Teacher of Food & PDE

BEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL; Leigh; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A community secondary school in Leigh is seeking a qualified and energetic teacher of Food and Personal Development and Ethics (PDE) to start in January 2026. The successful candidate will deliver engaging lessons that equip students with vital life skills and promote their development. This role involves planning curriculum and assessing student performance. Applications are encouraged before the closing date of October 15, 2025.

Qualifications

• Must be well-qualified and energetic.
• Experience in teaching Food and PDE subjects preferred.

Responsibilities

• Deliver Food and PDE lessons to students.
• Develop engaging curriculum and lesson plans.
• Assess and evaluate student learning and progress.

Skills

Teaching experience

Knowledge of Food and PDE subjects

Strong communication skills

Education

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

Job description

Overview

Bedford High School is a community secondary school with approximately 1100 students across two sites. Our last Ofsted inspection was judged Good. Our school values are Work Hard, Be Respectful, Take Responsibility. We are looking to appoint a well-qualified, talented, and energetic teacher of Food and PDE starting January 2026.

Food

At Bedford, we aim to deliver Food lessons that reflect the needs of daily life; our lessons will give our students vital life skills that enable them to feed themselves and others safely, affordably and nutritiously, now and later in life. Through practical Food lessons, we develop transferable skills such as independence, confidence and resilience whilst developing culinary skills using a huge range of preparation and cooking techniques. Our hope is that through Food Studies, students are provided with a context through which to explore the richness, pleasure and variety that food adds to life. At Key Stage 3, Food is taught as part of a Design Technology carousel, with pupils spending 12 weeks in Food every academic year. At Key Stage 4, pupils study WJEC Hospitality and Catering, a dynamic, practical course that is a popular option for Bedford pupils. The Food department currently comprises a friendly and supportive team of 2 teachers and a full-time technician. We look forward to welcoming a new member to our team.

PDE

In Personal Development and Ethics (PDE) at Bedford, we aim to equip students with the knowledge, value and skills to flourish as global citizens in a diverse and changing world. Our curriculum in PDE is a blend of RSHE and R.E. units, designed to enhance the social, emotional, cultural and spiritual development of our students. Our goal is to give our students a range of voices and perspectives to understand the world they live in. Through our units of study, we strive to provide students with the knowledge to question and evaluate information and misinformation, and to communicate successfully and thoroughly their views based on this. In RSHE, students will learn to safeguard their own wellbeing, establish healthy and safe relationships, and encounter practical and real-world scenarios to best equip them to become positive and thriving members of society. In RE, students will explore a range of religious beliefs, as well as ethical and moral dilemmas, and be able to form robust and equitable opinions that will enable them to thrive in a multicultural world.

How to Apply

If you feel you have the necessary skills and qualities to undertake this role, we will be delighted to receive your application form. Please complete the application form; we do not accept CVs. Return to Mrs Claire Taylor, HR Manager, at the school address or by email to [e-mail]. Early applications are encouraged and we reserve the right to close the vacancy early and interview before the closing date if a suitable candidate is found.

Safeguarding and Conditions

All offers of employment are conditional subject to all satisfactory pre-employment checks which include an enhanced criminal record with barred list through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), appropriate overseas checks, medical clearance, references and verification of your qualifications satisfactory to the school. In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education Guidance we will carry out an online search as part of our due diligence for all shortlisted candidates. Shortlisted candidates are also required to complete a self-declaration of any criminal records or information that would make you unsuitable to work with children. When completing application forms all candidates must provide a full employment history and any gaps clearly identified. At Bedford High School safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and adhere to the school's child protection policies and procedures. All candidates must be legally entitled to work in the UK and comply with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act regulations. Applications from all sections of the community are welcome. The post involves working with children, young people or vulnerable adults and is therefore exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. Shortlisted candidates will be notified by email of the interview arrangements. Please ensure your correct email address is provided on your application form. As we receive many applications for posts, we regret that we will only be able to contact those applicants who are shortlisted for interview. Therefore, if you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume you have not been shortlisted for interview on this particular occasion.

Closing date: Wednesday 15th October 2025 at 9am. Interview date: Tuesday 21st October 2025.

Bedford High School is a community secondary school with approximately 1100 students across two sites. Our last Ofsted inspection was judged Good. Our school values are Work Hard, Be Respectful, Take Responsibility. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and adhere to the school's child protection policies and procedures. All offers of employment are conditional subject to all satisfactory pre-employment checks which include an enhanced criminal record with barred list through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), appropriate overseas checks, medical clearance, references and verification of your qualifications satisfactory to the school. All candidates must be legally entitled to work in the UK and comply with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act regulations. Applications from all sections of the community are welcome. The post involves working with children, young people or vulnerable adults and is therefore exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.