A SCHOOL is hunting for a new headteacher who could earn up to £117,000 a year after its previous boss left her role.

The King John School in Thundersley saw the departure of head Melanie McGauley at the end of December, with new head Daniel Steel taking over.

However, the school is looking to recruit a new permanent headteacher with the aim of them starting in September this year.

The Zenith Multi Academy Trust, which runs the school along with three others in Basildon and Canvey, is offering an annual salary of between £81,941 - £117,197 for a new permanent headteacher.

In her final newsletter as headteacher, Ms McGauley said it was a “privilege” to have worked at an “amazing” school, saying staff had been “resilient” in adapting to the Covid pandemic.

She added: “I cannot thank all the staff enough for their efforts this term, and to the students for embracing the opportunities that come their way.”

In the application pack on the trust’s website, it said: “Our school is a dynamic learning environment where all students are encouraged to aspire towards their very best.

“We are growing and our reputation in the local area is attracting an increasing number of external students to the sixth form who wish to continue their studies with us.

“We challenge our students to achieve ambitious goals and to never settle for second best.”

The King John School went from an “outstanding” Ofsted rating in 2013 to “inadequate” in 2019.

Inspectors criticised the school for not keeping the most vulnerable pupils safe or following the legal rules designed to protect them.

The trust said it was “devastated” by the rating at the time and said it would work relentlessly to ensure it was rectified by the end of that year.

Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit in October 2020, where they stated a review of the personal, social, health and economic curriculum had been carried out and there was a “greater focus on healthy minds and health relationships”.

The trust were contacted but did not respond to requests for comment.