Job Description

EXECUTIVE PRINCIPAL

Location: Dove House Academy,Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 5SU

Full-time, permanent (start date to be negotiated with successful candidate)

Salary: Leadership Scale L24-L30

Solent Academies Trust is looking for an exceptional leader to become the Executive Principal at Dove House Academy, a large and highly regarded secondary special school dedicated to transforming the lives of children with learning disabilities and associated conditions such as autism and speech, language and communication needs.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a multi-site school that is part of a highly successful Trust on to its next stage of development by shaping its vision, culture, and provision to deliver exceptional specialist education and to contribute to Trust-wide strategic developments.

About Dove House Academy

Part of Solent Academies Trust since 2023, Dove House Academy:

• Educates nearly 250 children
• Operates over two sites, with a Sixth Form co-located with a mainstream secondary school
• Is rated Outstanding by Ofsted (February 2025)

Our Relational Culture Charter guides us to work together and support each other through:

• Valuing Difference
• Effective Communication
• High Challenge & High Support to Empower
• Respect for All
• Solution-Focused Approaches

We believe that when relationships thrive, people thrive – and so do the children and young people we serve.

Who we’re looking for

The Executive Principal will be part of the Trust Executive Leadership Team as well as leading Dove House, so we are looking for an experienced leader who is an exceptional practitioner with a proven track record of securing excellent outcomes for pupils with the ability to shape and influence policy and practice on a larger scale. You will be a confident communicator who is able to motivate and develop teams. You will strike the very careful balance between offering highly effective support and development to those that you lead, alongside providing rigorous challenge and accountability. You will have a deep understanding of strategies to support pupils with complex needs including autism. The successful candidate will contribute to Trust strategy and improvement, the details of which will be negotiated as part of the appointment process.

Discover more about the role visit our dedicated Dove House Academy Executive Principal recruitment website to find out what makes this opportunity special. You’ll hear directly from the Trust leadership team in a short video about the role, the school and the Trust, and learn more about the community you’ll be joining. Welcome | Solent Academies Trust | Hays UK

How to Apply

Contact James Hall at Hays for an informal conversation about the role on james.hall@hays.com.

Please visit our jobs board to apply for this role and to upload an accompanying covering letter: Dove House Academy | SAMpeople Recruit

Open mornings for tours of the school are available at 9.30am on Tuesday 3rd November or Wednesday 4th November. Please contact Jarlath O’Brien, Trust Director for School Improvement, on jarlath.obrien@solentacademiestrust.info to reserve a place.

Closing time and date for applications is 4pm, Wednesday 11th November.

Interviews will be held on Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th November. All applicants will be advised if they have been shortlisted on Thursday 12th November.

Solent Academies Trust welcome applications regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or religion. Only applications submitted on the academy’s application form will be accepted. Solent Academies Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant pre-employment checks.