Head of Religion, Philosophy and Ethics and Character development

The Wisbech Academy, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE13 2RU

52 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026

• Closing date

  13 April 2026 at 12:59am

• Date listed

  19 February 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teacher
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Subject: Religious education
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £32,916.00 - £51,047.00 Annually (Actual)

Head of Religion, Philosophy and Ethics and Character development job summary

Job Title: Head of Religion, Philosophy and Ethics and Character Development

Location: The Wisbech Academy

Salary: Main Teacher pay scale or Upper Teacher pay scale + TLR 2B

Hours per week / Weeks per year: 32.5 hours per week/ 52 weeks per year

Start date: September 2026

About the School

The Wisbech Academy opened in 2024 and is moving through a dynamic and formative phase of growth. With Year 7 and Year 8 currently on roll, we will expand year by year until reaching full capacity. As a new school, every appointment plays a vital role in shaping our ethos, academic identity and long‑term culture.

This post represents a particularly influential opportunity: the successful candidate will help to define how Religion, Philosophy and Ethics—and Character Education—become foundational pillars of our school.

About the Role

We are seeking an exceptional Head of Religion, Philosophy and Ethics (RPE) & Character Education to lead a core academic discipline while also shaping the moral and personal development of students across the school.

This role is unusual and exciting within the state sector. Religious Education is a valued, core subject at The Wisbech Academy and will be compulsory at GCSE for all students. As the school grows, you will lead the development of a high-achieving department with genuine whole‑school impact.

Why This Role Is Unique

• RPE will be studied by every student at GCSE, giving the subject a central place in the curriculum.
• As a new and growing school, you will be building the RPE department almost from the ground up.
• You will help define and embed our emerging ethos through the whole-school Character Curriculum.
• You will contribute directly to the identity and traditions that future students will come to see as integral to The Wisbech Academy experience.

Whole-School Leadership: Character Education

A major component of this role is leading the development and embedding of Character Education across the school. This includes:

• Developing and refining The Wisbech Academy Virtues, our guiding framework for character formation
• Integrating character development into classroom practice across all subjects
• Working with middle leaders to identify opportunities for ethical reasoning, civic responsibility and reflective thinking
• Shaping tutor-time, assemblies and wider enrichment
• Ensuring character education becomes a visible, lived part of the school’s culture

This is an ideal opportunity for a leader who is passionate about holistic education and wants to influence students’ personal formation as well as their academic success.

What We’re Looking For

We welcome applications from experienced heads of department and from outstanding practitioners ready for their first leadership role. You should have:

• Excellent subject knowledge in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics
• A strong belief in the importance of RPE within a diverse and modern society
• The ambition and creativity to shape a department in its early stages
• A compelling vision for whole‑school character education
• The ability to inspire colleagues, build culture and promote rigorous thinking
• A reflective practitioner with strong pedagogical understanding and the ability to coach, mentor, and develop others.
• High expectations for all students and a commitment to inclusive practice

We Offer

• A rare chance to lead a core subject with compulsory GCSE entry
• Whole‑school strategic leadership of Character Education
• The opportunity to shape the identity of a new and growing school
• Play a central role in recruiting, shaping, and mentoring a future team
• A supportive, innovative and values‑driven senior leadership team
• Opportunities for significant professional growth and future progression
• A caring, aspirational and diverse community of staff and students

How to Apply

Click here to find out more about The Wisbech Academy.

Click here to find out more about the Wisbech Campus.

About Brooke Weston Trust

Our students come from all walks of life, and we want our staffing body to be reflective of the communities we work within. Brooke Weston Trust does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, nationality, culture, age, disability, marital status or socio-economic backgrounds. We encourage and welcome applications from minority groups and foster a work environment that’s inclusive as well as diverse, where people can be themselves.

Our Trust was formed more than 25 years ago with a simple and clear mission - to transform educational performance in all of our communities. Working in some of the most challenging contexts, we improve our students’ achievements by making long term commitments to the community and championing new approaches to improve the life chances for young people.

Our members of staff are essential to realising this vision, and a happy, motivated and supported team will deliver the best possible experiences for our young people.

We place great emphasis on creating a supportive and collaborative working environment in all our schools, where all staff can share best practice through our colleague networks. Brooke Weston staff get access to first class professional development through our Ambition Hub, which is also home to the Northamptonshire Teaching School.

To find out more about working for our Trust and the benefits available to staff please check out the BWT Join Us Guide.

The Benefits at Brooke Weston Trust we can offer you: 

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include: 

Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 25 days annual leave per year, plus bank holidays. An additional 3 days after 5 years’ service and the ability to purchase up to 10 days additional leave per year. 

One wellbeing day a year, in addition to your annual leave 

Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection. 

Employee discounts with local and national retailers, covering high street supermarkets, days out and holidays, health and beauty, dining out plus lots more.

A freshly prepared breakfast and hot or cold lunch each day when you work in one of our Trust schools 

Payment of professional subscription / membership - If your role requires you to be a member of a professional body, BWT will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees. 

Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Your Care, an independent, external organisation. Your Care is available for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, both face to face and online. 

Additional health benefits including a Health Care cash plan and access to an online GP 

Cycle to Work scheme. 

Ongoing opportunities for training and development and access to the BWT Centre for Professional Development 

Collaborative and Ambitious colleagues with the support of a committed team who work to maintain high standards and expectations 

Be the difference - At Brooke Weston Trust we believe every child deserves the best possible start, giving them a "ticket for life." If you want to use your skills with an organisation committed to making a difference and improving lives, this is the place for you 

Wisbech Academy is part of Brooke Weston Trust, which offers one of the most extensive and well‑structured professional development programmes in the region. Through the Trust’s Centre for Professional Development, colleagues benefit from:

A comprehensive CPD programme across curriculum, safeguarding, behaviour, SEND, leadership development, and governance

High‑quality training delivered by senior leaders across the Trust, alongside nationally recognised experts, Ofsted inspectors, DfE‑affiliated consultants, and specialist outreach providers

Access to purpose‑built professional learning facilities, including the CPD Centre (home of the Northamptonshire Teaching School Hub) and the Primary Training Hub at Oakley Vale Primary School

A wide range of courses spanning everything from curriculum design and teaching & learning to first aid, leadership, SEND, and operational skills

As a Brooke Weston Trust school, the Wisbech Academy sits within the Northamptonshire Teaching School Hub, which delivers the NPQ programme in partnership with Ambition Institute.

Being within the same Trust family gives our teachers excellent access to its full suite of NPQs, delivered in partnership with Ambition Institute. This reflects the strong emphasis Brooke Weston Trust places on high‑quality professional development, ensuring colleagues have clear, research‑informed pathways for progression.

How to Apply

We welcome visits and conversations about the role. Full details and application information are available at www.thewisbechacademy.org or by calling 01945 407909.

Closing date: 12th April 2026

Interview date: w/c 24th April 2026

Safer Recruitment

Care and respect for others are the values that lie at the heart of our Trust. The Trust is an Equal Opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. It expects all staff to share this commitment. All posts require proof of identity and as the role is working with children and young people this will also be subject to an enhanced disclosures barring service check. In line with safer recruitment requirements, individuals shortlisted for a role in school will have online checks conducted on their name across social media platforms and google.

A copy of the Trust Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy can be found here - Safeguarding and Child Protection

The Trusts position on the recruitment of Ex-Offenders can be found under section 7 of the Trust SCR, Safer Recruitment and Staff Files Policy - Safer Recruitment and Staff Files Policy

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

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

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

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 The Wisbech Academy

• School type: Free School, ages 11 to 16
• Education phase: Secondary school
• School size: 102 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 16
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: The Wisbech Academy website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/the-wisbech-academy

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