The Dorcan Academy – Swindon, Borough of Swindon
Would you like to join us on our journey to become an outstanding school of first choice at the heart of our local community? Do you care enough to want to make a significant difference to the lives of our amazing students? If so, we would love to offer you the exciting opportunity to join our highly dedicated staff as an inspiring and highly motivated Head of House. We have an excellent professional development programme to enable you to get off to a flying start!
As Head of House you will be, first and foremost, an excellent teacher within a curriculum area with a teaching timetable of approximately 0.6. The successful candidate will have a great opportunity to enhance the quality of teaching and learning within the faculty and to contribute to our rich and varied extra-curricular programme. In addition, you will be a member of a high performing pastoral team, taking responsibility for one of our four Houses, leading a team of tutors and around 190 students from Years 7-11. You will be responsible for ensuring that students receive high quality pastoral care enabling them to make excellent progress and achieve the highest academic standards.
We have been on a journey of improvement over the past seven years and in July 2022 were judged GOOD in all categories by Ofsted which is a major achievement. In our school students are ready to learn and ‘low level disruption is rare’. Ofsted were impressed with the excellent behaviour of our students both in lessons and around the school. We pride ourselves on being an ‘academy of opportunity’ for all with excellent relationships.
Every member of staff receives bespoke support and development through our in-house coaching programme as well as additional professional development opportunities to promote further progress and career enhancement. All departments receive joint planning time as part of the timetable (in addition to PPA time) to enable best practice to be shared. We are committed to challenging, supporting and developing staff and students to ‘Aspire to Greatness’ so that we become the best that we can be. In a recent survey 98% of staff said they were proud to be a member of staff at The Dorcan Academy with 95% stating that they enjoy working here. 95% said that they support the vision of the academy.
As a member of staff you will be highly valued and will be supported to flourish within the academy as a whole as well as part of the pastoral and academic team.
Although we don’t boast a shiny new building, we do have excellent facilities, with a supportive, friendly school culture and ethos which is often commented upon by visitors.
We will offer you:
1. A supportive and bespoke staff induction programme
2. High quality professional development, including a first class Early Careers programme if you are an Early Careers teacher (Years 2 – 4)
3. Additional non-contact time if you are an Early careers teacher
4. Joint planning time within the school timetable
5. Unrivalled support from the leadership team
6. Excellent specialist facilities and resources
7. Committed staff who ‘go the extra mile’
8. Motivated, enthusiastic students who are ready and eager to learn
The Dorcan Academy is an 11-16 academy situated on the eastern edge of Swindon with a comprehensive, challenging and enriching curriculum and a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities.
Our vision is to be an outstanding school of first choice at the heart of our local community. We aim to do this through our:
1. Culture - An inclusive school where everyone is valued, cared for and nurtured in an extraordinary way.
2. Curriculum - Students acquire ‘powerful knowledge’ and skills that prepare them fully for the world work and their wellbeing, delivered through outstanding teaching.
3. Character - Students stand out as model citizens, showing kindness, respect and doing their best.
4. Community - All stakeholders use their unique gifts and talents to serve others and enable them to flourish.
At The Dorcan Academy our ethos is underpinned by the five principles of: Belonging, Purpose, Aspiration, Perseverance and Achievement and seek to develop in our students the character virtues of Honesty, Integrity, Compassion, Courage, Generosity, Gratitude, Personal Responsibility, Resilience and Self-Discipline.
The Dorcan Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Head of House (Teaching position)
Pay Scale: Main Pay Scale or Upper Pay Scale plus TLR 2C (currently £7,846 per annum)
Start Date: 22 April 2025 or earlier if available.
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