Headteacher - Westcliff Primary Academy
Academy: Westcliff Primary Academy 
Contract: Permanent 
Salary: Leadership Pay Scale, L15-L21 
Closing date for applications:
2 March 2026, 12.00pm Headteacher - Westcliff Primary Academy
Academy: Westcliff Primary Academy
Contract: Permanent, Full time
Salary: Teachers Leadership Pay Scale, L15-L21, currently £73,105 to £84,699 per annum
Closing date for applications: Noon, Monday 2nd March 2026
Start date: 1st September 2026
Fylde Coast Academy Trust (FCAT) was established in 2012. Our trust aims to ensure first class learning opportunities for all young people across the Fylde Coast and across Lancashire. The trust has grown to include 10 academies with primary, secondary and all through as well as the Central Services and School Improvement team. Our values of excellence, integrity and resilience guide us to be the best we can be. Learners are at the heart of what we do and their outcomes and successes are what drive us.
As a Multi-Academy Trust we work in partnership with educational institutions locally to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing, which is critical to our culture of continuous improvement. Full information about the trust and its work can be found on our website www.fcat.org.uk
Please refer to the attached recruitment pack for more information
About Westcliff Primary Academy
Thank you for your interest in this position at Westcliff, which is a wonderful place to work! Visitors to our little school always comment on the positive atmosphere and the vibrant surroundings.
Westcliff Primary Academy is a one form entry academy, with a nursery (which caters for children from 2 to 4 years of age). We are situated in Bispham, in the north of Blackpool.
At Westcliff, we strive to provide the very best education. We develop the “Whole Child”. We want our pupils to leave school with excellent subject knowledge and skills in addition to being outstanding members of our community. Nurturing our future citizens of tomorrow, ensuring that they are respectful, caring and empathetic, determined to achieve! We teach our children that their safety is paramount and equip them with the life skills that they need to prepare for life in the wider world.
At Westcliff Primary Academy, our expectations are high. We work together with parents to ensure the best outcomes for our pupils; our children typically achieve above national averages in all key stages, making at least expected progress. All of our talented, nurturing staff are highly skilled and take part in continuous professional development including trauma informed approaches. This allows us to ensure that we are implementing the best possible practice. We have achieved ELKLAN’s “Communication Friendly” Status. We take pride in our Beach School status and are the only school in Blackpool to have achieved this. Our bespoke Beach School lessons compliment our creative curriculum. We hold the Music Mark and Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM) and we are incredibly proud of our Anti-Bullying Silver Mark award. We offer a diverse and inclusive curriculum where difference is celebrated; in recognition of this, we have been awarded the Rainbow Flag award. We also recognise the importance of physical activity and the health benefits surrounding this. We promote both physical and mental well-being and have an excellent sports provision, winning the Blackpool Active Lives Primary School of the Year at the Community Awards 2023 and repeatedly achieving the School Games Gold Award. Our children especially enjoy OPAL - outdoor play and learning - at break times.
Why choose FCAT?
- Leadership Development support opportunities including: Developing and Implementing an Outward Mindset, leadership coaching, NPQ
- Automatic pay progression annually for teaching and support staff
- 25% discount for FCAT in house Breakfast and After School Club provisions
- Membership of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) with employer contributions of 23.68%
- Supportive parental leave and flexible working schemes
- 24/7 access to free health support services via Smartclinic including physiotherapy, online GP, counselling, CBT and much more.
- Cycle to work scheme
- Free annual flu vaccine
- Blackpool Transport travel discount of 10%
- Childcare voucher scheme
- Free eye tests* (*conditions apply)
To apply for this post please visit our website and complete the online application form and equal opportunities form at www.fcat.org.uk/job-vacancies
Closing time and date for applications is Noon on Monday 2nd March 2026
Interview and Assessment date is 9th or 11th March 2026
School Visits - 12th February & 24th February 2026
For any questions regarding the vacancy please contact Donna Cross, at donna.cross@fcat.org.uk
The Fylde Coast Academy Trust is committed to equality of opportunity for all as well as safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all learners, staff and visitors. All staff are carefully selected using recruitment and selection procedures that comply with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Following shortlisting this may include an online search and following an offer an enhanced DBS clearance.
Other Information
Supplementary Information: Headteacher (WPA)
Guidance for your Letter of Application
To assist the selection panel in their initial assessment, we ask that your letter of application (no more than two sides of A4) specifically addresses the following three pillars of leadership at Westcliff Primary Academy and within the Fylde Coast Academy Trust:
1. Inclusive Excellence in Action
Westcliff serves a vibrant and changing community. We are looking for a leader who does not just manage outcomes but excels in understanding how pupils learn.
- Focus: Please provide evidence of where you have successfully narrowed attainment gaps for disadvantaged pupils and how you have fostered an environment of 'high expectations for all' in your current or previous settings.
2. The 'Team FCAT' Philosophy
We do not believe in 'island' schools. Our strength lies in our collaboration. As a Headteacher at WPA, you will be an integral part of our Trust-wide school improvement team.
- Focus: Describe your experience of working collaboratively across a network or partnership of schools. How have you contributed to the development of others, and how would you intend to leverage the 'Team FCAT' network to benefit the Westcliff community?
3. Strategic Sustainability: 'Keep-Tweak-Ditch'
In line with our FCAT Work and Wellbeing Charter, we are committed to impactful school improvement that avoids initiative overload.
- Focus: Detail your approach to strategic planning. Specifically, how do you evaluate existing school practices to decide what to Keep (embedded success), Tweak (refining for impact), or Ditch (removing tasks that do not add value to learning or wellbeing)?