Working at Ashford School and Ashford Friars Prep School

To view current vacancies at Ashford School, Ashford Friars Prep School and Bridge House Pre-Nursery, see our listings on the UCST/ULT careers website. We welcome speculative enquiries so if you are interested in applying to the school, please send your CV and a covering letter to Mrs Anne Rylands, East Hill, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8PB or email rylandsa@ashfordschool.co.uk.

For information on vacancies at other UCST schools and ULT academies, visit the UCST/ULT careers website. 

Working at Ashford School

Ashford School completed its transition to coeducation in September 2009. There are nearly equal numbers of boys and girls throughout the school. We provide day and boarding education (with no Saturday lessons) and currently educate around 750 children from ages 3 to 19 with a nursery unit for babies from 3 to 36 months.

We are a growing school and have ambitious plans for the development of our facilities in the coming years in line with our intention to be one of the leading independent schools in the UK. Our election to HMC and highly successful inspections in 2009 and 2010 show that we are well on the way to achieving our goal. To continue to move ahead, we aim to recruit the best staff for both teaching and support roles.

What makes Ashford School a great place to work?

• It's a place where individual innovation, challenge and progress are encouraged; our mantra of Adventurous Learning only remains true when we have staff who are prepared to take risks (and sometimes fail).
• Excellent teaching that leads to high levels of achievement are at the centre of what we do; you must be able to recognise, articulate and emulate great teaching.
• The children are responsive and never fail to take up any challenge; they are not all super-intelligent or beautifully behaved all of the time but they love school and all the opportunities it provides.
• Teaching is part of the role here; you can also indulge your personal passions whether they be in sport, music, drama or any other area. Energetic, interesting people who want to share their passions with our young people will thrive here.
• You will work with colleagues who are utterly committed to the success of each pupil and the school. This is not a place for those looking for a quiet life in a backwater; you will have to give generously of your time and energy.
• The resources, though not limitless, are good; with systematic planning most requirements can be met. There is a rich array of ICT from whiteboards in every classroom, a UCST wide intranet of teaching and learning materials to ActivExpression voting pads.
• Promotion and professional development are limited only by your own drive and capability; if you are eager and ready to take on a new experience we will try to make it possible either at Ashford School or within the UCST family of 28 schools nationwide, through our UCST MA programme or other opportunities. If you wish to climb the greasy pole to Headship then this is a great place to gain whole-school experience (but you can't have my job because I love it too much).
• Along with the opportunity to develop your career amongst a bustling and thriving community, the pay is pretty good (we have a performance management scheme with the possibility of bonuses), we can provide accommodation for single people and you get 16 weeks holiday (some of which you will want to spend taking students on visits around the world or your professional reading).

If you are interested in joining the adventure and playing your part in transforming the school you will need to be well-qualified, highly committed, flexible and driven by achievment. Rapid professional progress is possible for those who show they can bring about change.

Mike Buchanan
Head