Curriculum Leader for Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (PRE) - The Misbourne School

Buckinghamshire Council; Great Missenden; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading school in Great Missenden seeks a Curriculum Leader for Philosophy, Religion, and Ethics (PRE) to oversee the department from September 2025. The role includes leading curriculum development, teaching, and student progress in a supportive environment. The school values staff wellbeing and offers a collaborative team atmosphere, professional development opportunities, and a commitment to excellence in education.

Benefits

Free access to gym

Cycle to Work Scheme

Free on-site parking

Flexi-PPA

Qualifications

• Experience teaching across Key Stages 3 and 4, including GCSE Religious Studies.
• Strong understanding of the secondary PRE curriculum from Key Stage 3-5.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the PRE department, overseeing curriculum, teaching and learning.
• Plan and deliver well-structured PRE lessons in line with the centralised curriculum.

Skills

Leadership

Organizational Ability

Classroom Management

Collaboration

Education

QTS status

Job description

Curriculum Leader for Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (PRE) - The Misbourne School

An exciting opportunity has arisen to appoint an experienced teacher of PRE to lead our Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (PRE) department from September 2025. The successful candidate will oversee a popular and successful subject which is taught across key stages and includes dedicated weekly lessons in KS3, a short course GCSE for all Year 10 students and a popular full course GCSE option in Years 10 and 11. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to relaunch A-Level Religious Studies or Philosophy from September 2025. You will be responsible for overseeing the curriculum in PRE, refining and developing our curricular and extracurricular offers.

Term time only

Salary Type: Bucks pay

Salary details: MPS1-UPS3 with fringe and TLR 2.2 (£5,832)

Contract type: Permanent

Interviews to be held: Shorthly after closing date

About us

The Misbourne is an 11-18 mixed school single-academy trust in the picturesque village of Great Missenden in the heart of the Chilterns. We have nearly 1100 students on roll, including a successful and growing Sixth Form. We are proudly non-selective and inclusive, ensuring that we live and breathe our values: we are a community that values learning, promotes kindness and strives for excellence in all we do. We are the Lead School for Careers in Bucks.

Our staff tell us they genuinely feel like part of a team; a team who are striving to help each student flourish both academically and personally. As our greatest asset, we place great emphasis on staff wellbeing evidenced in our Wellbeing Charter.

Excerpts from our successful 2022 Ofsted inspection include:
● Pupils told inspectors that the clear and fair behaviour system helps them to behave well.
● Relationships between staff and pupils are strong.
● Pupils conduct around the school is orderly and calm.
● Pastoral care puts the child at the heart of everything the school does
We can offer you:
● An academy that puts wellbeing at the top of their priorities, evidenced by our Wellbeing Charter
● Students who are a pleasure to work with
● Great training and development opportunities
● An experienced, friendly, and collaborative team of staff
● A fortnightly ‘Flexi-PPA’ with a late start (10.10am) or early finish (1.30pm)
● A two-week October half-term
● A centralised behaviour system with visible and supportive leadership
● Free access to our own fully-fitted gym (subject to opening hours)
● Cycle to Work Scheme
● Free on-site parking

We would be delighted to invite prospective applicants to visit our school and experience first-hand what makes us a great place to work.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to appoint an experienced teacher of PRE to lead our Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (PRE) department from September 2025. The successful candidate will oversee a popular and successful subject which is taught across key stages and includes dedicated weekly lessons in KS3, a short course GCSE for all Year 10 students and a popular full course GCSE option in Years 10 and 11. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to relaunch A-Level Religious Studies or Philosophy from September 2025. You will be responsible for overseeing the curriculum in PRE, refining and developing our curricular and extracurricular offers.

We are committed to developing excellence in teaching and learning, underpinned by research evidence and the principles of cognitive science. We believe in working collaboratively to develop a high-quality centralised curriculum to ensure all students have a consistently excellent learning experience and the best possible chance of success, as well as ensuring a manageable workload for staff. If you have the knowledge, skills and desire required to excel in this role, we would love to have you as part of our staff team.

Requirements for this PRE role:
-Relevant experience teaching across Key Stages 3 and 4, including GCSE Religious Studies
-Demonstrable leadership and management skills
-Strong organisational ability
-A strong understanding of the secondary PRE curriculum from Key Stage 3-5
-Ability to deliver engaging and effective lessons to support students’ learning
-Strong classroom and behaviour management skills and the ability to balance structure and care
-Must have a DBS on the updated service
-QTS status achieved or in progress
-Enjoys collaborative working as a strong team member within and across curriculum areas

About you

Responsibilities:
-Lead and manage the PRE department, overseeing curriculum, teaching and learning, student progress and staffing
-Plan and deliver well-structured PRE lessons in line with the centralised curriculum and exam syllabuses
-Provide strategic leadership through planning, monitoring and evaluating the progress of the PRE department
-Monitor student progress and provide constructive feedback
-Liaise closely with colleagues and families to address any concerns relating to students’ progress and/or wellbeing
-Adapt teaching strategies to meet diverse learning needs and abilities
-Support students with exam preparation to achieve academic success
-Foster a positive and motivating classroom environment

Other information

Visits to the school are warmly welcome. To arrange a visit or to find out more about the role, please contact our school office on the number below.

Please send completed application forms to the email address below.

The Misbourne reserves the right to close and shortlist early, therefore early applications are encouraged. Please note all shortlisted applicants will be subject to a pre-employment social media check.

The Misbourne is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. An offer of appointment is subject to satisfactory references, DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) Enhanced Disclosure and medical clearance.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020).

It is an offence to apply for the role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. All shortlisted applicants will be required to complete self-disclosure form and return prior to interview.