Be part of our journey…

Since relaunching in September 2021 with a new name and a new ethos, Queen Elizabeth School is quickly establishing itself as a centre for excellence. We are on a mission to “empower our students to achieve academic excellence through aspiration and innovation”. With the support of a highly ambitious leadership team and surrounded by colleagues who are passionate about the whole student experience, and with our new sixth form, QE6 which opened in September 2023, now is a fantastic time to join our forward thinking school.

Whatever their role in the school, all of our colleagues share a passion for learning and working with the next generation.

Situated on the Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire border and close to the market town of Hitchin, the school also benefits from being within five minutes drive of idyllic countryside locations, yet being 5 minutes from the M1 and London Luton Airport.

 We are now looking for a Director of Sport & Physical Education to join our team. This is a key position in the leadership of the school as we look to build on the impressive improvements we have already made, working as part of a team of directors across the school. The Director of Sport & PE will provide strategic leadership and operational management of Physical Education, school sport, and enrichment activities across the school. The school has excellent facilities for both indoor and outdoor sports including sports hall, activity study, dance studio and a modern fitness suite with resistance and cardio-vascular equipment and extensive free weights, 3G all-weather floodlit pitch, outdoor netball/tennis courts, outdoor basketball court, x2 outdoor long/triple jump pits, extensive well drained fields for rugby and football and an artificial cricket wicket. This role would be ideal for someone who has been a Subject Leader, Head of Department or held other leadership responsibilities and is looking to take the next steps into senior leadership.

 The successful candidate will be tasked with further developing our curriculum, working closely with subject leaders to embed outstanding practice and ensure that our signature approach to teaching and learning is evident through each subject and in every lesson.

 Find out more about Queen Elizabeth School, from the voices of our school community here https://www.qesluton.co.uk/Choose-QES/.

We welcome visits from all prospective staff to Queen Elizabeth School.

Key duties

●        Establish and sustain high-quality teaching across subjects and phases, based on evidence

●        Establish curriculum leadership including subject leaders with relevant expertise and access to professional networks and communities

●        Establish and oversee systems, processes and policies so the school can operate effectively

●        Create a culture where students experience a positive and enriching school life

●        Uphold educational standards in order to prepare students from all backgrounds for their next phase of education and life

●        Ensure a culture of staff professionalism

●        Carry out appraisal and hold staff to account for their performance

●        Treat students with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect

●        Ensure staff and students’ safety and welfare through effective approaches to safeguarding, as part of duty of care

The successful candidate will

●        Share our values of ambition, integrity, determination and kindness

●        Hold an absolute commitment to exceptional standards

●        Be a consummate professional

●        Be a team player with an understanding that excellence can only be achieved by working together

●        Have a passion for their subject and ensuring students progress

Benefits

●        Work in a state of the art building with outstanding IT, sporting and performance facilities

●        Excellent opportunities for progression- we will always seek to promote from within in the first instance

●        Outstanding professional development opportunities, both from our internal CPD programme and through our partnership organisations

●        Season ticket loan

●        Use of our on site fitness suite

●        Bike to work scheme

●        Opportunities to support extra curricular activities domestically and internationally

●        Ample staff parking and excellent transport links

●        Subsidised staff accommodation available

 Start date:  September 2026

Salary: Leadership scale, salary negotiable

Job Role: Permanent, Full-time

Recruitment Timeline:

Position advertised: 24/02/2026

Closing date for applications: 31/03/2026

Final Shortlisting: TBC

Interviews: TBC

 Safeguarding

Queen Elizabeth School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment.  Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. We are an equal opportunities employer.

The Department for Education (DfE) has set out statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ for schools and colleges on safeguarding.

Safeguarding is defined in paragraph 4 as:  “Protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children’s health or development; ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.”

The definition of 'children' includes everyone under the age of 18.