Head of Humanities

Bristol City Council; Bristol; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in the UK is seeking a passionate Head of Humanities to lead the department at John Cabot Academy. The role involves shaping the curriculum for Key Stages 3 and 4, inspiring teachers, and fostering a positive learning environment. Candidates should have strong knowledge in Humanities, leadership skills, and a commitment to inclusion. The position offers a competitive salary and professional development opportunities within a supportive academy culture.

Benefits

Access to Teachers Pension Scheme

Professional development opportunities

Health benefits

Generous family leave options

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Lead the Humanities department across Key Stages 3 and 4.
• Inspire and support a team of dedicated teachers.
• Drive improvement through data analysis and targeted interventions.

Responsibilities

• Shape the curriculum and embed effective assessment strategies.
• Foster collaboration and innovation within the department.
• Create a positive, inclusive learning environment.

Skills

Strong subject knowledge across Humanities

Proven teaching experience

Leadership skills

Excellent communication

Commitment to professional development

Passion for inclusion and safeguarding

Education

Qualified teacher status

Job description

Job Title: Head of Humanities

Actual Annual Salary: M1 - UPS3 (£32,916 – £51,084) + TLR 2BB (£8,020)

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: Full-time, 32.5 hours per week

Provisional Start Date: April or September 2026

Your opportunity to lead Humanities and inspire the next generation of learners

As Head of Humanities, you will lead our department across Key Stages 3 and 4, shaping the curriculum, driving teaching excellence, and embedding effective assessment strategies to ensure outstanding student progress. This is a pivotal leadership role where you will inspire and support a team of dedicated teachers, fostering collaboration and innovation within the department.

If you are passionate about Humanities and committed to creating a positive, inclusive learning environment, we would love to hear from you. Experience as a History teacher is desirable, and we encourage you to highlight this on your application. However, we welcome applications from candidates across the Humanities specialisms.

About You

• Strong subject knowledge across Humanities and an understanding of current curriculum developments.
• Proven teaching experience across Key Stages 3 and 4, with evidence of delivering high-quality lessons and achieving excellent outcomes.
• Leadership skills to inspire and motivate staff, with the ability to drive improvement through data analysis and targeted interventions.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills, enabling you to build effective relationships with colleagues, students, and the wider community.
• A commitment to professional development, reflective practice, and continuous improvement.
• A passion for inclusion, equality, and safeguarding, ensuring the welfare and success of all students.

Applicants are advised to refer to the full requirements of the role in the attached job description and person specification, prior to submitting an application.

About John Cabot Academy

John Cabot Academy is an 11-16 academy in South Gloucestershire, close to the border of Bristol. We share our site and staffing with the CLF Post-16 provision, forming an 11-18 academy, which has earned a strong reputation both locally and regionally.

We want our students to thrive academically; flourish and grow as young people. When they leave us they will have a strong sense of self, their place in the world and the agency to fulfil their potential. To fulfil this ambition, our staff are inspired by learning and create a school where students are engaged, challenged and inspired.

We have a supportive and compassionate culture in which the whole person is nurtured and the voice of students is valued. We celebrate the diversity of the members our community by enabling them to learn from each other, by encouraging them to respect each others differences, and by providing opportunities to contribute to academy life and the wider community.

Why work at CLF?

We are a diverse and inclusive community of 36 academies across five cluster regions in the South West that is committed to excellence and making a positive impact. Our people bring unique perspectives, but were all driven by a shared moral purpose and a passion for making a positive impact, whether in a teaching, leadership or support role. Were proud to foster a culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and make a meaningful difference to the lives of others.

We are an equal opportunity employer and proud to serve a diverse student population and our communities. We strongly believe that representation matters. Over 59% of the students who attend John Cabot Academy are from global majority groups, so we particularly encourage applicants from those groups in order to represent the students we serve, as well as wider underrepresented groups including gender, transgender, age disability, sexual orientation or religion.

We aim to remove any barriers to employment, ensuring everyone can compete on equal terms. Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.

What We Can Offer You

• Access to the Teachers Pension Scheme.
• Comprehensive induction and ongoing support for career development and wellbeing.
• Sector-leading professional development entitlement and opportunities.
• Collaboration with colleagues across the trust through subject communities and specialist networks.
• Shared CLF curriculum, written and curated by trust experts, reducing individual teacher workload.
• Career enhancing and progression opportunities within the trust and through the CLF Institute.
• A collaborative culture which supports workload.
• Well-being support through an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Health benefits, including wellness sessions, gym discounts, and flu jabs.
• A range of generous family leave options, including above industry average occupational maternity pay.
• Additional benefits like cycle to work scheme, on-site parking and many more!

Recruitment Timeline

• Closing Date: 27th January 2026
• Shortlisting Date: 28th/29th January 2026
• Interviews: 6th February 2026

We welcome visits from potential candidates. If you would like to arrange a school visit prior to the closing date, please contact the academy/site directly to arrange a suitable appointment.

As part of our commitment to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), we do not accept CVs; a full education and employment history must be provided through our application form.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, should we receive a high level of interest in the role. Therefore, candidates are advised to apply at their earliest convenience to avoid missing out.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer, we are dedicated to equity and inclusion and commit to interviewing applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria. We aim to provide an inclusive and accessible recruitment process, and support employees throughout their employment. If you have a disability, are neurodivergent, or require any adjustments to support you through the application or interview process please let us know how we can assist.