The test of the education we offer at St James rests with the pupils. A St James pupil should be a well-balanced, open hearted, independent in thought, and a confident learner who possesses a natural desire to make a positive difference to the world.  

St James offers a distinctive education, using a philosophical approach which unites the development of essential life skills with academic excellence. Our aim is to allow our pupils to grow into adults of great strength and good character, achieving academically at levels more than they think is possible.  

We believe that behind the apparent differences of each individual, there is a single, conscious, intelligent, and loving spirit which we all share. This sense of Oneness unites the whole human family. This Unity is most easily found and enjoyed in the space of silence. 

Our approach to academic study begins with the understanding that within every single pupil, there is a brilliance and perfection waiting to be uncovered. Pupils at St James are not selected solely on their academic ability; the strength of character and future potential are of equal significance. Over the past five years St James has achieved a 100% pass rate in GCSE, with more than 90% of A Level pupils achieving the top grades. The universities our senior pupils attend also make for impressive reading.   

The transition from child to adulthood requires the provision of the finest material; this brings the clarity of mind and an openness of heart that we proudly promote at St James. Opportunities are provided to learn Shakespeare by heart, sing the finest music, debate philosophical and ethical issues, and to discuss matters of social and spiritual significance. From this happy capital the pupil grows spiritually, emotionally, and physically, and this will reflect in the fruits of his actions.  

Sport is important for the development of our boys, and this takes place three times a week on our beautiful 32-acre site at Ashford, Surrey. This provides the physical space to pursue the School’s excellence in art, drama, music, and sport. It also allows our extensive extra-curricular activities including Cadets, The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Sailing Club, Climbing, Kayaking, and more, to flourish. An extensive range of educational trips and expeditions to Greece, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the USA extends learning into the wider world.  

Transport services to our boys’ school are excellent. The mainline railway station is just two minutes’ walk away, and the school bus routes bring pupils from Hammersmith, Chiswick, Richmond, Twickenham, Teddington, Hampton, Kingston, Ealing, Barnes, Slough and Windsor.  

We are looking to appoint a new Head from September 2024. The new Head must be able to lead, energise and inspire staff and establish confidence in the School community and wider St James Schools. The successful applicant will be balanced, hands-on, and forward-thinking with a clear understanding of the whole school vision and have a proven track record in teaching, pastoral care, and operational and strategic leadership.  

This is a tremendous opportunity for a serving or aspiring Head with senior school experience.  

St James Senior Boys’ School is located in Ashford, on the outskirts of Surrey, and offers a distinctive education for boys aged 11 to 18. St James is a dynamic school, leading the way in the education of the whole person with a strong philosophically based ethos, valuing stillness and meditation balanced with a rigorous academic focus.   

The philosophy behind the St James ethos is the Philosophy of Unity. This philosophy emphasises the practice of self-awareness and the unity of all humanity. Self-awareness is practised during pausing and quiet time. Boys and staff are provided with the opportunity to connect with the peace and stillness behind all movement and encouraged to utilise this practice in their daily life.  

To understand the nature of our school, we encourage you to read our latest published report in  The Good Schools Guide.   

View our 2024 inspection report here.

Location and Facilities

Located in a beautiful 32-acre site, the School enjoys all the connectivity of London, with the city centre being less than 30 minutes away. Ashford is a small town located close to Heathrow airport, surrounded by rolling green spaces with Bedfont Lakes and Shortwood Common all in close proximity.  

The School was built in 1857 and is steeped in history. We have worked to preside the historic buildings whilst ensuring that facilities for learning and sports remain state of the art.  

We have built an award-winning Design Technology workshop and opened the North Fields, providing additional sports spaces, rugby pitches, a cricket square, and athletics track. 

Since the school’s inception in 1975, it has offered a fully vegetarian programme in the belief that people should not only be kind to themselves, but also to other creatures and the environment.

Curriculum  

Our aim at St James Senior Boys is to offer a fully holistic education to each boy, allowing him to achieve more than he thinks is possible whilst simultaneously evolving his character. 

At St James we offer a broad range of subjects combining the traditional subjects like Mathematics, Science and the Humanities with more creative and practical subjects such as Languages, Art, Music, DT and Drama. There is a unique opportunity to learn Sanskrit which we believe is at the core of some of the finest material.

Our academic and extra-curricular provision is designed to allow the steady growth of a pupil to develop physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  

We want our pupils to appreciate the joy of learning and be inspired by what they have learnt so that they can pursue their own passions and interests.  

Our Sixth Form pupils embody a range of world views, faiths, backgrounds and, most importantly, strengths. The individualities of our pupils are celebrated and encouraged; the diversity of our pupil body as people truly demonstrates the concept of oneness in its finest. Once past trivial labels and small differences, it is clear how truly alike we are and how we are part of a wider human family.  

Overall, at every level, St James aims to foster a love of truth and learning. 

Learn more about our values and ethos here.

Pastoral Care and Pupils’ Personal Development  

The philosophy and ethos of St James leads us to being a naturally caring and inclusive school where every member of staff will be involved in supporting and caring for our pupils.  

St James Schools maintain the highest standards of pastoral care, and key staff throughout our pupils’ journeys are on-hand to always care for, inspire, and ensure the safety of boys during their time with us. All of which results in our school’s reputation as a model of excellence in safeguarding, wellbeing, and pastoral care.  

In addition to the highest standards of safeguarding and wellbeing, pupils engage with a Personal Mastery Programme throughout their learning journey. The programme at its foundation equips pupils with the tools to create and honour their own code of conduct, to be excellent team players, to be self-disciplined, and to be accountable to their autonomy. At its conclusion, pupils contemplate legacy, next steps after school, and leadership – all within a frame of meditation and service learning.  

Practical philosophy, personal development, and wellbeing have been woven into the pupil experience at St James for many years and today, our school is highly regarded in these areas.

The Pause  

The School engages in a ‘Pause’ at the beginning and end of every lesson and periods such as Assembly. The Pause is a short period of quiet reflection and stillness, a connection with something peaceful and unchanging in today’s busy world. The pupils also practise a longer version of The Pause, ‘The Long Pause’, during the weekly Philosophy lesson. Pausing allows the children to refocus and prepare for what is to come next. For some it is also a chance to start again, particularly if the previous lesson has presented challenges. It brings everyone back to a stillness and allows the children a moment of calm before moving on. The Pause is something unique to St James, and the staff and children all value it greatly.

Our House system  

Upon entering the School, all pupils will join one of our four houses: Churchill, Wellington, Marlborough or Nelson. In the 6th Form, pupils will have the opportunity to utilise their leadership skills by applying to become one of our four House Captains.  

Every year, we run several house competitions in a variety of areas such as music, rugby, cricket, football and, at the end of the academic year, our highly-anticipated Sports Day.  

We host regular house dinners and quiz nights which enables pupils to get to know members of their house in different year groups. 

Governance and Leadership  

In order to provide the greatest support to each of the St James Schools and sites, the Board of Trustees have formed two Governing Boards — a combined Board for the Senior Girls’ School and St James Prep in Olympia and a separate one for the Senior Boys’ in Ashford. There is an overarching governing body which meets as the Independent Educational Association Limited, a registered charity established in 1975. The Governors of St James Schools are drawn from men and women who support the concepts of a philosophical education for children and young people. 

The governing board of St James Senior Boys’ School meets every term. The Board’s role is to ensure that the team provides their pupils with the very best education and opportunities, oversees developments at the School and generally support the Head. The Board of Governors sets the School’s plans and policies.  

The current Chair of Governors, Jerome Webb, is a former St James pupil. Jerome is parent to three girls, all of whom have completed their education at St James.  

He has spent many years as a specialist property advisor in the Planning and Development sector. Currently an equity partner at GIA, he has worked on behalf of various banks, institutions, architects and property companies with particular reference to daylight and sunlight, rights of light and other related matters. 

The aim of St James Schools is to provide a curriculum which enriches, enhances, and refines intellectual and emotional development, giving rise to expansion in understanding, wisdom, and creative potential. 

Founded in 1975 by philosophically inclined parents, our three independent day schools offer a distinctive approach to education which provides for the intellectual, emotional and spiritual development of every child; they aim to provide an environment in which a child can discover all that is best within their own nature. 

We actively support our pupils’ emotional wellbeing, focusing on meditation and fostering a positive school atmosphere built on mutual respect, trust and kindness. 

Our schools enjoy enviable locations in London and Surrey: our Nursery, Preparatory School and Senior Girls’ School are close to Hammersmith, while the Senior Boys’ School occupies a stunning 33-acre site in Ashford, with great transport services from London. 

Although significant support was given through the friendship with the School of Philosophy and Economic Science during the early years of development, the schools are now fully independent entities whose reputations attract respect within their local communities and in the wider educational world. 

We have a shared central office which supports business functionality of the School’s and ensures we have expert professionals across Finance, IT, HR, and Marketing.

Learn more about the St James Schools here.

The Governors are prepared to offer an attractive and competitive salary to secure the best candidate. A formal contract, detailing terms and conditions, will be drawn up on appointment. The following notes provide guidance, without prejudice, on the likely main provisions: 

• A competitive remuneration package is available.
• Salary will be reviewed annually.
• Fee remission of 50% is available for children of the Head.
• School meals and mobile phone allowance are provided.
• Private medical insurance allowance is available.
• The appointment is subject to two terms’ notice.
• The Head’s performance will be subject to a regular review.
• The School will be supportive, whenever possible, of external professional activities such as examining, committee membership and professional body activities, as agreed with the Governors.
• Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Full details are given on the application form.
• Final round candidates will be asked to undertake identity and qualification checks which conform to the School’s Safeguarding Policy. They must also agree to references being taken up at that stage and checks made with past employers.
• The successful applicant will be required to complete a self-disclosure medical questionnaire.
• The appointment is subject to satisfactory references, clearance from the DBS, proof of identity and qualifications and a medical report.

You can view our Safeguarding policy here, our Recruitment, Selection and Disclosure policy here, and our privacy policy here.

Anderson Quigley is acting as an advisor to St James Schools. An executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to public advertisements.

Should you wish to discuss the role in strict confidence, please contact our advising consultant at Anderson Quigley: Hayley Mintern at hayley.mintern@andersonquigley.com, or +44 (0)7596 954 387 or Phil Gifford at phil.gifford@andersonquigley.com, or +44 (0)7743 936 121.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on February 20, 2024. 

Applications should consist of:

• A completed application form.
• A covering letter setting out your interest in the role and details of how you match the criteria outlined in the person criteria.

Please include details of two referees in either your application or cover letter. Note that we will not approach your referees without your prior consent, and only should you be successful in the recruitment process.