What skills and experience we're looking for
Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School is a vibrant, thriving and leading school in the local area. (1333 on roll with a Sixth Form of 173) and our long history and excellent community links provide our students with exceptional opportunities.
As a school, we are immensely proud of our September 2021 Ofsted report which describes our school as ‘Good’ with many ‘Outstanding’ features. Inspectors said that “Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School is a learning community where pupils have great respect for each other. Teachers support pupils to become highly articulate young people who can express their views well on a wide range of issues.” They also commented that “Pupils benefit from studying a wide range of subjects. Leaders have put in place an ambitious curriculum. Leaders and teachers have high expectations of all pupils.” Similarly, our November 2023 CSI report states how “Students, staff and parents speak very highly of the ‘sense of family’ that is inherent in this school.”
We wish to appoint a Head of RE (Subject Leader) and are seeking a hard-working, committed person with drive, enthusiasm and inspiration who will make a valuable contribution to the school and its achievements. We are seeking a person of vision and drive with a proven record of successful teaching and learning, to be part of our middle leader’s team. It is a requirement for the candidate to be a practicing Catholic.
The Head of RE will provide leadership in the Catholic life and mission of the school, working closely with the School Chaplain and Leadership team. As a practising Catholic they will demonstrate by example and professional leadership that the Catholic ethos permeates all aspects of the life of the school. They will be confident in contributing to staff training in matters related to Catholic life and Mission, attend Diocesan events and training. They will play a pivotal role in preparing the school for Catholic Inspection. The Head of RE will assist in planning and contributing to the liturgical life of the school alongside the School Chaplain.
The successful candidate will:
• Be a well-qualified RE teacher with a record of delivering good and outstanding lessons
• Able to teach at KS3,4 and 5 and have excellent curriculum knowledge
• Have a solid understanding of current educational research
• Have the ability to lead and motivate pupils and staff
• Have a resilient character and a strong personal drive
• Be an enthusiastic and passionate individual who can provide first class teaching
What the school offers its staff
We offer you:
• A vibrant school with outstanding facilities.
• A welcoming staff culture, where we focus on supporting each other to grow and develop as teachers and aspiring leaders.
• An environment where pupils have an excellent attitude to learning where they can grow academically and personally. Pupils’ behaviour and safety was judged by Ofsted as ‘Outstanding’.
• Pupils who, through the wide and diverse academic and extra-curricular opportunities they are offered, grow as individuals and happily contribute to the school community.
• Regular opportunities for staff to collaborate and share best practice.
• Opportunities to regularly develop your own professional practice through in-house CPD.
The RE Department is passionate about their subject. We are ambitious for all of our pupils and always strive for further improvement.
All members of the department work collaboratively to continue to improve both teaching and learning within the department. Pupils in Year 10 and 11 follow the AQA GCSE course.
Further details about the role
How to apply:
This role is full time and permanent. If this advert incorporates your strengths and interests and you wish to be part of our extremely successful and constantly evolving team, please see the job description, person specifications and application forms available on the school website at .
Email application forms and covering letters to Lynn Lewington (l.lewington@cardinal-heenan.org.uk) by midday, Monday, 24th February 2025, with interviews to take place Friday, 28th February 2025.
Job description, person specification, application form, code of conduct – Safer working practice guidance, Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 form, consent to obtain reference form, Disqualification Policy, model reasonable adjustments statement are available on the school website at
Applicants from overseas outside the EEA should obtain an overseas criminal check before applying for a visit as the post is in an education sector.
Our school is committed to safeguarding children and promoting children’s welfare. This post is subject to all the relevant pre-employment checks set out in “Keeping Children Safe in Education”, including an enhanced DBS certificate with a barred-list check and subject to receipt of references.
The amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975 (2013 & 2020) provide that certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’ and are not subject to disclosure to employers, and cannot be taken into account. Guidance and criteria on the filtering of these cautions and convictions can be found on the Ministry of Justice website.
Guidance and criteria on the filtering of these cautions and convictions can be found on the Ministry of Justice website.
Commitment to safeguarding
Our school is committed to safeguarding children and promoting children’s welfare. This post is subject to all the relevant pre-employment checks set out in “Keeping Children Safe in Education”, including an enhanced DBS certificate with a barred-list check, together with an additional check as part of the shortlisting process, will be to carry out an online search (including social media).