Head of Department - History & RS

Murray Park Community School, Derby, Derbyshire, DE3 9LL

13 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026

• Closing date

  14 May 2026 at 9am

• Date listed

  1 May 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teacher
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Subjects: History, Religious education
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £32,916.00 - £51,047.00 Annually (Actual) Main Teacher Pay Scale + TLR 2 (£7,042)

Head of Department - History & RS job summary

Head of Department - History and RS

Salary: MPS/UPS + TLR 2 (£7,042)

Responsible to: Senior Leadership Team Member

Contract: Full-time, permanent

Framework: To work within the framework of teachers’ pay and conditions, current legislation and the policies of the school.

Murray Park School, an 11-16 foundation school, is a rewarding and professionally stimulating place to work. Over the past five years, we have undergone rapid and sustained improvement, moving from a Requires Improvement judgement to Good (September 2022), alongside significant improvements in Progress 8 outcomes. We are over-subscribed and will reach maximum capacity of 1400 students in September 2027, reflecting the confidence in the school from our community. We are now entering the next phase of our development and are seeking high-quality staff who share our ambition to continue improving outcomes for all students.

Our approach is underpinned by a warm-strict culture: we combine consistently high expectations with genuine care, ensuring every student feels a strong sense of belonging while being fully prepared for their future. This is realised through clear routines, shared practices, and a collective commitment to getting the small things right every day. Staff who thrive here are those who value consistency, clarity, and a culture of continual improvement.

The successful candidate will:

• Be committed to securing the best possible outcomes for all students, particularly those who are disadvantaged or vulnerable.
• Demonstrate strong subject expertise and a clear understanding of effective pedagogy using evidence informed practice.
• Maintain consistently high expectations and uphold our shared routines and practices.
• Value continual improvement, both personally and across a team, with a willingness to engage in coaching and professional dialogue.

For leadership posts, we are additionally looking for colleagues who:

• Can coach and develop others, fostering a culture where all staff continually improve.
• Are thoughtful curriculum leaders, able to apply evidence-informed practice and cognitive science principles to curriculum design and implementation.
• Contribute meaningfully to whole-school priorities as part of the wider leadership team.

Staff at Murray Park benefit from:

• A genuine commitment to staff wellbeing, with careful consideration given to workload when introducing new initiatives.
• Flexible working opportunities, including the ability to work off-site at points during the week.
• High levels of staff retention, with most vacancies arising through school growth rather than turnover.
• A centralised and robust behaviour system, including internal Alternative Provision, ensuring classrooms remain disruption-free.
• A comprehensive CPD programme rooted in evidence-informed practice and professional collaboration.
• A clear and consistent approach to teaching, balancing high-quality shared practice with professional autonomy.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should a suitable number of applications be received. As such, an early application is encouraged.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Murray Park School shares a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. Our commitment is underpinned by robust processes and procedures that seek to maximise opportunity, minimise risk and continuously promote a culture that embraces the ethos of safeguarding amongst our workforce.

This post is Exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020 and is subject to an enhanced DBS Disclosure check.

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.

About Murray Park Community School

• School type: Local authority maintained school, ages 11 to 16
• Education phase: Secondary school
• School size: 1210 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 16
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Murray Park Community School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/murray-park-community-school

Murray Park is a dynamic and forward-looking 11-16 mixed comprehensive school on the western fringes of the city of Derby. It is a Foundation Status school, but has a close working relationship with the local authority.

We cater for approximately 1111 students, situated on a spacious site surrounded by greenery. We serve students from the Derby City area, within reach of the Derbyshire countryside and our cohort sizes are growing each year.

Our students reflect the full academic ability range and there is a huge breadth to the socio-economic status of our families.

School location

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