About this Role

The Quality First Education Trust (Q1E) is seeking an exceptional and ambitious leader to become our next Chief Executive Officer. This is a pivotal moment for our highly successful Trust, which currently comprises five vibrant London primary schools—all of which have made significant progress since joining Q1E.

At Q1E, teaching is at the heart of everything we do. Guided by the principle that “the quality of a school cannot exceed the quality of its teachers”, we invest heavily in professional growth. From a paid pre-induction programme for new teachers to sector-leading CPD, mentoring, and tailored leadership pathways, we nurture talent at every stage. As CEO, you will shape the next phase of this work, influencing teacher development across our Trust.

Why lead Q1E?

• Outstanding teaching and learning at the core of our mission
• Financially secure and well-resourced, enabling strategic rather than reactive leadership
• Trust-wide curriculum and high-quality lesson resources, promoting consistency and excellence
• Collaborative, outward-looking culture, with national recognition for school-to-school support, evidence-informed practice, and leadership development
• A strong central team, united schools, and impressive foundations for future growth

We are a Trust that goes above and beyond to ensure every child receives a quality first education—every day, in every class, in every subject. We want a CEO who will champion this mission wholeheartedly, who believes in equality of opportunity, and who will do “whatever it takes” to help children thrive.

The role
As CEO, you will:

• Provide strategic direction and inspirational leadership across the Trust
• Shape our long-term vision for excellence and growth
• Strengthen and develop our people, from early-career teachers to senior leaders
• Build partnerships and extend Q1E’s impact within and beyond London
• Maintain our culture of collaboration, innovation, and evidence-informed practice

This role offers an exceptional platform for an experienced system leader who is ambitious for our schools, our children, and their own professional journey.

If you share our commitment to continuous improvement, excellence, and inclusion—and are ready to lead a high-performing, well-resourced Trust—we warmly encourage you to apply.

Please refer to the Q1E CEO Candidate Pack for details about the role, our Trust and our schools.

If you would like to discover more about this exciting opportunity and need any further information or wish to arrange a visit to one of the Trust’s schools, please contact our retained consultant at Academicis: William Bridge on 07825 346535 or via email at wbridge@academicis.co.uk.