14 days remaining to apply

  • Job start date

    1 September 2026

  • Closing date

    13 March 2026 at 9am

  • Date listed

    27 February 2026

Job details

Job role

  • Head of department or curriculum

Visa sponsorship

Visas cannot be sponsored

Key stage

Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5

Subject

Physical education

Working pattern

Full time

Contract type

Permanent

Pay scale

Commensurate with skills and experience

Additional allowances

TLR 2c (£8,611)

What skills and experience we're looking for

Are you an innovative, enthusiastic, and passionate PE Teacher and Leader?

Then this will be the job for you.

This post provides a unique opportunity to work within a high-performing and growing 11 to 18 grammar school with a large sixth-form and exceptionalstudents.

We are proud to be Secondary School of the Year for Academic Excellence 2025, Ranked No 1 in the North of England - The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2025.

Due to the nature of this role, there is a Genuine Occupational Requirement for the post holder to be male, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. This is to ensure that the supervision of changing facilities are fulfilled appropriately, within a relatively small team and ensure there is enough capacity/contingency when the other male team member is absent.

Department Information

Physical Education is a thriving and successful curriculum area within the school. The Physical Education Department consists of three full-time and two part-time specialist teachers, in addition to a member of the Senior Leadership Team who teaches within the department, all working under the direction of the Subject Leader. We aim to be reflective practitioners, delivering lessons that are varied and engaging, with high standards of teaching and learning.

The department makes use of excellent indoor and outdoor facilities including a sports hall and a dedicated table tennis activity space. We also benefit from a fully functional, state-of-the-art fitness gym with a mezzanine level, with plans for this area to be further developed to support wellbeing-based physical activity and exercise.

The school site includes a full-size Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) astro turf pitch which is used for a range of activities including hockey, football and netball, as well as hard-court areas for netball and tennis. Our tennis courts are currently in the process of redevelopment and will include a covered area to further enhance provision. A short distance from the school are extensive playing fields with three football pitches, one rugby pitch and a training area. In the summer term, a 400m track and throwing areas are marked for athletics.

The department is well resourced with suitable equipment for a range of activities and excellent ICT resources are available across the school, including interactive whiteboards in every classroom.

In Key Stage 3, pupils follow a customised curriculum organised over a two-week timetable covering the national requirements for Physical Education. In Years 7 and 8, pupils receive a one-hour lesson every week taught in mixed gender and ability groups covering dance, gymnastics, orienteering, fitness, athletics, tennis and striking/fielding games. In games, pupils receive three hours over two weeks covering hockey, netball, rugby, football, badminton, athletics and rounders.

In Key Stage 4, all students receive three hours of Physical Education over two weeks and also have the option to take GCSE Physical Education following the AQA GCSE full course specification.

In the Sixth Form, the department offers A-Level Physical Education following the OCR specification. Results at both GCSE and A Level are excellent.

The department also runs an extensive programme of extra-curricular activities, fixtures and trips during the school year. School teams and individual performers achieve regular success at District, County and National level, as well as regular internal House competitions in major sports. These include a House athletics sports day and swimming gala. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is very popular, with Year 10 students completing the Bronze Award and Sixth Form students undertaking the Silver and Gold Awards.

We take great pride in providing our students with a first-class education and instilling them with a love of learning.

We would like to appoint an outstanding Subject Leader of PE. The department is always looking at ways of developing its curriculum and widening the experience for students so expert subject knowledge and a passion to lead extra-curricular activities in PE are highly desirable.

You will need to:

  • believe in our school values of Respect, Responsibility and Excellence and follow our school ethos embedded in our motto of ‘Nil Sine Labore’ - Nothing Without Work

  • be a reflective practitioner wanting to develop and hone your craft to the highest level
  • be an inspirational teacher who builds excellent relationships and motivates students

Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities are outlined in a detailed job description.

In addition to this, teachers at Heckmondwike Grammar School are expected to be effective and reflective professionals who challenge and support all pupils to achieve their best. They should:

  • Inspire confidence, build team commitment, and engage and motivate students.
  • Think analytically about their work and take positive action to improve the quality of pupils’ learning.
  • Encourage high standards of academic and personal achievement.
  • Act as positive role models for students.
  • Contribute actively to the policies and aspirations of the school and the PE department.

What You Will Bring to the Role

  • A degree in a relevant discipline and a recognised teaching qualification.
  • Up-to-date knowledge of the11-18 curriculum and educational best practices.
  • Detailed knowledge of pedagogical practice in relation to Teaching and Learning.
  • Skilled classroom practitioner.
  • Highly effective communication skills.
  • Ability to lead, manage and inspire colleagues.
  • Ability to form good working relationships and influence others.
  • Capacity to evaluate and improve.
  • A strong classroom presence with the ability to inspire and motivate students from KS3 to KS5.
  • High level of skill in dealing with issues relating to student behaviour.
  • Ability to analyse performance data.
  • Effective ICT skills and an understanding of how technology can enhance teaching and learning.
  • A willingness to contribute to extracurricular activities and the wider school community.
  • Confidence in contributing to curriculum development, including schemes of work and teaching materials.
  • Passionate belief in the ability of every student to achieve.
  • A clear educational vision and sense of direction.
  • Good organisational skills and high levels of self-motivation.
  • Ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines.
  • Energy, enthusiasm, and a passion for PE.
  • A suitability to work with children, with a commitment to safeguarding and student well-being.

Why Should You Apply?

Heckmondwike Grammar School is a unique learning environment, home to students who are eager to learn, ambitious in their aspirations, and keen to make the most of their educational experience.

We take pride in:

  • Our diverse school community, which consistently achieves exceptional results.
  • A school culture that supports students' academic success and personal development.
  • Strong relationships between staff and students, creating a positive learning environment.
  • High expectations, which drive students to excel.



What the school offers its staff

What We Offer

  • Motivated, ambitious studentswho are eager to learn and succeed.
  • A supportive and creative teamdedicated to student progress.
  • Well-equipped, specialist classroomsto enhance teaching and learning.
  • A learning-centred schoolwhere best practice is a priority.
  • Comprehensive CPD opportunitiesto support professional development and career progression.
  • A vibrant, collaborative communityof like-minded professionals.

We also offer:

  • A competitive salary.
  • Membership of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
  • A range of well-being benefits.

We look forward to receiving your application


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.

Protection of children:

Disclosure of criminal background of those with access to children.

All posts involving direct contact with children are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. However, amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975 (2013 & 2020) provide that certain convictions and cautions are ‘protected’. These are not subject to disclosure to employers and cannot be taken into account. Guidance and criteria on the filtering of these cautions and convictions can be found on https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide details of unspent convictions and those that would not be filtered prior to the date of the interview. You may be asked for further information about your criminal history during the recruitment process. If your application is successful, this self-disclosure information will be checked against information from the Disclosure and Barring Service before your appointment is confirmed.

Safeguarding Statement:

Heckmondwike Grammar School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its students and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

Full details regarding our Safeguarding Procedures can be found on our website in the

Safeguarding section, alternatively, please contact Recruitment to obtain a copy.

Commitment to safeguarding

Safeguarding Statement:

Heckmondwike Grammar School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its
students and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

Full details regarding our Safeguarding Procedures can be found on our website in the Safeguarding section, alternatively, please contact Recruitment to obtain a copy.

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.

About Heckmondwike Grammar School

School type
Academy, ages 11 to 18
Education phase
Secondary school
School size
1468 pupils enrolled
Age range
11 to 18
Ofsted report
View Ofsted report

We are delighted to have been named “Secondary School Of The Year”, “Soaring 57 places in the UK rankings to 77” out of approx 6000 secondary schools (state and independent) in the latest Sunday Times Parent Power Guide.

And for the second year running we are ranked No 2 in the North of England.

This is a fabulous accolade to the whole school community and just reward for years of hard work from staff, students and indeed parents.
The survey includes both GCSE and A level results and is nationally noted as a true measure of school performance using metrics of most interest to parents when selecting a school.

“Such accolades are very pleasing and we are delighted to be recognised, but they only come about because of the week in week out hard work from students and staff and I salute my colleagues and students, they are an exceptional team.” Mr Roberts, Headteacher.

Heckmondwike Grammar School is a unique school, with students who are eager to learn, keen to know more and want to enjoy their educational experiences. It is exceptional in many ways: a very diverse school community that produces results of the highest quality. We work effectively with our young people, really care about them and their futures and have an ultimate success measure of enabling them to proceed to where they want to go. Excellent relationships between staff and students are the norm, expectations are high and students perform very well as a consequence.

School location

Similar jobs nearby

Get a job alert when similar jobs are listed

Find more school jobs in West Yorkshire