NEWS RELEASE
16 December 2008
For Immediate Release
UK’s first cross-community Jewish school launches global search for a head teacher
- Pupils to interview candidates
JCoSS - the UK’s first cross-community Jewish Secondary School, set to open in Barnet in September 2010 – launches a
global search for a head teacher this week, with a view to making an appointment in Spring next year. The £50 million
school – the most expensive state school ever build in the UK – is offering a salary of up to £93,819, which it says is
negotiable for exceptional candidates.
Adverts are being placed in Jewish, local and specialist publications in the UK, North America, Australia, Israel and
South Africa, while information about the post has been sent to Jewish educational organisations throughout the English
speaking world.
Professional search consultants are being briefed to identify possible candidates, while JCoSS has launched a new
website (www.jcoss.org) to provide candidates – as well as prospective parents - with all the latest information.
As part of an innovative two-day interview process, Year 6 pupils (ten and eleven year olds) from Akiva – one of the
three inclusive primary schools in the UK - will get to question candidates about their vision for the school. This is
part of the school’s commitment to inclusivity and a strong student voice. The main interview panel will be headed by
JCoSS’s Chair of Governors, Robert Shrager and will include the Head teacher of Clore Shalom primary school, Irene Kay,
as well as a representative of JCoSS partner for the Special Resource Provision, Norwood, the UK’s largest charity
supporting Jewish children, families and adults with disabilities.
Commenting on the process, Robert Shrager, says:
“It is more than possible that the successful candidate is currently working down the road from the JCoSS site, but we
are determined to be able to appoint from a truly exceptional field and for this reason we have taken the decision to
cast our net as widely as possible.”
Application forms are available from the JCoSS website at www.jcoss.org . The closing date for applications is Monday
19th January 2009, with interviews held on 1st-3rd February 2009.
ENDS