Class Teacher

Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust; Dorking; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS / TPS pension

Salary sacrifice schemes

Wellbeing & wellbeing programs

Employee discounts

Season ticket loan

Job summary

Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust requires a KS3 class teacher for Unified Academy in Dorking. The role focuses on differentiated planning, ensuring progression, and meeting National Curriculum requirements with supportive pastoral duties.

You will deliver engaging learning, assess needs, and measure progress to prepare students for next education phases. Strong SEN experience and reflective practice are essential for success in this fast-improving school.

Qualifications

• Qualified Teacher Status is required.
• Experience teaching pupils with special needs, including autism and challenging behaviour.
• Experience following safeguarding procedures and policies.
• Proven ability to plan innovative curriculum and target-progress.
• Evidence of setting targets to promote student progress.

Responsibilities

• Provide high quality learning and teaching within the school.
• Lead a KS3 ‘Nurture and Development’ class.
• Maintain positive behaviour management and social development.
• Collaborate with parents and carers to support education.

Skills

Teaching

Classroom management

Special needs experience

Safeguarding

Education

QTS

Special needs training

Job description

Key Stage 3 Teacher

Salary: Teacher’s Fringe Main FTE £34,398-£46,839 and Upper Pay Scale FTE £48,913-£52,490 plus SEN Allowance

Location: Unified Academy, Chart Lane South, Dorking, RH5 4DB

Working Pattern: Full time, all year round

Unified Academy, located in Dorking, is a special school for boys aged 9 to 16, who have social, emotional, and mental health needs. Many of our students also face moderate learning and attachment difficulties.

The school takes a highly personalised approach to education, with small class sizes and carefully tailored lessons that consider the individual needs, interests, and abilities of each student. This ensures that their learning is purposeful, engaging, and relevant.

The team at Unified Academy are driven to secure the best possible outcomes for their students by nurturing them to become well-rounded, confident adults with high aspirations for their future. To find out more about us visit our school website.

We are seeking a KS3 class teacher with enthusiasm, creativity and a passion for teaching to join our team and contribute to our fast-improving school. You will plan differentiated work to meet the needs of individuals and groups promoting progression, continuity and quality of learning by having clear intentions for children’s learning and by using your knowledge of school policies and National Curriculum requirements. You will support the pastoral needs of the students, creating a safe nurturing space within your classroom that allows students to grow as people and develop a positive sense of self concept, emotional resilience and positive self-esteem. You should be able to accurately assess need, deliver teaching reflective of need, and measure targeted incremental progress, in order that students are prepared for transition and integration into their next appropriate phase of education.

Key Responsibilities:

• To provide high quality learning and teaching within the School
• To lead a KS3 ‘Nurture and Development’ class
• To provide positive behaviour management and social development of students
• To work in partnership with parents and carers in supporting the education of their children

Key Requirements:

• Qualified Teacher Status
• Recent experience of teaching pupils/students with special needs, including autism and a range of challenging behaviour, to a high standard
• Experience of working with clear guidelines, procedures and adhering to safeguarding and child protection
• Proven ability to demonstrate and lead outstanding classroom practice, including innovative curriculum development and planning
• Evidence of effective target-setting to promote student progress

OHCAT is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:

Rewards & Benefits:

• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme, Employee Car Lease Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme).
• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme.
• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme).

Find out what makes Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust a truly rewarding place to work – visit our ‘Work for Us’ page to learn more about our values, opportunities and the difference our staff make every day.

Our Trust:

Unified Academy is part of Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust. We are a family of specialist education providers from pre-school through to further education across London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire and fully represent all designations of special education needs and disabilities (SEND). To find out more about us, and what makes us a special place to work please visit our website.

We are committed to promoting and advancing equality of opportunity by attracting and retaining the most diverse range of students, staff and partners.

Working together to transform lives is what we do and across the whole organisation we have a range of experts and practitioners who advocate for children and young people with SEND to ensure they receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential.

As a large specialist education provider we employ over 1500 people across our schools, college and central support team. There is a wide range of job roles available, ranging from teaching and therapy to business support roles and significant career progression opportunities.

It is an exciting time to be part of OHCAT and we are keen to recruit talented people who can play a key role in realising our mission and who want to make a difference. In return, we offer training and development, competitive pay and benefits in a positive and inclusive working environment.

To ensure a fair opportunity for all applicants, candidates who have applied for this position in the past 6 months will not be considered.

Closing Date: Friday 13 November 2026

Interviews will take place: w/c Monday 30 November 2026

To help us manage applications effectively, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient suitable applications are received.

Safeguarding Statement

Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Appointments made will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

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

Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, committed to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace for all.