7 September 2025 (Application Form can be found on our website)
Starting Date:
January 2026
Can you make the difference to the lives of our students? Do you like to be challenged? Do you love developing your team's approach to teaching and learning and enjoy creating lessons that engage and inspire your students?
Do you want to be part of our SEMH school?
This could be the job for you.
West Heath School is a challenging place to work, but our dedicated staff rebuild lives through education. Teaching respect, encouraging responsibility, building relationships, and developing resilience in our students is an integral part of the role. Our committed, dynamic, and resourceful staff find working at West Heath School rewarding.
The Head of Department will inspire and lead a department of teachers and Specialist Learning Support Assistants to teach students in line with the School's mission statement, 'Rebuilding Lives through Education'. They will encourage teachers to both improve students' academic outcomes and to promote students' wellbeing by understanding and improving their social, emotional and mental health needs. All Heads of Department are responsible for creating a varied, engaging curriculum that can adapt to the individual needs of the students and promote the values of the 4Rs- Respect, Relationships, Resilience and Responsibility.
A Head of Department at West Heath School will be committed to a positive, fair and transparent leadership style; they will be imaginative and adaptable and strive for all students to enjoy their lessons and develop skills that they can use both in and outside of the classroom. They will conduct lesson observations, learning walks and book scrutinies, as well as participate in and organise whole school events and drop-down days. To enable staff the time to focus on the students and develop the department as a while Heads of Department will teach 16 lessons (45 minutes) out of 35.
Every member of staff plays a significant part in the students' ability to achieve their full potential and positive outcomes whilst at West Heath School. To do this we need to work collaboratively and always as a team, which is essential to the students' success and achievement.
We are a therapeutic community we are on an exciting journey to be registered as a therapeutic community and welcome staff who follow this ethos.
If you would like to be part of the journey helping our students gain their best outcomes, we can support you by offering:
Term Time only working
Free lunches
Generous Company Pension scheme
Employee Assistant Programme
Charity Discount Scheme
Summer and Christmas Social events
Free onsite parking
Swimming pool
Excellent training opportunities both internal and external
If you want to know more about us or would like to visit before applying, please call or e-mail the whs.HR-team@ westheathschool.com
Working at West Heath School involves close and unsupervised contact with vulnerable groups including children and as such is a regulated activity. The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Applicants must be willing to undergo safeguarding screening appropriate to the post (including an Enhanced DBS check. Management positions will require a 128 Check.)
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: 33,075.00-50,471.00 per year
Benefits:
Canteen
Casual dress
Company pension
Discounted or free food
Free parking
Health & wellbeing programme
Life insurance
On-site parking
Sick pay
Schedule:
8 hour shift
Monday to Friday
No weekends
Work Location: In person