Head of History

📅 Start date: September 2026
🗓️ Closing date: Monday 25^th May 2026
📍 Location: Kettering Science Academy
💰 Salary: MPS/UPS + TLR 2b (£6,261)
⏰ Hours per week: Full time, permanent

📚 Looking for a school that genuinely values scholarship, curiosity, and powerful curriculum thinking?

At Kettering Science Academy, we believe History matters. It helps young people understand power, identity, conflict, change, and the world they are growing up in. At its best, History develops curiosity, critical thinking, literacy, debate, and the ability to question and think deeply.

At KSA, we also believe that kids do well if they can. Relationships matter here. We are ambitious for our students and uncompromising about standards, whilst also recognising the importance of belonging, trust, and feeling seen within a school community.

We are seeking a Head of History to build on the strong foundations already in place within a department that is growing in strength and ambition. History is a popular subject at both Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5, and we are looking for someone who can continue to drive the subject forward through excellent curriculum leadership, strong teaching, and high expectations.

🧭 This role would suit someone who is passionate about curriculum design and disciplinary thinking within History. Someone who understands that great History teaching is about far more than content coverage. We are looking for a leader who can continue to refine and strengthen the curriculum whilst driving improvements in consistency, scholarship, and student outcomes.

This is an opportunity to join a school that values thoughtful curriculum work and gives subject leaders the space to think carefully about what students learn, why they learn it, and how knowledge is built over time.

The role will involve:

📚 Leading the ongoing development of a coherent, ambitious History curriculum
🧠 Driving strong teaching, scholarship, and achievement across the department
📊 Using assessment and data intelligently to identify gaps and improve outcomes
🎯 Ensuring consistently high expectations across all classrooms
🤝 Coaching and developing colleagues through collaboration and professional dialogue
🎓 Continuing to build strong uptake and success at Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5
🌍 Helping students develop curiosity, critical thinking, and historical understanding

We are looking for someone who:

🌟 Is an excellent History teacher with strong subject knowledge and classroom credibility
🧠 Thinks deeply about curriculum, scholarship, and how students build historical understanding over time
📚 Has high expectations and the drive to continue improving outcomes
💬 Can lead with clarity, integrity, and strong professional relationships
🤝 Wants to contribute to a department and wider school culture that is ambitious, reflective, and continually improving

If you want to work in a school where History is valued, curriculum thinking matters, and subject leadership is genuinely supported, we would love to hear from you.

About Kettering Science Academy

Kettering Science Academy was delighted to receive a Good Ofsted rating in July 2023.  This report recognised the work which has been done over many years in relentlessly focussing on providing stimulating learning experience for all our students. We actively encourage students to participate in all areas of academy life, motivating and inspiring them to unlock their potential and realise their ambitions. We believe education is about more than achieving success in exams; it is about preparing students for the challenges and demands of life beyond education. Staff have an uncompromising commitment to this and work closely with one another to support and develop students as well as one another. 

Our students come from all walks of life, and we want our staffing body to be reflective of the communities we work within. Brooke Weston Trust does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, nationality, culture, age, disability, marital status or socio-economic backgrounds. We encourage and welcome applications from minority groups and foster a work environment that is inclusive as well as diverse, where people can be themselves.

We are a thriving community of equals dedicated to creating a great place to work and learn; students and staff are happy and proud to be part of Kettering Science Academy's journey to being the best that we can be and we would like to offer you the opportunity to jump aboard and join us for this journey! 

If you think you can contribute to our organisation we welcome your application. Applicants are required to complete an application form as CVs will not be accepted. 

About Brooke Weston Trust

Our Trust was formed more than 25 years ago with a simple and clear mission – to transform educational performance in all of our communities. Working in some of the most challenging contexts, we improve our students’ achievements by making long term commitments to the community and championing new approaches to improve the life chances for young people.

Our members of staff are essential to realising this vision, and a happy, motivated and supported team will deliver the best possible experiences for our young people.

We place great emphasis on creating a supportive and collaborative working environment in all our schools, where all staff can share best practice through our colleague networks. Brooke Weston staff get access to first class professional development through our Ambition Hub, which is also home to the Northamptonshire Teaching School.

To find out more about working for our Trust and the benefits available to staff please check out the BWT Join Us Guide.

The Benefits at Brooke Weston Trust we can offer you:

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

• One wellbeing day a year, in addition to your annual leave

• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, covering high street supermarkets, days out and holidays, health and beauty, dining out plus lots more.

• A freshly prepared breakfast and hot or cold lunch each day when you work in one of our Trust schools

• Payment of professional subscription / membership - If your role requires you to be a member of a professional body, BWT will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees.

• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Your Care, an independent, external organisation. Your Care is available for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, both face to face and online.

• Additional health benefits including a Health Care cash plan and access to an online GP

• Car Lease scheme via Tusker.

• Cycle to Work scheme.

• Ongoing opportunities for training and development and access to the BWT Centre for Professional Development.

• Collaborative and Ambitious colleagues with the support of a committed team who work to maintain high standards and expectations.

• Be the difference – At Brooke Weston Trust we believe every child deserves the best possible start, giving them a "ticket for life." If you want to use your skills with an organisation committed to making a difference and improving lives, this is the place for you.

How to Apply

If you think you can contribute to this role and to our organisation, we welcome your application.

Completed application forms will be passed to the recruitment panel for shortlisting and will be reviewed against the person specification detailed in the advert.

Applications will be assessed upon receipt, and we reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to the closing date. An early application is therefore strongly advised.

Further details about the Academy and the above position can be found on our website ketteringscienceacademy.org or by telephoning 01536 532700 and asking for Khloé Hughes, HR Administrator. 

Safer Recruitment

Care and respect for others are the values that lie at the heart of our Trust. The Trust is an Equal Opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. It expects all staff to share this commitment. All posts require proof of identity and as the role is working with children and young people this will also be subject to an enhanced disclosures barring service check. In line with safer recruitment requirements, individuals shortlisted for a role in school will have online checks conducted on their name across social media platforms and google.  

Closing date: Monday 25^th May 2026 9am.

Interview date: Tuesday 26^th May 2026

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.