Job Introduction
Headteacher
Slade Nursery School, Headington, Oxford
Role starting 1st January 2026, (applications for starting after Easter will be considered)
Do you want to lead a vibrant, forward thinking and diverse nursery school that places children, learning and the community at the heart of everything it does?
The governors of Wood Farm Primary and the Slade Nursery Schools are looking for an ambitious, creative and dedicated professional to join us as Headteacher of the nursery school.
The Slade Nursery School and Day Nursery is a highly successful and vibrant early years setting, serving the diverse Headington community in Wood Farm, Oxford. Federated with the adjoining primary school, and located in beautiful modern accommodation, this is a unique and exciting opportunity for an aspiring leader to take their first step into headship within a supportive and collaborative environment.
About the School
Our nursery school is federated with Wood Farm Primary School, in the heart of Oxford’s Lye Valley. It is located close to the hospitals of Headington and a short bus ride away from the city centre. The school provides high-quality education and care for children aged 6 months to 4 years.
This is a unique opportunity to be part of a federation taking children from the age of 6 months up to 11 years. At the heart of everything we do at our federation is our ambitious vision: to give every one of our children a world-class education, in a beautiful school where every child can flourish academically and socially - whatever their background and starting points.
The nursery school and day nursery provide a high-quality start for children aged 6 months to 4 years, through a curriculum grounded in the school values of Resilience, Independence, Creativity, Curiosity, Respect and Knowledge.
The successful candidate will benefit from the support and mentoring of a well-respected and experienced executive headteacher, making this an ideal opportunity for someone stepping into headship for the first time or wishing to develop their headship career.
The purpose-built school is spacious with three classrooms, a day nursery space, a school library and the ‘Home Hub’ - a suite of rooms specially designed and used to support children with communication and interaction, self-regulation and wellbeing.
Professional development is a priority for the school, and we have a ‘Learning Zone’ space, specifically for staff planning, preparation and assessment. We are very proud of the staff team. In the last year, we have supported several colleagues with apprenticeships in Level 2 Early Years Qualifications and others with their Level 3 Early Years Qualifications.
All classrooms and the day nursery have direct access to specially designed outdoor learning environments. We prioritise outdoor learning and have a forest school on site.
The successful applicant will:
- Be an excellent teacher, with strengths in working with children across the full early years age range, and who is able to lead and inspire our children and staff
- Be an ambitious leader, who will continue to develop our outstanding school on the next stage of its journey
- Bring experience of and passion about working in a diverse community
- Have a strong, clear vision of the importance of high-quality nursery education
- Be dedicated to the progress and well-being of all children
We can offer the appointee:
- The exciting opportunity to lead a vibrant, friendly and effective school committed to growing and to making a lasting difference to children and families
- A well-resourced and stimulating learning environment
- A dedicated and hard-working staff team
- Coaching and mentoring from an experienced executive headteacher and support from a wider team of highly-experienced senior leaders
- A beautiful working environment, in an easily accessible location with excellent transport links
- Opportunities for professional development and career progression
Working closely with the federation executive headteacher and governors, you will be responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day running of the nursery school. You will have proven experience of senior leadership or headship and be looking for the next step in your career.
Visits are encouraged, by prior arrangement. Please contact Lynn Wyatt, Nursery School Administrator, by phone (01865 750670) or email office.1011@slade-nurs.oxon.sch.uk to arrange a visit or if you would like to arrange an informal conversation about this post.
To apply, please complete the application form, which can be found here. Completed application forms must be emailed to sbm.2589@wood-farm.oxon.sch.uk by noon on Wednesday 15 October 2025.
Closing date: Wednesday 15th October 2025, 12:00pm
Interviews: Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd October 2025
Safer Recruitment
We 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 Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks.
