attendance, and personal development, fostering a nurturing and inclusive environment.
- Champion and embed a robust safeguarding culture, ensuring that statutory responsibilities are met and every child’s welfare is prioritised.
- Build strong partnerships with pupils, staff, families, and external agencies to secure the best outcomes for all.
- Provide training, guidance, and support for staff to strengthen pastoral care across the school.
- Use data and pupil voice to drive continuous improvement in attendance, behaviour, and well-being.
We are looking for a leader who has a proven track record in pastoral leadership and safeguarding, is an excellent communicator, able to inspire trust and confidence across the school community and can balance high expectations with empathy and care, ensuring ambitious standards while supporting pupils’ personal growth.
This is an exciting opportunity to take a key leadership role in a forward-thinking school where safeguarding and pastoral excellence sit at the heart of everything we do.
If you would like an informal discussion about working for Shaw Education Trust in this role, please contact Sarah Murcott, National Director of Secondary (see attachment for details)
For a tour of the school, contact Rachel Owen, Operation Admin Assistant (see attachment for details)
Unsworth Academy is a thriving, oversubscribed, co-educational and non- selective Bury high school. The school is on an incredibly exciting journey of school improvement and when last inspected in November 2019 was judged to be Good in all areas.
We are now three years into our “Good to Outstanding” journey. There have been many highlights, including superb outcomes at GCSE, but a particular highlight of the journey has been digitalisation. All our students and staff have a school iPad that they utilise in and out of lessons.
Join Shaw Education Trust – Support, Teach, Lead… Make the Remarkable Happen
At Shaw Education Trust, we believe every role holds the power to transform a life. Whether you're supporting behind the scenes, inspiring in the classroom, or leading with vision, you’ll be part of something extraordinary.
We are a dynamic and growing family of Primary, Secondary, and Special Schools, proudly serving communities from Birmingham to Bury. Our mission is to unlock opportunity for every young person—whatever their background, ability, or starting point.
Our people are our greatest asset, and we are deeply committed to their growth. Through high-quality training, apprenticeships, talent acceleration, and research opportunities, we empower our staff to thrive as skilled, confident professionals and we champion wellbeing, value every voice, and create a culture where you feel supported, motivated, and inspired to make a real difference.
You will join a collaborative network of schools where shared expertise and professional community fuel success. Every academy in our Trust has an equal voice, and every colleague plays a vital part in shaping tailored learning experiences that raise aspirations and build brighter futures.
At the heart of our work is a deep respect for the children and young adults we serve—our “precious cargo.” We are proud to "exactly like nothing else” and bridge the gap between education and the wider world, preparing every student for further education, employment, or training in inclusive environments where integrity, equality, and opportunity thrive.
If you have the heart, passion, and drive to help shape lives and create futures filled with promise, we would love you to join our incredible team.
Support. Teach. Lead. Belong. Thrive.
Together, let’s make the remarkable happen.
Shaw Education Trust offer the following employee benefits with your Teaching or Support Staff employment:
- An excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (Support Staff) / Teachers Pension (Teaching Staff)
- Support Staff only based on working full time, all year - Generous holiday entitlement from your first day of employment (37 days holiday rising to 39 days after 5 years’ service including Bank Holidays)
- Access to Medicash Health & Wellbeing Plan: Enjoy health services designed to support your well-being.
- Free DiscountForTeachers Scheme for all staff (Support and Teaching), Exclusive discounts to save money with a wide selection of discounts and exclusive offers from hundreds of the biggest brands.
- Free Eye Tests.
- Cycle to work scheme.
We know our people are the key to our success and so we’re committed to ensuring the employment experience at Shaw Education Trust is a rewarding one.
Interview date: Monday 20th October 2025
Unsworth Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment, click here to review Safeguarding and Pupil Protection Policy https://www.shaw-education.org.uk/our-trust/key-information
This position is subject to robust vetting procedures, including an online search for all shortlisted candidates, in line with our Trust’s commitment to safer recruitment.
An enhanced criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), formerly known as the CRB, is required. You will be asked to disclose all relevant unspent and, where applicable, unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions, and convictions.
Shaw Education Trust is an Equal Opportunities employer. We are fully committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection processes promote equality, diversity, and inclusion at every stage.
In accordance with our safer recruitment policy CVs alone will not be accepted.
We reserve the right to appoint before the closing date as we review applications on an on-going basis and interviews may be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, therefore, we encourage early applications.
Successful candidates will be subject to a fully Enhanced DBS check along with other relevant employment checks.