Director of Science

Our school:

We are an oversubscribed, 11-16 comprehensive school situated in North Kirklees, West Yorkshire. Having been awarded ‘Good’ in all areas by Ofsted in March 2022, this is a key time for Spen Valley High School as we build upon our many strengths and continue to develop a truly coherent and high-quality provision for our students. In this role you will work alongside a team of highly professional & dedicated staff, who are welcoming, courageous, open-minded, and supportive.

We are privileged to have been part of the Alex Timpson Programme, and our commitment to becoming a Trauma Informed School was nationally recognised in November 2021, when we were awarded the Attachment Research Community (Secondary) Award.

What makes Spen Valley High School different?

We are proud to be a Trauma Informed School and are looking for someone who fully supports our vision and approach. We know that all young people have been disadvantaged by the Covid pandemic but alongside this, we have a significant number of students in our school with complex backgrounds. These young people not only require, but deserve courageous and resilient teachers who can balance the teaching of their subject to a high standard, with helping their students to navigate their way through the challenges they face. We make no excuses about our approach; but this is not about ‘dumbing down’, far from it, we want colleagues with high expectations but who can manage students through outstanding teaching and developing strong relationships. We require someone with good emotional intelligence and who will show warmth, compassion and empathy to all our students.

We pride ourselves on being ethical leaders, and leading with integrity. When joining Spen Valley you are entering an environment that balances professional challenge with support and kindness. We expect our colleagues to work hard, and go the ‘extra mile’ for our students, but in doing so we recognise that additional support is sometimes necessary and our Trauma Informed and relational approach extends to the way we work with our staff. We offer a wide range of CPD opportunities, including a bespoke CPD package that genuinely meets the needs of each colleague. As a member of the Red Kite Teaching Alliance, we receive high-quality support, advice and training and work closely with colleagues from some of the most successful schools in Yorkshire. We encourage our staff not only in their involvement in various activities throughout the school, but also to be proactive and develop new and fresh ideas to engage and enthuse both our staff and students.