Principal

Robert Blake Academy · TA6, South West

Closing date
29 days left
Role
Headteacher
Posted
Hamp Avenue
Bridgwater
Somerset
TA6 6AW
GB
Read the full advert and apply⁠ (opens in a new tab)

You apply on the DfE Teaching Vacancies service advert, not here.

Job description

Robert Blake Academy is at a pivotal moment in its history. Serving more than 1,000 pupils in Bridgwater, Somerset, the school has a strong foundation, a committed staff team and an ambitious vision centred on high expectations, aspiration and belonging. Having very recently joined United Learning, Robert Blake Academy is beginning an exciting new chapter. While the school has not yet achieved the outcomes its pupils deserve, improvements are firmly underway and, with the support, expertise and proven track record of the Trust, we are confident it can rapidly become a strong, community centred school. We are now seeking an exceptional Principal to lead that journey. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of a school with significant untapped potential, building a culture of excellence in teaching, behaviour and achievement while inspiring confidence across the whole community. We are looking for a leader with the vision, ambition and determination to unlock the very best in Robert Blake Academy and ensure every pupil receives the education they deserve. United Learning is a big group of schools – with over 75,000 pupils and more than 10,000 staff – so we have the capacity to support you educationally and operationally. At the same time, we are values-led and base all that we do on good relationships. Reporting directly to the Regional Director, you will be supported both personally and professionally, benefitting from the strength of a national Group who will support your development and that of your staff and school. We are committed to fairness, diversity and inclusion. We are currently working hard to improve representation of black, Asian and minority ethnic leaders at headship level and to raise our proportion of women leaders to match their representation in our wider workforce. Whoever you are, if you have a strong track record of improving young people’s education and a drive to do more, we very much look forward to hearing from you. To arrange a visit to the school or for a confidential conversation about the role, please contact Michelle Dyer, Regional Director at michelle.dyer@unitedlearning.org.uk

School at a glance

Robert Blake Academy

Type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Age range
11 to 16
Local authority
Somerset
Region
South West
Religious character
None

The school's record on Get Information About Schools⁠ (opens in a new tab)

Published school data

Showing 1 of 1 retained publications in source order, newest editions first within each source. Open the published files for values and definitions.

Published school data: retained periods and publication files
PublicationPeriod and coverage
DfE: Published school deprivation FSM6 pupil premium

Edition d9516a52-8eb5-4300-9b29-31186b6e0bef · https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6ab0f5733f8e4e96a6a66a8e/pupil-premium-allocations-for-the-2026-to-2027-financial-year-september-2026.xlsx:2026-09-23T12:00:01+01:00

Published file

Current conditions of grant

2026/27 · Financial year · source dated 23 September 2026

Schools with a published deprivation FSM6 allocation in the All_Schools sheet

Published school-level deprivation FSM6 allocation only; excludes looked-after and previously looked-after children, alternative-provision census allocations and service pupil premium. This is not total pupil premium.

Local area context

DfE: Local authority pupil forecasts and planning areas: No published SCAP planning-area membership is available for this URN.

DfE: Education, health and care plans by local authority: Retained observations use different local authority GSS codes. Area boundaries are not assumed comparable.

Showing 6 of 17 retained publications in source order, newest editions first within each source. Open the published files for values and definitions.

Local area context: retained periods and publication files
PublicationPeriod and coverage
DfE: Local authority pupil forecasts and planning areas

Edition 040dd40c-1a68-4474-8216-3e2c2132e8f7 · 960750dd-6ed7-4e32-a9df-3cc9132bb1a4:2026-03-20T13:51:55.6118651+00:00

Published file
2031/32 · Academic year · source dated 20 March 2026

Local authority · E06000066 · education_phase: Secondary · nc_year_group: Secondary total · Published primary and secondary phase totals by local authority or planning area

Local authority pupil forecasts, with 2024/25 actuals, for the published phase total. Future periods are forecasts, not observed pupil counts. Planning area codes belong to this SCAP edition and are not assumed stable across editions.

DfE: Local authority pupil forecasts and planning areas

Edition 040dd40c-1a68-4474-8216-3e2c2132e8f7 · 960750dd-6ed7-4e32-a9df-3cc9132bb1a4:2026-03-20T13:51:55.6118651+00:00

Published file
2030/31 · Academic year · source dated 20 March 2026

Local authority · E06000066 · education_phase: Secondary · nc_year_group: Secondary total · Published primary and secondary phase totals by local authority or planning area

Local authority pupil forecasts, with 2024/25 actuals, for the published phase total. Future periods are forecasts, not observed pupil counts. Planning area codes belong to this SCAP edition and are not assumed stable across editions.

DfE: Local authority pupil forecasts and planning areas

Edition 040dd40c-1a68-4474-8216-3e2c2132e8f7 · 960750dd-6ed7-4e32-a9df-3cc9132bb1a4:2026-03-20T13:51:55.6118651+00:00

Published file
2029/30 · Academic year · source dated 20 March 2026

Local authority · E06000066 · education_phase: Primary · nc_year_group: Primary total · Published primary and secondary phase totals by local authority or planning area

Local authority pupil forecasts, with 2024/25 actuals, for the published phase total. Future periods are forecasts, not observed pupil counts. Planning area codes belong to this SCAP edition and are not assumed stable across editions.

DfE: Local authority pupil forecasts and planning areas

Edition 040dd40c-1a68-4474-8216-3e2c2132e8f7 · 960750dd-6ed7-4e32-a9df-3cc9132bb1a4:2026-03-20T13:51:55.6118651+00:00

Published file
2029/30 · Academic year · source dated 20 March 2026

Local authority · E06000066 · education_phase: Secondary · nc_year_group: Secondary total · Published primary and secondary phase totals by local authority or planning area

Local authority pupil forecasts, with 2024/25 actuals, for the published phase total. Future periods are forecasts, not observed pupil counts. Planning area codes belong to this SCAP edition and are not assumed stable across editions.

DfE: Local authority pupil forecasts and planning areas

Edition 040dd40c-1a68-4474-8216-3e2c2132e8f7 · 960750dd-6ed7-4e32-a9df-3cc9132bb1a4:2026-03-20T13:51:55.6118651+00:00

Published file
2028/29 · Academic year · source dated 20 March 2026

Local authority · E06000066 · education_phase: Primary · nc_year_group: Primary total · Published primary and secondary phase totals by local authority or planning area

Local authority pupil forecasts, with 2024/25 actuals, for the published phase total. Future periods are forecasts, not observed pupil counts. Planning area codes belong to this SCAP edition and are not assumed stable across editions.

DfE: Local authority pupil forecasts and planning areas

Edition 040dd40c-1a68-4474-8216-3e2c2132e8f7 · 960750dd-6ed7-4e32-a9df-3cc9132bb1a4:2026-03-20T13:51:55.6118651+00:00

Published file
2028/29 · Academic year · source dated 20 March 2026

Local authority · E06000066 · education_phase: Secondary · nc_year_group: Secondary total · Published primary and secondary phase totals by local authority or planning area

Local authority pupil forecasts, with 2024/25 actuals, for the published phase total. Future periods are forecasts, not observed pupil counts. Planning area codes belong to this SCAP edition and are not assumed stable across editions.

Money

Published deprivation FSM6 pupil premium
£412,5002026/27
Source and value: Published deprivation FSM6 pupil premium, 2026/27, Financial year, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6ab0f5733f8e4e96a6a66a8e/pupil-premium-allocations-for-the-2026-to-2027-financial-year-september-2026.xlsx:2026-09-23T12:00:01+01:00

Published value: 412500. Display values may be rounded.

Published school-level deprivation FSM6 allocation only; excludes looked-after and previously looked-after children, alternative-provision census allocations and service pupil premium. This is not total pupil premium.

DfE: Published school deprivation FSM6 pupil premium

Source dated 23 September 2026.

Published file

Current conditions of grant

Publication version: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6ab0f5733f8e4e96a6a66a8e/pupil-premium-allocations-for-the-2026-to-2027-financial-year-september-2026.xlsx:2026-09-23T12:00:01+01:00

Financial year

Official school links

These are separate school records. Their figures are not combined.

Latest Ofsted inspection

  • Graded inspection (previous framework)

    Inspected , published · Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 · number 10288162

    Ofsted's file records this inspection under URN 123878.

    Overall effectiveness
    Requires improvement
    Quality of education
    Requires improvement
    Behaviour and attitudes
    Good
    Personal development
    Good
    Leadership and management
    Requires improvement
    Safeguarding is effective
    Yes

    Ofsted's inspection reports for this school⁠ (opens in a new tab)