Head of Year

Thornhill Academy, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR2 7NA

19 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  November 2026

• Closing date

  12 October 2026 at 9am

• Date listed

  23 September 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Pastoral, health and welfare
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full time equivalent salary: Grade 7, SCP 19–23 £29,679.71 – £31,877.08

Head of Year job summary

Are you passionate about supporting young people to achieve their potential? Do you have the ability to build strong relationships, inspire high expectations and provide effective pastoral support?

As a Head of Year, you will take responsibility for the pastoral care, progress, attendance, behaviour and wider development of students within your year group. You will lead and support a team of Form Tutors, working collaboratively to ensure students receive the guidance, encouragement and challenge they need to succeed.

You will monitor academic and personal progress, promote high standards of attendance, punctuality and behaviour, and work closely with students, parents, colleagues and external agencies where appropriate. You will also lead year group meetings and assemblies, celebrate achievement and help ensure every student feels supported, valued and able to fulfil their potential.

This is a pivotal role within the school, particularly as we continue our exciting journey of improvement and development.

About Us

Thornhill Academy is an 11-16 secondary academy with over 600 students, situated close to Sunderland City Centre. We are a vibrant and diverse school community, with students representing 14 different ethnicities and speaking 35 different languages. We are proud of our diversity and have developed a culture where differences are celebrated, respected and embraced.

We are committed to providing a safe, happy and nurturing environment where students are challenged to strive for personal accomplishment and excellence. We have high expectations for behaviour, learning and personal development and believe in developing the whole child.

Thornhill Academy is on an exciting journey of improvement. Following our Ofsted inspection in May 2024, when the school was graded Good, we are continuing to build on this progress. We are also beginning the exciting journey of the school's rebuild, with construction commencing in April 2026.

Our school values are effort, fairness and kindness, and these sit alongside Consilium Academies' commitment to Excellence and Equity with Integrity.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has excellent interpersonal and communication skills and can build positive relationships with students, parents and colleagues.
• Is passionate about supporting young people to achieve academically and personally.
• Can encourage and motivate students and act as a positive role model.
• Has strong organisational skills and can effectively lead and coordinate a year group.
• Can lead, support and motivate a team of Form Tutors.
• Has experience of working with young people and families.
• Understands the importance of attendance, punctuality, behaviour and safeguarding.
• Can work effectively with parents, colleagues and external agencies to support students.
• Is confident delivering assemblies and speaking to groups of students.
• Has a flexible and collaborative approach and is willing to play a full role in the life of the school.
• Is committed to inclusion, equality and ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Why Join Us?

As part of Consilium Academies, you will benefit from:

• Excellent professional development and career development opportunities.
• Access to Trust-wide networks, support and collaboration.
• High-quality CPD through the Trust's Centre for Professional Learning.
• Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Vivup staff benefits platform.
• A supportive and collaborative working environment.
• The opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives and futures of young people.

The Role

Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: 36 hours, term time plus 5 days
Grade: Grade 7, SCP 19-23
Actual Salary: £29,679.71 - £31,877.08

As Head of Year, you will develop and maintain a positive ethos within your year group, encouraging students to have high expectations of themselves and others. You will have responsibility for effective pastoral care and promoting academic success, working closely with Form Tutors, students, parents, colleagues and external agencies to ensure appropriate support is provided.

Applications and Information

For further information about the role, please see the attached recruitment pack, including the full job description and person specification.

If you have any questions about the role or would like to arrange a visit to Thornhill Academy, please contact the school.

Closing date for applications: 9.00am Monday 12th October 2026

Interviews: On a date to be arranged

Please ensure that within your application you provide the names, addresses and contact details for two referees, one of whom should be your current or most recent employer.

Consilium Academies is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointments are made subject to an Enhanced DBS Check, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants.

The Trust is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Under Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, the Public Sector fluency duty requires state funded schools to ensure candidates for their customer facing roles have the necessary standard of spoken English.

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 Thornhill Academy

• Organisation type: Academy, ages 11 to 16
• Education phase: Secondary school
• Size: 526 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 16
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• Website: Thornhill Academy website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/thornhill-academy

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