17 days remaining to apply

  • Start date details

    Easter or September 2027

  • Closing date

    20 November 2026 at 12pm (midday)

  • Date listed

    3 November 2026

Job details

Job role

  • Head of department or curriculum

Visa sponsorship

Visas cannot be sponsored

Key stage

Key stage 5

Subjects

Politics, Sociology

Working pattern

Full time

Contract type

Permanent

Pay scale

MPS or UPS

Additional allowances

TLR 2C (£3761)

What skills and experience we're looking for

Are you an ambitious, inspirational and committed teacher ready to take the next step in your leadership career?

Oakwood Park Grammar School is seeking to appoint an outstanding Head of Social Sciences to lead our highly successful Sociology and Politics departments. This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and forward-thinking leader to build on the considerable strengths of both departments, ensuring that they continue to deliver exceptional outcomes and an outstanding educational experience for our students.

Both Sociology and Politics achieve exceptional results, reflecting the quality of teaching, high expectations and strong academic culture that underpin our provision. We are looking for someone who can sustain and further develop this success, bringing energy, vision and ambition to the leadership of both subjects.

The successful candidate will:

  • Provide inspirational leadership and strategic direction for Sociology and Politics.
  • Sustain the exceptional academic outcomes achieved by both departments, ensuring that students continue to make excellent progress.
  • Lead the development of an ambitious, engaging and challenging curriculum which inspires highly able learners.
  • Support and develop colleagues, promoting excellent teaching, professional learning and collaborative practice.
  • Use assessment, performance information and quality assurance effectively to secure consistently high standards.
  • Promote a culture of intellectual curiosity, academic ambition and a genuine enthusiasm for the Social Sciences.

At Oakwood Park Grammar School, we are committed to providing an exceptional education for our students. Our ambition is to be a school of choice, delivering inclusive excellence, where high expectations, excellent teaching and opportunities beyond the classroom enable every student to thrive.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced subject leader or an ambitious teacher ready to take on their first middle leadership role. We are particularly interested in someone who combines strong subject knowledge with the ability to motivate colleagues, inspire students and lead continued improvement.


What the school offers its staff

We offer:

  • Highly motivated, able and enthusiastic students.
  • Two successful departments with a strong record of exceptional outcomes.
  • A supportive and collaborative professional environment.
  • Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
  • A school committed to continuous improvement and academic excellence.
  • A Well-being Charter to ensure the work-life of all staff is protected.

The post is available from Easter or September 2027, depending on the successful candidate. Apply by Friday 20th November, 12:00pm using an application form and letter addressed to the Headteacher outlining suitability for the role.

If you are passionate about the Social Sciences and have the ambition and expertise to lead two successful departments, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Oakwood Park Grammar School – Strive and Serve

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 job requires you to download an application form, you will be able to upload the application once complete.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

Additional documents

If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.

Job Description Head of Social Sciences.pdf - 178 KB (opens in new tab)

About Oakwood Park Grammar School

Organisation type
Academy, ages 11 to 18
Education phase
Secondary school
Size
1100 pupils enrolled
Age range
11 to 18
Ofsted report
View Ofsted report
Website
Oakwood Park Grammar School website
Email address
abaker@opgs.org
See more jobs
teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/oakwood-park-grammar-school-me16-8ah

Oakwood Park Grammar School is a five-form entry (usually 160 in each year) Boys’ Grammar School of approximately 1100 students, including the Sixth Form. We have a co-educational Sixth Form with a pan of 180 in each year group. Entry at 11 to the school is through the Kent Test (11+) where students sit three papers in Mathematics, English and Reasoning.

We have been on the site since 1959 and we share an attractive campus with two schools (St Augustine Academy and St Simon Stock) and a college of Further Education (Mid-Kent College). We remain committed to improving school facilities and providing high quality learning environments for our students. Our teaching and support staff are dedicated and hardworking and very loyal to the school.

Oakwood Park Grammar School has a wealth of extra-curricular activities for its students. Sport is very strong with national success in football, alongside rugby, cricket, basketball and athletics. We also cater for rowing, fencing, table tennis and climbing. Music and Drama are also popular with an annual production and brand new facilities which opened in October 2023. Other extra-curricular opportunities include robotics, debating and chess.

Academic standards are high at both GCSE and A Level. In the Sixth Form, on average, well over half of our students who apply to universities will secure offers from prestigious Russell Group universities and we regularly send students to Oxbridge colleges.

In 2024, an ungraded inspection made clear the school continues to be ‘Good’ overall by Ofsted. However, our grading of Outstanding for our Behaviour and our Sixth Form provision remains.

We are a welcoming, open school with a clear focus on developing staff, with teaching and learning at the heart of our professional development.

Arranging a visit to Oakwood Park Grammar School

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email abaker@opgs.org.

School location

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