Head of Science

Darwen Vale High School

Blackburn Road, Darwen

BB3 0AL

Job Title: Head of Science

Grade/Salary: L1-L10, £47,185 - £58,959 (Depending on experience)

Contract Type: Permanent

Contract Terms: Full Time

Closing Date: Monday 18th March 2024

Required From: ASAP

TO APPLY FOR THIS VACANCY PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Darwen Vale High School is a large comprehensive school on the outskirts of Darwen that benefits from outstanding facilities. We are an eight-form entry secondary school and have been oversubscribed for 2 years in a row. We have recently launched our own Sixth Form (D6 - https://www.darwen6.com/) and are looking forward to introducing Biology, Chemistry and Physics A Levels in September 2024. Darwen Vale High School is an exciting, fast-paced workplace. We unashamedly have high standards for our staff and our students.

Due to the internal promotion of our current Head of Department to our leadership team we are currently seeking to appoint an inspirational Head of Science.

Our Science Department consists of 10 full time teachers including two Assistant Principals.

What we will offer you:

Our outcomes for summer 2023 were the strongest that we have ever seen. The school has been on a journey of rapid improvement having moved from a progress score of (2017) to -0.15 (2023). We eagerly await our upcoming Ofsted inspection where we can hope to showcase all of the wonderful work that we do here at Vale. There really is no better time to join our school!

Completing the application
Candidates will need to create an account and are asked to complete all the standard information required on the application form. Please also address the mission alignment and capacity to meet the requirements of the Essential and Desirable criteria of the Person Specification and Job Description. CVs are not accepted as part of the application process.
We may interview candidates aHead of the closing date so early application is advised. The Academy reserves the right to interview and appoint prior to the advertised closing date. The advert may be closed at any time.

About Aldridge Education:
Darwen Vale High School is a member of the Aldridge Education family of schools, which locally also includes, Darwen Aldridge Community Academy, Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio and Sudell Primary School.
Aldridge Education is a charitable Trust of entrepreneurial community schools and colleges that help young people to reach their potential. We support our schools’ Principals and teachers in rapidly improving the quality of education on offer at early years, primary, secondary and sixth-form levels in order to transform the life-chances of our students.

Operating Norms
We believe that the way we operate at all times and with all partners is of paramount importance.

Our agreed operating norms are as follows:

• We are Aldridge Education
• The standard is excellence
• We champion equality
• We’re in the work together
• We behave with integrity
• We lead by example
• We use time well

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References
Candidates are advised that references will be taken up immediately after shortlisting. Candidates are asked to ensure that their referees are aware of the need to respond within the timescale set. In all cases two professional references are required.

Safeguarding Statement:
Aldridge Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its students and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

A copy of Aldridge Education’s Child Protection policy is available on our website at www.aldridgeeducation.org

Following successful application, Aldridge Education will carry out the necessary prohibition checks for all teaching staff, as well as for all candidates undertaking regulated activity.
If you are shortlisted for the position you are applying for, you will be required to complete a Declaration giving details of any relevant criminal offences and other relevant information relating to our safeguarding duty. Further information will be provided on that form.

Given the nature of the Trust’s activities and the regulatory framework it is subject to, any offer of employment will be made conditional upon a satisfactory enhanced DBS check and barred list check carried out by the Trust (where applicable to the role in question). It is an express condition if you are appointed to the role that you join the DBS update service.
If you are shortlisted for the position you are applying for, Aldridge Education will undertake online searches (including social media) in accordance with KCSIE 2023.
Acknowledgement Message:

Those candidates who meet all the requirements for the post will be short listed and details of the interview programme will be confirmed after the closing date.

If you have not been contacted within two weeks of the closing date, please assume you have not been shortlisted. In this case, may we thank you in advance of your interest in this post and Aldridge Education and wish you the very best for the future.

Due to the volume of applicants, we are unable to give feedback to non-shortlisted candidates.

This role is considered exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. Which means standard and enhanced DBS checks will now always show all unspent records, including youth conditional cautions, meaning some previously unrecorded details will now be disclosed.

Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. It is an offence to apply for the role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.