Head or Lead Practitioner of Art
Harris City Academy Crystal Palace, London, SE19 2JH10 days remaining to apply
Start date details
January
Closing date
17 September 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
7 September 2026
Job details
Job role
- Teacher or lecturer
- Head of department or curriculum
- Other leadership role
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5
Subject
- Art and design
Working pattern
- Full time (Can be done as a job share)
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- £39,370-£57,654 + TLR (Head of Art) / £56,154-£61,551 negotiable based on experience (Lead Practitioner)
Pay scale
- MPS/UPS (Outer London) + £1,500 Harris Allowance + Competitive TLR / Lead Practitioner Scale (Outer London)
Additional allowances
+ Annual Loyalty Bonus + Pension Scheme (TPS) + Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan + Additional Harris Benefits
What skills and experience we're looking for
We are seeking an outstanding Head of Art or Lead Practitioner of Art to work within our high performing Academy.
Head of Art
- Good degree (or equivalent)
- QTS (or equivalent)
- Successful teaching of GCSE at good or better level
- Initiation and effective management of change
- Evidence of raising achievement in present post and showing good value added for groups.
Lead Practitioner of Art
- Teaching Qualification
- Degree or equivalent
- Outstanding teaching practice
- Excellent behaviour management
- Experience of lesson observations and giving robust feedback
- Experience of improvement planning
- Experience of implementing a range of strategies to raise student achievement, with evidence of success
- Contribution to impact on the quality of learning and teaching and curriculum
- Proven track record of excellent results at KS3/4
- Experience of high quality pupil tracking and feedback practices.
What the school offers its staff
Harris City Academy Crystal Palace is a mixed Academy for 1,300 students aged 11-18, with a large sixth form of nearly 400 students. The Academy has three consecutive Outstanding judgments by Ofsted, with the most recent inspection in 2014 finding the Academy to be Outstanding in every aspect. We are a consistently high performing school. Our motto, ‘All Can Achieve' encapsulates our vision that all members of the Academy community are supported and encouraged to achieve their absolute potential. We believe that a well-supported and valued staff body is the key to our success.
We are the ‘Teaching School Hub' for Croydon and Sutton and we are able to offer all teachers an extensive programme of first class professional development. Harris City Academy Crystal Palace is part of the Harris Federation and this enables us to offer you a comprehensive induction programme and training and development opportunities to support your career development including Masters and other qualifications.
Senior Leader Development
With Harris, you will join a large network of likeminded senior leaders and have opportunities to learn from colleagues who are some of the best senior leaders in the country. Our senior leaders can benefit from tailored professional development programmes via the Harris Institute of Teaching and Leadership which will enable you to develop your pedagogy, leadership skills and drive school improvement.
Supported by experienced mentors, you can access national professional qualifications and draw on expert knowledge from dedicated subject consultants who offer invaluable subject and curriculum insight.
Benefits
In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance (usually £2,000 for Inner London and £1,500 for Outer London), an Annual Loyalty Bonus, Teachers Pension Scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan, Employee Assistance Programme, and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.
Flexible working opportunities
Harris Federation is committed to fostering a positive and supportive working environment for our staff, recognising that achieving a balance between professional and personal responsibilities is essential. We understand that each individual’s circumstances are unique, which is why we offer flexible working options that can be adapted to meet the needs of both the academy and our employees.
Our approach to flexibility includes a range of solutions, from tailored working hours to part-time arrangements, where appropriate, ensuring that we maintain our high standards of education while supporting the wellbeing of our staff. Whether you are a classroom teacher, support staffor part of our senior leadership team, we work together to find solutions that align with both the operational needs of the academy and your professional development.
Harris Federation and our academies are dedicated to creating an inclusive and collaborative environment, where every member of staff can thrive and feel valued in their role.
Further information about the job
Head of Art
- To be accountable for leading, managing and developing the subject area.
- To raise standards of student attainment and achievement within the whole subject/curriculum area and to monitor and support student progress.
- To ensure the provision of an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum for students studying in the department, in accordance with the aims of the academy and the curricular policies determined by the Governing Body and Principal.
- To teach the relevant subject across the age and ability range.
- To facilitate and encourage a learning experience which provides students with the opportunity to achieve their individual potential.
- To effectively manage and deploy staff, financial and physical resources within the department.
- To share and support the school’s responsibility to provide and monitor opportunities for personal and academic growth.
Lead Practitioner of Art
- To provide outstanding teaching for learning which meets the needs of all students.
- To support Assistant Principal raising standards of teaching and learning across the department and in monitoring progress towards agreed aims.
- To provide specialist subject expertise to assist departmental staff, as appropriate
- To take the strategic lead of an agreed whole school responsibility.
- To support and hold to account other staff in the academy through teaching and learning programmes.
- To support the Assistant Principal in the implementation of agreed whole school policies and initiatives.
Commitment to safeguarding
The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.
Applying for the job
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on school website (opens in new tab)Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Harris City Academy Crystal Palace
- Organisation type
- Academy, ages 11 to 18
- Education phase
- Secondary school
- Size
- 1191 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- Email address
- careers@harrisfederation.org.uk
- Phone number
- 0208 771 2261
Harris City Academy Crystal Palace is a pioneering academy for 1,300 students aged 11-18, and celebrated its 25th anniversary last academic year. The founding academy of the Harris Federation, it has three consecutive outstanding judgments by Ofsted, most recently finding the academy to be outstanding in every aspect in 2014. It is one of the most oversubscribed comprehensive schools in the country and in the top 5% for performance. Come and see us in action: visits to Harris City Academy Crystal Palace are strongly encouraged and very welcome. Please call 0208 771 2261 or info@harriscrystalpalace.org.uk to arrange a time to come in or an informal conversation with the Principal.
School location
Similar jobs nearby
Get a job alert when similar jobs are listed
Find more school jobs in London