Head of Year

Do you have the drive, passion and commitment to deliver outstanding support to help young people in a disadvantaged community? If so, joining the Star support team might just be the best career move you ever make. This is your opportunity to join a dedicated team of support staff who are committed to providing the best possible education for our pupils.

About The Valley Leadership Academy

The Valley Leadership Academy is a secondary school for 11 to 16-year-olds in Bacup. We joined Star Academies in 2019 and, like all Star schools, we have a leadership specialism.

When inspected by Ofsted under the new framework and ‘report card’ grading system in April 2026, the school secured its best-ever outcomes. We achieved ‘Expected standard’ in three areas and ‘Needs attention’ in the remaining three areas, reflecting the significant progress made since the previous inspection.

We are a rapidly improving school with high ambitions and expectations for all our pupils. We provide a knowledge-based academic curriculum alongside a rich and diverse leadership programme that grows character and inspires charitable and social action. Our pursuit of educational excellence is based upon our fundamental belief that every pupil has the capacity to become a successful and inspirational leader.

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for a talented individual to help foster a caring and supportive learning environment for our young people. Your experience of pastoral care will place our learners’ welfare at the heart of the school.

The successful candidate will be a committed team player with excellent organisational and technical skills. You will have the ability to problem solve and provide excellent customer service to our community.

You will have:

• 5 GCSEs including English and Maths at grade 9-4/A*- C.
• Experience of working with young people in an education setting.
• Experience of providing pastoral support within an education setting.
• The ability to maintain positive relationships with students and other adults.
• The ability to speak in front of large groups of students and small groups of staff.

About Star Academies

Star Academies is a high-performing multi-academy trust that runs more than 30 primary and secondary schools. We are a values-based organisation that works to improve the life chances of young people in areas of social and economic deprivation to help them succeed at the highest levels of education, employment and the professions. Every single day you’ll be rewarded with the opportunity to shape a young person’s future - our STAR values embody what we believe is needed to succeed.

Professional development is key to our ongoing success, so we continually invest in our employees through our professional development hub, Star Talent Academy. With a wealth of training, mentoring and progression opportunities across a large, growing group of academies, joining our team of leading education experts could propel your career to the next level.

We can also offer you a range of rewards and benefits, including competitive salaries and pension schemes, generous holiday entitlements and healthcare cash plans.

Find out more

Please download the job pack for the job description and person specification for further information about the role. For an informal and confidential discussion about the role please call us on [phone removed].

Key Dates

Closing Date: Monday, 16 November 2026 at midnight.

Interview Date: Week commencing: Monday, 23 November 2026.

Proposed Start Date: Monday, 04 January 2027.

Application Process

To apply for this vacancy please use the 'Apply for job' link below. You should ensure your application form and supporting statement address all elements of the person specification. We will only consider candidates who meet the vast majority of the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.

Our Commitment

Star Academies is committed to safeguarding, safer recruitment and promoting the welfare of pupils. Our comprehensive recruitment and selection processes aim to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants. Successful candidates are subject to rigorous pre-employment checks.

We are equally committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity. We aim for our workforce to be representative of society and that each employee feels respected and able to give their best. We are committed to providing equality and fairness in our recruitment and employment practices and not to discriminate on any grounds. We oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination.