Home / Roles / Deputy Principal City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College | Potteries Educational Trust
Deputy Principal City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College Potteries Educational Trust
Bring your unwavering commitment to student success and your deep insights into educational quality assurance and improvement as the new Deputy Principal of the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College, part of the Potteries Educational Trust.
- Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
The City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College is an Ofsted-graded ‘Good’ Academy that is on the cusp of being ‘Exceptional’. As the first ever purpose-built sixth form college in the country, we have helped over 30,000 young people reach their potential by progressing onto universities, great jobs and varied apprenticeships over the last 50 years. Our staff and young people are ambitious and passionate about the College and the opportunities we offer with an outstanding curriculum, technologies and facilities to support their learning, development and progression.
The City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College is part of the Potteries Educational Trust – a growing multi-academy trust, working collaboratively with educational institutions from across Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire and beyond, seeking to improve outcomes for all children and young people in the region.
We now seek to appoint a new Deputy Principal who will become the strategic leader for quality assurance and continuous improvement of the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College, a role in which the postholder will be responsible for leading the College’s quality framework, ensuring that rigorous self-evaluation, evidence and data-informed decision-making and effective accountability result in sustained improvements in the quality of education, student experience and outcomes.
We are looking for a strategic thinker with first-class communication skills, the ability to enthuse and the flexibility to adapt to a fast-changing educational landscape.
Who we are
With over 60 courses available, the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College is a place where education goes well beyond success in qualifications, encompassing a wide range of clubs, societies, trips, work experience and extra-curricular experiences to inspire and develop the wider skills of every student. With a team of over 185 staff, we are devoted to preparing over 1,800 students to achieve more, making a meaningful impact on the world.
We are committed to constantly improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and inspiring our students to achieve more. In June 2023, Ofsted Inspectors graded the College ‘Good’ with several excellent features and praised staff and students for creating a supportive learning community.
Stoke-on-Trent is a unique city affectionately known as The Potteries with lots to see, visit and explore. The College is located at the heart of Stoke-on-Trent, adjacent to Stoke Railway Station, providing excellent travel links. We are within easy commuting distance, up to an hour’s travel time from Birmingham, Nottingham, and Manchester, to name a few.
In September 2017, the College became the founding member of The Potteries Educational Trust. Since then, we have continued to grow, working with many educational institutions from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire and beyond, improving outcomes for all children and young people in the region.
At Potteries Educational Trust (PET), our vision is to shape young people to transform the future. We are a cross-phase developmental multi-academy trust (MAT) of four academies where learners aged 3 to 19 thrive:
- Werrington Primary School (3–11 years)
- Moorside High School (11–16 years)
- Biddulph High School (14–19 years)
- City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College (16–19 years).
Children and young people are at the heart of everything we do. Each one of our academies, like our learners, is different, equal and inclusive. We celebrate the uniqueness of each academy, honouring differences in context, phase and community as powerful strengths. We believe that diversity is not only valuable but essential and our inclusive culture unites us through shared values of innovation, respect, community, aspiration, integrity and excellence.
Each academy brings its own distinct character, strengths and community connections and we are proud to support and nurture these differences. It is this individuality that strengthens our collective identity and drives our success.
We have 450 talented staff and serve 4,000 students across Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire — almost 2,000 of these are at the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College, which from November 2026 will be led by our new Principal, Dr Simon Fox. Through collaboration, we share resources, expertise and innovation across PET to deliver exceptional learning journeys. Our commitment to digital and creative technologies empowers learners for a successful future, supported by well-resourced, highly trained staff.
All our academies are rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted, reflecting our dedication to educational excellence, continuous improvement and learner success through research-led practices. We share good practices through system leadership support.
As a beacon of excellence in the Midlands and beyond, PET is transforming lives through creative, digital and educational innovation. Our students progress to high-quality, highly skilled jobs and help to shape our region and our country’s future.
We believe that:
- Education doesn’t just change lives, it transforms communities.
- Every learner, no matter their starting point, can achieve extraordinary things.
- Belonging, ambition and brilliant teaching are the foundation of equity and excellence.
- Our academies should innovate, reflect and celebrate the strength, pride and potential of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.
About the role
As our new Deputy Principal, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction, culture and performance of the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College, working closely with our senior leaders across the College and the wider Trust to deliver an outstanding educational experience for students.
The role carries overall responsibility for leading quality assurance, self-assessment and continuous improvement, ensuring that decision-making is evidence-informed and focused on raising standards, student outcomes and organisational effectiveness.
As the College’s Ofsted nominee and Designated Safeguarding Lead, the appointed candidate will provide leadership across inspection readiness, safeguarding, curriculum quality and student wellbeing, while developing high-performing teams and strengthening leadership capacity across the organisation.
You will also have an important contribution to make in relation to other key aspects of our operations such as in relation to our governance, engaging with our broad range of stakeholders and helping ensure our financial sustainability.
Through fostering a culture of high expectations, accountability and continuous learning, as our new Deputy Principal, you will have a significant impact on the quality of education, staff development and the life chances of young people from across the diverse communities we serve.
Who we are looking for
Our ideal candidate will be an experienced and inspirational senior leader with a strong track record of driving educational excellence, preferably within a sixth form college setting and certainly within post-16. This might include time served as a Curriculum Leader, Assistant and/or Vice Principal elsewhere.
We believe that having led a career within a range of different settings is a strength and so we welcome candidates who have built their knowledge and understanding from having worked in multiple colleges.
You will bring significant experience of leading quality assurance and improvement strategies that have delivered measurable gains in student outcomes, alongside a deep understanding of high-quality teaching, learning and curriculum development.
We are looking for a skilled relationship builder who will be able to develop and motivate their teams whilst also engaging external partners in a way that fosters a culture of trust, accountability and continuous improvement.
We have high expectations for both our staff and our students and this will be demonstrated through your ambitious yet values-led leadership style.
The successful individual will combine strategic thinking with strong analytical skills, using evidence and data to inform decision-making and evaluate impact. You will be an effective communicator, able to articulate a clear vision, influence a wide range of stakeholders and build productive partnerships both within and beyond the College.
Above all, our ideal candidate will share our belief in the transformative power of education. You will champion equality, safeguarding the well-being of all students and staff and bring a deep passion for helping every young person fulfil their absolute potential.
Peridot Partners and Potteries Educational Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and our client expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references before any final offer can be made.
Welcome from the Chief Executive Officer
Dear Candidate,
We are delighted that you’ve expressed an interest in the position of Deputy Principal at City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College, part of the Potteries Education Trust (PET). This post provides an excellent opportunity for an outstanding individual to join a successful academy and become part of the PET community.
We hope this microsite and other documentation contain all of the information you need.
All candidates will be assessed against the information provided in the attached job description and the essential and desirable criteria outlined in the person specification; therefore, please consider the details in the job description and person specification carefully so that you know what the job involves and how you can match this in terms of your skills, abilities and knowledge.
Thank you again for your interest in the post and we look forward to receiving your completed application.
Best of luck with your application.
Yours sincerely,
Heather McLachlanChief Executive Officer, Potteries Educational Trust
About us
City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College
As the first purpose-built sixth form college in the country for over 50 years, we have been delivering post-16 education to students. We have helped over 30,000 young people reach their potential by progressing to universities, great jobs, and varied apprenticeships.
With a newly appointed Principal, Dr Simon Fox, starting in September 2026 and with a wealth of experience across our staff team, we are experts in the field of providing high-quality education for all. The College’s mission is ‘A caring community, delivering excellence and inspiring futures.’
With over 60 courses available, our education goes well beyond success in qualifications, encompassing a wide range of clubs, societies, trips, work experience and extra-curricular experiences to inspire and develop the wider skills of every student.
As a team of over 185 staff, we are devoted to preparing over 1,800 students to achieve more, making a meaningful impact on the world.
We are committed to constantly improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and inspiring our students to achieve more. In June 2023, Ofsted inspectors graded the College ‘Good’ with several excellent features and praised staff and students for creating a supportive learning community.
Stoke-on-Trent is a unique city, affectionately known as The Potteries, with lots to see, visit and explore. The College is located at the heart of Stoke-on-Trent, adjacent to Stoke railway station, providing excellent travel links.
In September 2017, the College became the founding member of the Potteries Educational Trust. Since then, we have continued to grow, working with many educational institutions from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire and beyond, improving outcomes for all children and young people in the region.
As a member of staff, you will be encouraged to develop your skills and experience by working in collaboration with members of our growing Trust and our extensive professional development programme.
Whatever the ambition and passion of our students, the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College provides a welcoming learning environment for young people from Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding area and has outstanding facilities to support their learning and progression.
Biddulph High School
Biddulph High School is an Ofsted-graded ‘Good’ school. Our most recent Ofsted report recognised the “strong safeguarding culture at the school”.
In addition, the report reflected, “one pupil captured the views of many, describing the school as ‘one big family’ and “…pupils feel happy and safe at school. They are considerate and thoughtful”.
Ofsted also praised the leadership of the school: “Leaders have made sure that each pupil feels part of the school community. They have put pupils’ interests at the heart of what they do and are ambitious for what they can achieve.”
Biddulph High School is a founding member of the Potteries Educational Trust. The school is in a middle school system and is truly inclusive, with 800 students, many of whom remain with us for post-16 studies in our sixth form.
Through consultation with students, parents, staff, governors and local employers, we have worked carefully to design a future-focused curriculum that is innovative, relevant and rooted in the real world. At Biddulph High School, we believe education should do more than prepare students for exams — it should prepare them for life.
The school serves a local town community and is proud to work with other schools in our local area, including our two local middle schools and our partner primary and first schools.
Schools and MATs in Biddulph collaborate closely to ensure clear curriculum progression, shared values and the best possible outcomes for all our learners.
At Biddulph High School, we enable young people to develop holistically, preparing them to be successful adults with a range of learning opportunities, experiences and staff who truly care about well-being. We care about every individual, staff and student and pride ourselves on our support and high expectations for one another.
All of our students are entitled to the highest quality of education and provision. Our core values of Community, Ambition, Respect and Excellencesit at the heart of everything we do. We prioritise high-quality teaching and learning and ensure every young person has access to a range of experiences and opportunities to grow and develop.
We also prioritise high-quality professional development and training for staff, to enable them to grow and develop as well.
Moorside High School
Moorside High School is an Ofsted-graded ‘Good’ school. Our latest inspection in February 2024 recognised that we are an inclusive and welcoming school. In addition, staff know their pupils well and have high ambitions for them. Pupils are courteous and respectful to others.
Moorside High School is an extremely popular and over-subscribed comprehensive school in the Staffordshire Moorlands and part of the Potteries Educational Trust. The Trust is a vibrant learning community, working hard in the areas that we serve to maintain and develop excellent and innovative teaching and learning.
Our school is a warm and friendly place to learn, where, with the help and encouragement of our staff and with the support of their parents, pupils can develop the knowledge, skills and personal qualities that are needed to achieve success both now and in the future.
As a school, we pride ourselves on our high standards, which enable us to provide a first-class learning experience for all students. We have a calm and supportive environment, which is characterised by respectful relationships between the teachers and students. There is a clear focus on delivering high academic standards for all students and we encourage all students to strive to reach their full potential. Moorside is a fantastic school — our students are our greatest asset and our staff are our greatest resource.
At Moorside, we are all about excellence! We inspire our students to achieve beyond the limits they thought possible. With a strong focus on academic achievement, we offer opportunities that empower our students to succeed. We set ambitious goals to surpass expectations and excel beyond imagination. Our curriculum goes beyond the classroom. We develop skills such as critical thinking, creativity, resilience and adaptability to enable students to succeed. Students engage in a range of enrichment opportunities that challenge and inspire.
Werrington Primary School
Werrington Primary School is a thriving, two-form entry primary school for children aged 3-11, including a purpose-built 52-place full-time nursery. The school is part of the Potteries Educational Trust and was most recently judged to continue to be a ‘Good’ school by Ofsted. Pupils, parents and staff are rightly proud of the school and its strong sense of community, captured in our motto: ‘Together we succeed.’
At the heart of Werrington is a clear and ambitious vision: Together, we inspire confident learners who will thrive in a changing world. We are committed to developing happy, resilient and motivated learners who are well prepared for their next stage of education and for life beyond school. Our pupils are encouraged
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