Head of RE
Cottenham Village College, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB24 8UA16 days remaining to apply
Start date details
January 2027
Closing date
27 September 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
11 September 2026
Job details
Job role
- Teacher or lecturer
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Subject
- Religious education
Working pattern
- Part time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- £34,399.00 - £53,887.00 Annually (FTE) 0.6 contract - pro rata salary £20,639 - £32,332 plus a TLR 2D £6,091
Head of RE job summary
Head of Religious Education
Cottenham Village College
Salary: MPS-UPS plus TLR2D
Contract: Permanent, 0.6 FTE (3 days per week)
Cottenham Village College is seeking to appoint an exceptional Head of Religious Education to lead and develop our RE department. This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious and passionate practitioner to shape a knowledge-rich curriculum, drive high standards of achievement and inspire a love of learning among scholars.
As part of Astrea Academy Trust, Cottenham Village College is committed to providing an exceptional education that enables every scholar to fulfil their potential. We have high expectations for all, a strong culture of scholarship and an unwavering belief that knowledge empowers young people to succeed. Our staff benefit from a collaborative environment, excellent professional development opportunities and the chance to work with colleagues who are dedicated to improving outcomes for every scholar.
This role would suit an experienced teacher with the vision, subject expertise and leadership skills to build on existing strengths and ensure Religious Education remains a thriving and valued subject within the academy.
Key Responsibilities- Lead, manage and develop the Religious Education department.
- Raise standards of attainment and achievement across all year groups within RE.
- Design, implement and continually refine a rigorous, knowledge-rich RE curriculum.
- Lead, support and develop colleagues within the department through coaching, collaboration and professional development.
- Monitor scholar progress and use assessment information effectively to inform teaching and intervention strategies.
- Ensure consistently high-quality teaching, learning and assessment across the department.
- Develop curriculum resources, schemes of learning and assessment approaches that support excellent outcomes.
- Promote high standards of behaviour, engagement and scholarship within lessons.
- Keep abreast of national curriculum developments and ensure departmental practice reflects current best practice.
- Contribute to whole-school improvement priorities and work collaboratively with other leaders across the academy.
- Manage departmental resources effectively and support strategic planning within the faculty.
- Ensure all departmental practices comply with safeguarding, health and safety and academy policies.
We are looking for a talented professional who can combine outstanding classroom practice with strong leadership and a passion for Religious Education.
The successful candidate will have:
- Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
- A degree in Religious Education or a closely related subject.
- A proven track record of successful teaching and securing strong outcomes for scholars.
- Experience of leading, mentoring or supporting colleagues within a department.
- Excellent subject knowledge and a commitment to delivering a knowledge-rich curriculum.
- The ability to inspire and engage scholars of all abilities.
- Strong analytical skills and the ability to use data effectively to raise achievement.
- High expectations of behaviour, effort and academic standards.
- A commitment to inclusive teaching that supports the needs of all learners.
- Excellent organisational and communication skills.
- A collaborative approach and a commitment to professional growth.
- A genuine passion for Religious Education and the impact it can have on young people's understanding of the world.
At Cottenham Village College, you'll join a dedicated team committed to transforming life chances through education. This role offers the opportunity to shape the future of Religious Education within a supportive and ambitious school community while benefiting from the opportunities and collaboration available across Astrea Academy Trust.
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
Astrea Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and staff. Every child should feel safe and should be protected from any form of child abuse. We have robust policies and procedures that support our commitment to Safeguarding, this includes our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. The in-house Safeguarding teams at each Academy work in partnership with families and safeguarding partners to ensure the safety of children is paramount. We are committed to ensuring that all staff access regular, contextual safeguarding training to meet the needs of the local community.
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 Cottenham Village College
- Organisation type
- Academy, ages 11 to 16
- Education phase
- Secondary school
- Size
- 860 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
Welcome to Cottenham Village College, part of the Astrea Academy Trust, a highly-successful 11-16 mixed academy situated close to the beautiful city of Cambridge; here you will find hard-working, well-behaved students and friendly, dedicated staff who are committed to a fully inclusive, comprehensive education.
The college was established in 1963, one of several village colleges in the region that were the inspiration of educational pioneer Henry Morris, who believed that the school should be at the heart of its community and that education should be a lifelong process. This vision of a school that serves and involves its whole community, that fosters high aspirations and inspires a love of learning is as central to our ethos today as it was when it opened.
Through a highly-ambitious curriculum at CVC, we aim to foster students’ curiosity, unlock their potential and raise their aspirations, as well as ensure that students achieve high levels of attainment that will open doors for their future. A stimulating and broad curriculum also places students in a strong position to question and debate the world around them, making them intellectually resilient and prepares them for citizenship in a democratic society. We believe this is a right of all students and one which is liberating and empowering.
We are equally proud of the wider curricular provision at CVC, both in formal lessons and outside the classroom. Our extensive range of extra-curricular activities, including sports, music, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme and residential trips, help to give all students a fully-rounded education and creates opportunity for their personal, as well as their academic, growth.
Cottenham Village College is a friendly, positive and exciting place to work and to learn and we take great pride in the high standards our students consistently achieve. We have very high expectations of all members of the College community and provide an inclusive, friendly and supportive environment in which everyone can thrive and achieve. Students leave as happy, well-qualified and well-motivated individuals who go on to excel in local sixth forms, colleges, universities and the wider world.
I hope you find the information on the school’s website useful. If there is anything you cannot find, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you wish to visit the school to see it for yourself, please contact the school and we would be delighted to show you around.
Zoe Andrews, Principal
School location
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