Lead Practitioner - Science

The Halley  Academy has a rare and exciting opportunity to appoint a Lead Practitioner - Science, joining us from January 2022. We are seeking to appoint an exceptional individual who will have the opportunity to innovate and develop as an outstanding practitioner and work to ensure our vision of delivering teaching excellence comes to fruition.  

You will work closely with our Director of Learning for Science as part of a team who embrace the latest developments in Science teaching and are committed to promoting the joy, beauty and power of Science to our young people. We are innovative in our approach to teaching and proud to be evidence based teaching professionals who will assist in developing advanced skills within the team and across the Academy. The Science department has a variety of backgrounds and experiences and we utilise the collective knowledge and skills to offer outstanding levels of support for our students. We encourage collaboration, debate and discussion both within our team and in our classrooms and strongly believe that this culture has led to the excellent track record of progress and success in this subject.

We are looking for someone who is:

• excited to join our team of instructional coaches, working with colleagues across the Academy to develop teaching practices;
• committed to make a difference to all pupils through high expectations, positive relationships and highly effective lessons;
• looking to use their expertise to keep driving the improvements of teaching and learning across the department for all pupils;
• keen to support the development of expert, evidence-based teaching across the whole Academy, supporting colleagues at all stages of their teaching career.

Joining The Halley Academy: The Halley Academy has a long and illustrious heritage being the first purpose-built comprehensive in the UK in the 1950s. We became part of Leigh Academies Trust in March 2018, a highly successful multi-Academy trust offering a wealth of opportunities to all of its staff and students to collaborate, develop and grow.

The Halley is a dynamic Academy and our curriculum delivers an education of excellence for all.   The Halley Academy has been an International Baccalaureate World School since 2019 and students enjoy both the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme at Key Stage 3 and the International Baccalaureate Career- related Programme at Key Stage 5. Our STEM provision develops critical thinking skills, creativity and innovation across the curriculum and we are in a privileged position to be registered to deliver the T Level programme at Key Stage 5 from 2023 in a brand new Engineering and Design Centre (due to open in January 2022). As part of our Digital Strategy, each student has their own Chromebook which is used as a tool for learning and to prepare them to participate in the ever-evolving technological world.

We are a diverse community where everyone is valued, respected and trusted and where we all work together to achieve and celebrate success. Our students are at the centre of the Academy community and thrive within a culture of high aspiration, with no cap on ambition, so that they gain the knowledge, qualification and skills to afford successful, fulfilling and happy adult lives.

Staff are reflective and committed practitioners who believe in collaboration and self-improvement. We have weekly ring-fenced time on Wednesday afternoons for our comprehensive CPD programme, tailored to the aspirations and interests of the individual, and have extensive expertise both within the Academy and across the Trust to support in its delivery.

The wellbeing of our students and staff lies at the heart of our work: we know that when our school community is happy and fulfilled, they achieve their best. Our dedicated staff are the most important factor in transforming lives and delivering the best outcomes for every student. The Academy has a space dedicated to staff wellbeing and relaxation and offers a range of exercise and participation opportunities for our staff team. 

Please click here for the full Candidate Briefing Pack. 

Application Process:

As a Trust, we seek to recruit talented individuals that can not only help to build the success of our academies but also people that are engaging and passionate about what they do. When we recruit we look for specific experiences and qualities, however, we also place importance in diversity as we recognise the importance of people bringing their own diverse backgrounds, experiences, perspectives and ideas to the Trust. 

Naturally, we are seeking to appoint the best possible candidate and therefore the application process will reflect our desire to undertake all necessary measures to achieve this.

The closing date for applications is Monday 10th January 2022. All applications will be acknowledged on receipt. Shortlisting will be carried out shortly after and candidates will be notified to confirm their attendance at the interview stage. Interviews and/or associated assessment activities may take place on a rolling basis. Our successful candidate will join us for January 2022

Queries: If you have any queries on any aspect of the application process or need additional information please contact Elene Redelinghuys (Recruitment Advisor) on 01634 412 273 or elene.redelinghuys@latrust.org.uk

Our commitment to safeguarding: Leigh Academies Trust and all of our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust and consistent recruitment process across all academies and business units. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.  

Our commitment to equality and diversity: As a Trust we are passionate about diversity and recognise that as individuals, we all bring something unique to the role regardless of any protected characteristics which is why we treat all of our people equally, without compromise. We are committed to providing equality and fairness throughout our recruitment and employment practices and not to discriminate on any grounds.

Based on the quality and quantity of applications received, Leigh Academies Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy sooner than the specified closing date. Applicants will be notified of this where possible. Therefore, early applications are encouraged.