Lead Practitioner in Technology

Whickham School; Gateshead; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A high-performing educational institution in Gateshead seeks a Lead Practitioner in Technology. In this transformative role, you will have reduced teaching time to impact student outcomes significantly. You will coach colleagues and lead initiatives that enhance educational practices. The ideal candidate loves developing others and uses evidence-based methods to excel across KS3–KS5. Benefits include dedicated planning time and leadership development opportunities.

Benefits

Collaborative planning time

Flexible work-life balance

Access to fitness facilities

Salary-sacrifice schemes

Qualifications

• Vision for whole-school impact beyond the classroom.
• Ability to teach and inspire students across multiple key stages.
• Evidence and research-grounded teaching practices.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate and model excellence in Food Technology teaching.
• Coach and mentor colleagues to enhance teaching practices.
• Lead the implementation of the Whickham Learning Model.

Skills

Teaching across KS3–KS5

Coaching colleagues

Evidence-based practices

Leadership development

Job description

Imagine a role where you don't just teach - you transform teaching. As our Lead Practitioner in Technology, you'll be at the heart of educational innovation, working alongside a dynamic team of lead practitioners who are redefining what excellent teaching looks like. This isn't about adding to your workload - it's about amplifying your impact. You'll have reduced teaching time to focus on what matters: developing cutting‑edge practice, coaching colleagues, and ensuring every lesson counts for the pupils at Whickham School.

What Makes Whickham Special?

We are not just another high‑performing school (our Progress 8 of +0.26 in 2024 and 81%+ achieving 4+ in English and Maths in 2025 speak for themselves). We're a community that genuinely invests in our staff.

Benefits – Work‑life balance

• Dedicated collaborative planning time – one hour every fortnight with your subject team
• Reduced teaching allocation so you can focus on development and coaching
• Flexible approach to work‑life balance considerations
• Access to fitness facilities outside school hours

We invest in your growth

• Work with our established team of lead practitioners shaping whole‑school practice
• Leadership development opportunities that are meaningful, not just box‑ticking
• Evidence‑based CPD that actually makes a difference

The practical benefits

• Salary‑sacrifice schemes including bicycle and electric vehicle leasing
• Higher priority for your children's admission to our heavily oversubscribed school
• Modern, outstanding technology facilities to work with

Your Impact

• Model excellence – demonstrate what outstanding Food Technology teaching looks like across KS3–KS5
• Develop others – coach and mentor colleagues using evidence‑based approaches
• Drive innovation – lead our Whickham Learning Model implementation, ensuring every pupil experiences the four stages of effective learning
• Shape practice – plan and deliver whole‑school training that transforms teaching across all subjects
• Make it real – work with pupils who are genuinely engaged, in a school where behaviour is strong and aspiration is high

Who You Are

• Has the vision to see beyond your own classroom to whole‑school impact
• Thrives on developing others and seeing them succeed
• Grounds your practice in evidence and research, not just "what works for me"
• Can teach confidently across KS3–KS5
• Understands that great teaching is about relationships, high expectations, and relentless focus on progress