Dunottar School - Teacher of Food & Nutrition

The Role

We are seeking a dynamic and enthusiastic Teacher of Food & Nutrition on a full-time basis for September 2024. Part time applications will be considered depending on the level of flexibility offered. This role will suit an Early Career Teacher or an experienced practitioner with an ability to stimulate curiosity and interest in Food & Nutrition. The successful candidate must be prepared to give full commitment to the aims and ethos of the department and to Dunottar School. In return we can offer all the benefits of working in a thriving and collegiate school environment.  

The Department

Food & Nutrition is a very popular subject within Dunottar. The delicious aromas emitting from the room attract both pupils and staff alike and the department actively encourages an open-door policy where people are invited in to chat about food. Throughout all years, skills, nutrition and health and safety in the kitchen environment are taught. We pride ourselves on teaching pupils to cook from scratch and the impact this has on health and waste. Pupils cooking at home are encouraged to keep a book creator journal of their dishes and credits are awarded in recognition of this independent work.

The successful candidate should be able to develop courses for the teaching of Food & Nutrition at Key Stage 3 and GCSE. All pupils study Food & Nutrition at Key Stage 3. At GCSE approximately 1/4 of pupils study the subject. We offer Home Cooking Skills Level 2, and we are excited to launch a Level 3 in Food & Nutrition as a new offering for September 2024 due to the popularity of the subject at our school and growth in demand. 

In 2019 Dunottar School secured a grant to help fund the refurbishment of the Food & Nutrition teaching room to create an inspiring state-of-the-art facility that has seen our pupil numbers for GCSE Food & Nutrition increase by over 100% each year.

The successful candidate will share our passion for developing the work of the department and sharing good practice. They will also play an active role in the extensive and varied co-curricular program at the school, both during the working week and some weekends.

Main Responsibilities

The applicant will be expected to fulfil the usual professional responsibilities of a teacher at Dunottar including:

• Have high expectations of pupils
• Create a stimulating and positive learning environment
• Show a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainment of the pupils, and that these have been taken into account when planning lessons
• Attend staff and departmental meetings
• Maintain up-to-date records of attendance, assessment, planning, reports and communication with parents
• Contribute to curriculum planning, including the development of schemes of work
• Contribute to the departmental extra-curricular programme
• Participate in ongoing professional development related to new developments in Food & Nutrition

Person Specification

Professional Qualifications and Skills:

• A record of excellent academic achievement including a relevant honours degree 
• PGCE/QTS or the ability to obtain ITT at Dunottar via United Teaching 

Personal Qualities:

• High levels of personal and professional integrity 
• Self-confidence, personal energy and dynamism 
• Personal warmth, good rapport with pupils, colleagues and parents 
• Excellent organisational skills 
• Excellent oral and written English skills 
• Appropriate levels of personal presentation 

Teaching and Learning:

• Enthusiasm for, and an excellent knowledge of, the relevant curriculum 
• Evidence of creative and innovative approaches to teaching and learning including the appropriate use of ICT 
• Commitment to improving, monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning 
• The ability to teach Food & Nutrition up to GCSE and A Level
• An ability to make all pupils feel valued and involved in your lessons 
• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• To keep abreast of educational research and pedagogy so that lessons enable all pupils to make progress

Philosophy & Ethos:

• A commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people 
• High expectations for pupil attainment, personal development and conduct 
• Commitment to best practice in pastoral support and student welfare 
• Commitment to helping with extra-curricular activities and curriculum enrichment 

Part of United Learning

Dunottar School is part of United Learning, a large, and growing, group of over 90 schools aiming to offer a life changing education to children and young people across England.

Our schools work as a team and achieve more by sharing than any single school could. Our subject specialists, our group-wide intranet, our own curriculum and our online learning portal all help us share knowledge and resource, helping to simplify work processes and manage workloads for an improved work-life balance.

 The Package

• Salary: Appropriate point on the United Learning teachers’ pay scale.
• Pension: Contributary pension scheme.
• Remission of fees: For your children at the school (in line with the usual admissions policy).
• Tailored Continuous Professional Development.
• Employee benefits: Over 250 exclusive employee benefits through Perkbox including free access to online wellness and workout classes, money off your weekly shop, high street purchases and meals out.
• Dining: Free school lunch.
• Sports and leisure: Use of the swimming pool, the Courtyard Gym and tennis courts (at specific times).
• Wellbeing: Staff access to confidential advice, staff social events.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive and the post holder may perform other duties reasonably required by the Headmaster. The organisation reserves the right to alter the content of this job description after consultation to reflect changes to the job or services provided, without altering the general character or level of responsibility.