Head of Year

Cove School, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 9RN

11 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  January 2027 or April 2027

• Closing date

  15 November 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  4 November 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Head of year or phase
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Key stage: Key stage 3, Key stage 4
• Working pattern: Full time: Monday to Friday
• Contract type: Permanent
• Pay scale: MPR/UPR
• Additional allowances:

  TLR 1a

What skills and experience we're looking for

Following the successful promotion of a valued member of our teaching staff to a new leadership role, we now have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and dedicated teacher to join our school community as Head of Year.

As a key member of our pastoral team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping pupils’ school experience working collaboratively with pupils, parents/carers, tutors and colleagues across the school. This is a rewarding and influential role, with responsibility for driving pupil progress, promoting positive behaviour, improving attendance and championing pupils’ wellbeing and personal development. You will have the opportunity to make a tangible difference to the lives of young people while developing your own leadership skills and contributing to the wider success of the school.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced teacher looking to take the next step in their career. You will be supported to develop your pastoral leadership expertise, broaden your experience and build the skills needed for future leadership opportunities. We are looking for an inspirational classroom teacher who is passionate about high quality teaching and learning, committed to raising aspirations and excited by the opportunity to motivate and inspire others.

We are looking to appoint a colleague who will:

• Lead and inspire a team of tutors, ensuring high standards of pastoral care, communication and consistency across the year group
• Work collaboratively with staff across the school, including SLT, teachers, tutors, SEND, behaviour team and safeguarding colleagues to provide a coordinated approach to pupil support
• Engage, enthuse, motivate and challenge pupils in order for them to raise achievement and maximise their academic and personal development
• Monitor and analyse behaviour, attendance, progress and pupil wellbeing across the year group, identifying concerns at an early stage and implementing appropriate interventions
• Develop positive relationships with pupils and parents/carers promoting effective communication and partnership working
• Support pupils to develop the skills, confidence, resilience and independence they need to succeed in school and beyond
• Have excellent subject knowledge
• Be willing to teach across the full age range of pupils; year 7 to year 11
• Enhance the quality of teaching and learning in the department and wider school through sharing resources and good practice, lesson observation, collaborative teaching, mentoring and active participation in continuing professional studies programme
• Actively safeguard and promote the welfare of all children
• Support the schools’ aims and objectives for teaching and learning
• Adhere to and promote all school policies and procedures

Person Specification:

• Recognised teaching qualification, such as a PGCE, QTS or equivalent experience
• Degree or relevant qualification (desirable)
• Thorough knowledge of the (11-16) subject curriculum up to GCSE
• Good level of IT literacy
• Experience of successful teaching across a range of ages and abilities
• Good understanding of safeguarding, pupil wellbeing, attendance and behaviour
• Ability to monitor and use data effectively to support pupil progress and achievement
• Be capable of delivering inspirational and adaptive lessons to the full age and ability range of pupils at the school
• Have excellent and effective classroom management skills
• Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills to enable effective dialogue and ability to build positive relationships with pupils, parents, staff and external agencies
• Ability to lead and support a team of tutors to work successfully as part of a wider pastoral team
• Organised, self-motivated and able to manage competing priorities effectively
• Be committed to inclusion, safeguarding, pupil wellbeing and continuous improvement

What the school offers its staff

• Access to an exceptional Professional Studies Programme from extensive in-house CPD, to a wide range of external courses
• To be part of a school which has a real ‘team approach’ where you will be valued and supported
• A well-resourced curriculum area including your own laptop
• Contribution to the Teacher’s Pension Scheme
• Lifestyle discounts through our employee ‘Lifestyle Savings Platform'
• Access to free staff wellbeing service via our provider ‘HA Wisdom Wellbeing’
• Onsite parking
• A dedicated Teaching and Learning training room
• A staff room with complimentary refreshments and food provided on whole school events such as Parents’ Evenings

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

Cove School and Hampshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check as well as other relevant pre-employment checks.

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.

About Cove School

• Organisation type: Local authority maintained school, ages 11 to 16
• Education phase: Secondary school
• Size: 1007 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 16
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• Website: Cove School website
• Email address: s.downham@coveschool.uk
• Phone number: 01252 542397
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/cove-school

Cove School is a larger-than-average, co-educational secondary school for students aged 11–16, located in the north of Hampshire. As a local authority-maintained school, we are ideally situated within easy reach of London, the historic city of Winchester, and the stunning landscapes of the New Forest.

We are a forward-thinking, caring, and – above all – happy school. Our students, from a wide range of backgrounds and abilities, are ambitious and work hard to achieve high standards. We are equally ambitious for our staff and take great pride in the comprehensive support and high-quality professional development (CPD) we provide, especially for those new to the profession or joining our team for the first time. We believe that motivated, well-supported staff are key to every student’s success.

Our extra-curricular offer is extensive, with students participating in a wide variety of sports, music and drama productions. Beyond this, we run a vibrant programme of clubs and activities all of which contribute to a rich and inclusive school experience.

We are also proud to host a specialist unit for students with hearing impairments, with all classrooms equipped with specialist audio equipment to ensure an inclusive learning environment.

We invite you to explore our website – www.coveschool.uk – for a glimpse into life at Cove School and what it means to be part of our vibrant community. To truly experience the atmosphere, we warmly encourage you to visit us during a normal school day and see our staff and students in action. We hope you’ll be inspired to apply and become part of the exciting journey we are on.

Arranging a visit to Cove School

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email s.downham@coveschool.uk.

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