Teacher of Religious Studies

Based at The Forest Academy -IG6 3TN

Salary: M1 to UPS3 (Outer London)

Required: September 2024  

Thank you for your interest in becoming Teacher of Religious Studies at The Forest Academy to be part of our humanities faculty. A subject leadership TLR is available for suitably qualified/experienced candidates.

The Forest Academy is on an exciting journey, and we are looking for a teacher who is committed to making a difference to the lives of our students. We are seeking to appoint a dynamic and inspirational teacher who is ambitious and has a real passion for their subject. The successful applicant will have high expectations and will be a reflective practitioner who is always keen to develop and improve their teaching. They will appreciate their role in helping our students to have high aspirations, and they will share our belief that our students deserve an exceptional curriculum and the very best teaching. They will, like us, believe in our students.  

We welcome applications from teachers with any level of experience – ECTs or more experienced teachers. Find out more about the school here: www.theforestacademy.co.uk. 

To visit the school, or book a call with the Principal, please email admin@theforestacademy.co.uk.

Interviews will take place as applications are received.  

Benefits include:

·        Benenden Private Healthcare - as a taxable benefit – responsive medical care which may be extended to include family and friends Generous leave for full-time support staff

·        Two weeks’ full pay paternity leave Retained STPCD 2012 including automatic main scale progression for teaching staff

·        16% PPA minimum for teaching staff

·        Access to Teachers or Local Government Pension scheme

·        Busy Beacons - Access to an on-site, non-profit, term time only nursery for school staff (opening 2023-24)

·        Staff forum

·        A focus on staff well-being and welfare

·        24/7 Employee Assistance Programme – 365 days a year helpline and additional support with legal, financial advice and counselling

·        Investment in training and professional development including NPQs

·        A range of career opportunities across the Trust

·        Free access to a fully fitted on-site fitness suite on both campuses

·        Cycle to work shower facilities

·        Team building and sports events to build cohesion and BMAT community

·        Winter well-being holiday

·        Free on-site parking

·        Free hot drinks

Ofsted, 2023, said:

·        “Leaders and governors have high expectations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).” 

·        “Pupils feel safe and are happy…Pupils are polite and considerate of others.” 

·        “Staff have a positive working relationship with pupils, which reflects the school’s culture of respect.” 

·        “Leaders have designed an ambitious and well-ordered curriculum for all pupils…Teachers have strong subject knowledge and are specialists in their subjects.” 

·        “Pupils learn in a calm environment and their attendance is high. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school.” 

We know that great teachers are always keen to develop and learn. We are committed to ensuring workload is manageable in all positions. We are a school which trusts the teachers and leaders to make the right decisions for their areas of responsibility.

Students enjoy studying Religious Studies at The Forest Academy and department meetings are rooted in developing the expertise of our staff. The Humanities faculty works well together and department has a strong collaborative culture which makes it an exciting learning environment with staff that have a passion and drive to share excellent lessons and learning experiences with TFA students. Geography, History and RS are taught at KS3, KS4 and KS5, with Sociology and Psychology as additional options at KS5.

We are an approachable leadership team who are laser focused on ensuring that teaching and learning is always improving, and who are committed to the professional development of our staff. Staff at TFA enjoy their work because they know that they make a difference for our students each and every day. Relationships are a real strength at TFA, and staff enjoy the ‘thank yous’ and ‘good mornings’ that they get from our friendly and respectful students. Staff also enjoy the career progression and development opportunities available at TFA and more widely across the Trust, as we are careful to identify the leaders of tomorrow and to nurture talent. The Staff Forum helps to ensure that communication is strong between staff and the leadership team, and we are committed to ensuring that our staff do not spend time on unnecessary data entry or paperwork.   

We welcome initial expressions of interest and discussions about the role. Please email admin@theforestacademy.co.uk marking the email ‘FAO The Principal’ if you wish to book a telephone call.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and expects all members of staff to share this commitment.

Enhanced DBS (with list checks) is required for this post.

The below documents must be read prior to applying for this role and will be factored into interviews:

Keeping Children Safe in Education

BMAT – Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Further information and an application form can be found at https://nelta.co.uk/vacancies/

Please note we reserve the right to close or extend this position depending on application numbers, therefore we would urge candidates to submit an application as soon as possible.