Vacancies
Acting Deputy Head of Mathematics
Salary grade: Main Scale /UPS (plus Inner London Allowance) TLR 2.2
Closing date for applications: 9am, Friday 9th January 2026
Interviews: w/b 12th January 2026
Start date: 23rd February 2026 or ASAP thereafter
Contract type: Maternity cover
Who are we?
‘The school focuses on the holistic child’ (OFSTED, September 2022)
‘Pupils respond extremely well to the challenge of becoming independent learners’ (OFSTED, September 2022)
Highbury Fields School is a community in which everyone enjoys academic and social success. The school actively celebrates and promotes equality, diversity and inclusion and aims to make everyone in our community feel welcome and wanted in school.
An 11 to 18 girls’ school, we are proud to serve a culturally rich, but often underprivileged, community and are fiercely determined that every child in our care will develop into a confident young adult, who is academically and socially accomplished.
The school’s consecutive ‘outstanding’ OFSTED reports of 2016 and 2022 and our consistently high progress 8 scores (0.6 in 2022, 0.82 in 2023 and 0.43 in 2024) have established our students’ reputation for academic excellence and we are highly regarded in the local community for our calm, focused learning environment. In 2025 our outcomes place the school in the top 10% of schools, nationally at A-Level and GCSE.
However, we are neither complacent nor satisfied. The school strives for excellence in all aspects of its work and over the last two years we have completed revised our studied, pastoral and enrichment curricular to ensure we are meeting the needs of all our students, with the ambition of further improving the already exceptional progress that our students make. Our intention is to take each student on an educational journey of memorable and stimulating learning experiences, that enables them to be academically and socially successful, both in school and beyond.
What is the role?
‘Leaders and staff have extremely high expectations for all aspects of school life’ (OFSTED, September 2022)
It is in this context that the school is seeking a highly skilled teacher of maths to contribute significantly to the sustained success of our excellent Maths department as acting deputy head of mathematics, assuming responsibility for a key stage and contributing significantly to the leadership of the area.
Thanks to the exceptional attitudes of our students and dedication of their teachers, the study of Mathematics is thriving at Highbury Fields School. The school is a designated local leader of maths education, has an innovative curriculum and regularly supports other schools.
In 2023, 80% of students attained a grade 4 or above, with 66% attaining a grade 5 or above, 50% a grade 6 or above and 36% a grade 7 or above. The school is very excited by our revised mathematics curriculum, which places problem solving at the heart of lesson planning and by our vision for maths teaching, which aims to further a mastery approach to planning and pedagogy.
The appointed person will be an excellent teacher, who is highly ambitious for all students in the school. They will have successful experience of teaching A-level and GCSE and will be a reflective practitioner, who is committed to improving their own pedagogy and continuing to develop our highly innovative and impactful curriculum and method of teaching.. The appointed person will be a team player and willing to contribute to the school’s extensive enrichment programme.
If you are looking to develop your career in a highly supportive and innovative learning environment and you truly believe, as we do, that every child can achieve excellence, then we look forward to receiving your application.
What can we offer the appointed candidate?
‘Low-level disruption in class is very rare. Pupils come to lessons ready and eager to learn’ (OFSTED, September 2022)
Working at Highbury Fields School offers colleagues the following benefits:
- An exceptional learning environment
- A highly regarded research based internal learning and teaching development programme
- Keeping well time every half term
- 20% PPA time
- A generous pension scheme
- Reduced London wide gym membership
- Cycle to work scheme
- Interest free travel season ticket loans
- Employee assistance programme
- Computer purchase scheme
What are the safeguarding requirements of the role?
‘Pupils are proud of their school. They enjoy school and feel safe’ (OFSTED, September 2022)
Highbury Fields School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects that all staff will share and demonstrate this commitment.
The position is subject to a DBS enhanced disclosure check.
Applicants must complete the school application form and in line with ‘keeping children safe in education’ and safer recruitment practices, the school will conduct an online search for all shortlisted candidates. The online search is part of the school’s safeguarding procedures to determine from publicly available information whether they are suitable to work with children and young people. Shortlisted candidates will also be asked at interview about their online presence.
Where should I look for further information?
‘Staff are proud to work at the school. Leaders engage with staff’ (OFSTED, September 2022).
For further information about the school, please refer to the school’s curriculum booklet and latest OFSTED report.
To arrange a conversation about the role, or a tour of the school, please email the Headteacher’s PA, Karen Bolden, HR@highburyfields.islington.sch.uk
Vacancy Closing Date: 09/01/2026