Head of Department - Art
The King Alfred School an Academy, Highbridge, Somerset, TA9 3EE6 days remaining to apply
Job start date
1 September 2026
Closing date
17 May 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
11 May 2026
Job details
Job role
- Head of department or curriculum
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5
Subject
- Art and design
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- TMS/UPS
Head of Department - Art job summary
Contract type: Permanent
FTE/Hours: 1.0 FTE
Salary: TMS/UPS
Location: The King Alfred School, Burnham Rd, Highbridge, TA9 3EE
Closing date: 17th May 2026
Interview dates: 21st May 2026
Proposed start date: 1st September 2026
We are looking for an ambitious and inspirational Head of Art to lead our creative and successful department. This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced teacher ready to take the next step or an existing middle leader looking for a change. You will be responsible for the strategic direction, quality of teaching, and student outcomes across the department.
About the role
Key Responsibilities:
- Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement a clear vision for Art that aligns with the school's ethos and improvement plan.
- Curriculum Design: Oversee a broad, ambitious, and sequenced curriculum at KS3, GCSE, and A-Level.
- Team Management: Lead, mentor, and appraise department staff, fostering a culture of professional growth and collaboration.
- Exhibitions & Enrichment: Showcase student work through school exhibitions, lead gallery visits, and champion extracurricular art clubs.
- Resource Management: Effectively manage the departmental budget and maintain high-quality art facilities.
About you
Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) with a degree in Art or a related discipline.
A proven track record of delivering outstanding results at GCSE and A-Level.
Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate colleagues and manage change.
Excellent subject knowledge and a passion for staying up-to-date with contemporary art trends.
About us
The King Alfred School is currently part of The Priory Learning Trust, a group of like-minded schools whose shared ambition is to provide A Great Education for Every Child. Whilst The King Alfred School retains its own unique identity and ethos, being part of a family of schools brings additional support as well as opportunities to share expertise, provision and costs across our schools.
From September, we will be part of the newly formed Pathway Trust. Our new trust brings together two existing organisations, Castle School Education Trust and The Priory Learning Trust who have been working closely together over the last few years with great success. Pathway Trust will comprise seven secondary and thirteen primary schools across Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. We educate children from 2-18 years old. We have a strong track record of school improvement and a positive trend of improved outcomes. We are bringing together the complementary strengths and values of both trusts, with the sharing of resources and expertise across an extended network of schools enabling us to further invest in leadership and teaching for the benefit of all.
As a trust, our ambition is to enable every child to experience a great education. We have a compelling vision for each of our schools based on a deep understanding of each community we serve. Many of the challenges facing school leaders are common to all schools. Our approach to school improvement enables staff and pupils to benefit from the sharing of resources and expertise whilst remaining true to their unique identity and context. The Trust has employee development as a key priority.
We can offer you:
- Teachers Pension Scheme: Secure your future with the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, one of the most generous and reliable public sector schemes in the UK with built in peace of mind, including a tax-free Death in Service lump sum, it ensures that your long term financial well-being is as robust as your professional legacy.
- Local Government Pension Scheme: You will benefit from generous employer contributions with built in peace of mind, including a tax-free Death in Service lump sum, it ensures that your long term financial well-being is as robust as your professional legacy.
- Enhanced Sick Pay: enhanced sick pay scheme during illness or unexpected sickness related emergencies, so you can focus on what matters most- your recovery.
- Family Friendly: Enhanced leave packages to support your work-life balance.
- Great team dynamics: Become part of a highly collaborative professional community, working with inspiring senior leaders and colleagues and sharing ideas, resources, and best practice across our family of schools.
- Central partnership support: You will benefit from access to high-quality central services and specialist expertise, providing strategic support to enable you to focus on leading teaching, learning and school improvement.
- Continuous Service: Full recognition of prior service for benefits which protects and enhances employment entitlements including sick pay entitlement, job security and protection of employment rights and access to family friendly leave.
- Exceptional CPD: Dedicated budget and time for your professional development.
- Diversity & Inclusion: A proactive commitment to creating a workspace where diversity is celebrated.
To find out more about The King Alfred School and our trust, please refer to our job description attached.
In order to apply for this role please complete an application form via the link above. Please let us know if you require any adjustments as part of the process.
Early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early.
Join us in Providing a Great Education for Every Child
The trust is committed to equal opportunities and encourages applicants from all backgrounds and communities, as we recognise the importance and benefit this has for our pupils.
The Priory Learning Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles across the trust have a varying level of responsibility for ensuring safeguarding practice, with some roles holding significant responsibility and involving working with children on a daily basis in regulated activity. Regardless of the level of responsibility and involvement in each role, we expect all staff, visiting professionals and volunteers to share this commitment.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. Successful candidates will be required to provide a disclosure of any unspent convictions and cautions, as well as any spent convictions or cautions that are not ‘protected’ (i.e. filtered) under the Amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975 (2013 and 2020).
All appointments are subject to a comprehensive pre-employment checking process. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (including a Children’s Barred List check), satisfactory references, medical fitness, Right to Work in the UK, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching/management check. In line with KCSIE guidance, we will also conduct online searches on all shortlisted candidates.
Our full Recruitment and Selection policy is available on our website.
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
The Priory Learning Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
All paid positions which involve working regularly within academies are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. You must declare all convictions (including convictions with Absolute Discharge), cautions or bind-overs you may have, even if they would otherwise be regarded as ‘Spent’ under this Act and where applicable any disqualifications under the Childcare Act.
Applying for the job
This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on external website (opens in new tab)About The King Alfred School an Academy
- School type
- Academies, ages 11 to 18
- Education phase
- Secondary school
- School size
- 1294 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- The King Alfred School an Academy website
The King Alfred School – an academy and part of the Priory Learning Trust is a thriving 11-18 mixed comprehensive with 1217 students on roll serving the towns of Burnham on Sea and Highbridge.
School location
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