Head Librarian

Job Description:

Oundle School is seeking a Head Librarian to be responsible for the overall management and promotion of the Cripps Library, to start in September 2025.

The Role
The Head Librarian is responsible for the overall management, development and promotion of the Cripps Library, ensuring that this wonderful resource continues to meet the evolving needs and interests of our community, and remains central to the life of the School. Through organising events and activities that celebrate literature, the Head Librarian will play a pivotal role in fostering a love of reading among the pupil body. Working closely with academic departments, the Head Librarian will develop strategies that help integrate the Library’s many resources into the curriculum.

The Head Librarian will also be responsible for ensuring the Library acts as a central facility for independent research, equipping pupils with the skills and resources needed to pursue their academic interests and develop their critical thinking skills.

The Library is dedicated to ensuring that Oundelians understand how to select and evaluate information, and how to use it effectively and responsibly, not just for academic success, but for personal well-being and good citizenship.

Hours: You will be expected to work the hours required to complete the job effectively; it is anticipated that on average this will be 40 hours per week. The normal working week is Monday to Saturday, although due to the nature of this role there will be occasions when we require you to be flexible for the needs of the School and there may be some Sundays – usually during the Summer Term – and evening work required.

Working weeks: 35 per annum. Your holiday entitlement is added to your contractual working weeks, meaning you are paid for 39.22 weeks per year.

Salary £43,000 – £45,000

The School
Oundle and Laxton Junior Schools have long been associated with the very best of modern independent education, especially boarding. The Schools take seriously their responsibility to pupils so that they can emerge as decent, open-minded adults; ambitious about what they can go on to achieve and contribute. Over 1400 pupils are on roll at the School, of whom 840 are full boarders. Academic results are steadfastly excellent.

A team of around 800 staff, both academic and support, ensure an education of the highest standard is in place across the Schools with the efforts of the whole team focused on this fundamental aim.

Living in Oundle
We are fortunate in our location at the heart of a beautiful market town. School and town are part of the same community and our pupils take their place within this community, not isolated from it. The town has a spirited cultural life, with an annual international festival, literature festival, and frequent performances of nationally touring shows at the School’s Stahl Theatre.

To apply
Full details of the role, including hours of work and salary, can be found via the school website on the school vacancies page. If you are excited by this opportunity, please complete and return an application form and supplement to the application before the closing date. Please note CV submissions cannot be accepted.

Application closing date: Friday 21 February 2025, 9am

Interview date: Friday 28 February 2025

If you have any questions about the role, please contact:

HR Department, Oundle School, The Bursary, Church Street, Oundle, Peterborough, PE8 4EE

Email c/o: [email protected] or Tel: 01832 277193

Oundle School and Laxton Junior School are proud to be equal opportunity employers and we welcome applications from all. We aim to ensure that all applicants are provided with the same opportunities during the recruitment process, and we endeavour to comply with the duties placed upon us to make reasonable adjustments as prescribed by the Equality Act 2010. Should you need to request a particular adjustment to enable you to participate fully in the recruitment process, please ensure that this is made known, to the HR Department

Both Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Recruitment Agencies

The Corporation of Oundle School has an internal recruitment department, but where agency support is required, we will engage our trusted partners. Our adverts are intended to encourage direct interest from potential applicants, not recruitment agencies. Speculative CVs sent from sources other than directly from a candidate, will not be acknowledged or considered.

How to Apply: Please apply via the website