Old Buckenham Hall are seeking a strategic leader with the operational skill to manage the day-to-day co-curricular life of the School and the creative vision to drive forward the School’s co-curricular strategy.
Reporting to the Headmaster, this new role will be part of the Deputy Head team and has been created at a time when the school is thriving, and its numbers are growing year on year. With a setting incorporating 80 acres of idyllic Suffolk countryside and a planned multi-million-pound investment in facilities and resources, this is a golden opportunity for a strategic leader to contribute to the School’s aim of becoming the first-choice prep school with the best co-curricular provision in the east of England. As such, the successful candidate will likely be able to draw on experience of leading a team, and able to demonstrate how sustainable improvement has been achieved within a department, and, ideally at whole school level.
About OBH and Rugby School Group
Founded in 1862, Old Buckenham Hall has long been recognised as one of East Anglia’s leading preparatory schools. We are a co-educational day and boarding school for children aged 3–13, set in 80 acres of idyllic Suffolk countryside. Our Grade II* listed Hall, extensive playing fields, and woodland provide a stunning backdrop to a school that combines tradition with forward-thinking education.
At the heart of OBH is our commitment to the whole child. We believe that education is about more than academic results: it is about character, confidence, and curiosity. Children leave us ready to thrive at some of the UK’s most prestigious senior schools, taking with them not just a strong foundation of knowledge, but also the friendships and values that last a lifetime.
In January 2026, OBH formally became part of Rugby School Group. Best known for its historic senior school in Warwickshire, Rugby is one of the great names in British education, with a reputation for innovation, breadth, and the “Whole Person, Whole Point” ethos.
The Group now includes three preps schools in the UK and four partner schools overseas, united by shared values and a commitment to excellence. Being a member of Rugby School Group, not only gives OBH financial security, it also provides our pupils and staff fantastic opportunities to access resources and expertise that they otherwise simply couldn’t.
For OBH, the merger means the best of both worlds: the intimacy and character of a small country prep school, backed by the support, investment, and vision of a global education group. It is this combination that makes our next steps so exciting.
Application process
Old Buckenham Hall are partnering with Alice Speers, Search Consultant at Ashmore Search on this appointment.
If you would like an informal conversation about the role, please contact Alice:
+44 (0)7799 808 051 or alice@ashmoresearch.com
Please note that Ashmore Search will also use the information contained or referred to in this form for the purpose of processing your job application and as further set out in the Ashmore Search Ltd Privacy Notice.
For more information and to apply: Please register and complete an application via our recruitment portal which can be found at www.rugbyschool.co.uk/about/employment-opportunities
Closing date: 20 February 2026
Applications will be considered upon receipt and we reserve the right to make an appointment before the closing date. Therefore, an early application is strongly advised.
Salary: The salary offered will be highly competitive and commensurate with the demands and seniority of the post. The role comes with family accommodation on site.
Key Dates:
Application deadline: 12pm Friday 20th February 2026
First round interviews at OBH: Thursday 5th March 2026
Final round interviews at OBH: Tuesday 17th March 2026
Please Note
The School is 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 (DBS).
It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are key facets of our core ethos that ‘the Whole Person is the Whole point’. Find out more here: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Rugby School
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or age.
Recruitment Agencies
We have a team of internal recruiters and advertise our vacancies to attract candidates and not agency suppliers. If we need agency assistance, we will reach out to our trusted partners. Any speculative CVs we receive will not be accepted as an introduction.
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