Director of Primary Standards

Job Title: Director of Primary Standards

Salary: £80,000 FTE p/a

Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer

Location: Hybrid with the majority of your time spent in our schools and at central LIFE locations

Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent

The successful candidate will be expected to generate income from external work to cover 20% of their total cost to the Trust for at least two years from appointment.

Start Date: 1st September 2025

We are looking for brilliant people who share and demonstrate our beliefs to join us.

About the Role:

The Director of Primary Standards is a strategic leadership role within LIFE, responsible for driving excellence in teaching, learning, attendance and academic outcomes across all primary schools within the Trust. You will work closely with school leaders, senior leadership teams, and other LIFE colleagues to ensure the delivery of high-quality education in line with LIFE Education Trust's vision, values, and priorities.

This role requires a highly skilled individual who demonstrates our values: courageous optimism, the ability to approach challenges with a positive and proactive mindset; boundless creativity, bringing innovative ideas and solutions to enhance teaching and learning; and heartfelt compassion, showing genuine care and empathy in supporting both staff and students.

The Director will be a role model in embedding these values throughout the Trust and will bring their own personality and views to a vibrant and highly committed Executive Leadership Group.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership and Strategy

Lead the creation, development and implementation of LIFE Education Trust's primary education strategy, ensuring alignment with the Trust's overall vision and mission. Work collaboratively with school and Trust leaders, leadership teams, and central services to ensure consistency and quality across all primary schools. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of curriculum, assessment and teaching standards, using data and evidence to inform improvement strategies. Monitor and deliver professional development for primary leaders and colleagues to enhance their teaching and leadership capabilities. Encourage and model courageous optimism in facing challenges, ensuring the continued growth and success of the Trust's schools. Report to the Trustees on all aspects relating to Primary standards. Ensure all Primary schools are ready for external and internal inspections and reviews.

Key Responsibilities continued:

Curriculum & Pedagogy

Ensure that the curriculum across all primary schools is broad, balanced, and meets the diverse needs of all learners. Oversee the implementation and review of best practices in teaching and learning across the Trust's primary phase. Lead on the development and embedding of robust assessment frameworks, ensuring effective use of assessment to track and improve pupil progress. Foster a creative and innovative teaching culture, encouraging staff to develop and apply new ideas and methods to enhance learning.

Data & Impact

Lead on the collection, analysis, and use of data to monitor the progress of primary pupils, ensuring that data-driven decisions are made to improve outcomes. Work with the Trust's central teams to develop strategies for raising attainment and closing achievement gaps, especially for vulnerable groups such as disadvantaged pupils and SEND learners. Produce reports on the effectiveness of primary education within the Trust for senior leaders, Trustees and local governance committees, providing recommendations for improvement.

Quality Assurance

Conduct regular school visits, observations, and reviews to assess the quality of teaching, learning, the curriculum, assessment practice, safeguarding, SEND and leadership in primary schools. Provide support and guidance to school leaders in creating, sharing and implementing school development plans, ensuring alignment with Trust-wide priorities. Work with external partners, advisors, and inspectors to ensure compliance with statutory requirements and best practices.

Stakeholder Engagement

Build strong relationships with school leaders, colleagues, parents, and the wider community to foster a culture of high expectations, collaboration, and inclusivity. Support and represent LIFE Education Trust in local and national forums, advocating for the quality and impact of primary education within the Trust. Promote LIFE Education Trust's primary schools through engagement with local authorities, parents, and external educational bodies.

Safeguarding

Lead the Trust work on safeguarding.

How to Apply

Appointment Process

References and DBS Checks

All offers of appointment will be subject to receipt of satisfactory references. LIFE Education Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the DBS.

Inclusion

As a Trust, we are committed to equality of opportunity and to a proactive and inclusive approach to equality, which supports and encourages all under-represented groups, promotes an inclusive culture, and values diversity. We will ensure that the selection process is fair and without discrimination for or against any candidate based on age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. The person specification sets out the criteria used to assess candidates through the selection process.

Why Choose LIFE Education Trust

For more information on why to choose LIFE,

head to the website here.

School visits are welcomed and encouraged. Please contact recruitment@lifeeducationtrust.com to arrange a visit.