Teacher of History

Erasmus Darwin Academy; Brownhills West; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

Erasmus Darwin Academy in Burntwood is seeking a dedicated Teacher of History to inspire learners. The post starts 1 November 2026 (an earlier start date may be required) and is a full-time temporary maternity contract, with a salary between £32,916 and £51,048 according to the Trust Pay Policy.

(2026 Pay Award pending for Teaching Professionals) Join a high-performing academy committed to inclusive culture and high aspirations.

Job description

TEACHER OF HISTORY

Start Date: 1st November 2026 (an earlier start date may be required)

Contract

Full time,Temporary (Maternity Contract)

Salary

Pay range between £32,916 - £51,048 according to the Trust Pay Policy. (2026 Pay Award pending for Teaching Professionals)

Our Mission

Erasmus Darwin Academy (EDA) is a warm, proudly inclusive and high-performing school and we are excited to welcome a dedicated professional to join our exceptional team. We are a non-denominational, non-selective Academy serving a diverse and supportive community in Burntwood. Everything we do is driven by our strapline: Hard Work. High Aspirations. Limitless Opportunities. We believe every young person deserves the knowledge, skills and character to thrive in modern Britain. Academic success matters, but most importantly, so does personal growth. Our ‘culture-first’ approach means that students, staff and families work together as a school community to bring our values and morals to life every day, ensuring that our young people receive a first-class educational experience.

As one of the highest achieving secondary schools in the region and in the top 10% nationally for GCSE progress, we consistently strive for growth, improvement and innovation.

Fostering a Successful Learning Environment

Whether you work in the classroom, Administration, Student Support, Site team or Leadership, you will be part of a team where you are supported. Our Academy fosters an inclusive atmosphere that blends respectful relationships, clear routines, and engaging, tailored instruction. Key strategies include building trust through rapport, adaptive teaching styles, empowering student voice, Senior Leadership ‘On Call’ system to support lesson disruptions. We believe and ensure that:

1. Every teacher has the right to teach and every student has the right to learn
2. Reading, writing and oracy sit at the heart of our curriculum
3. Behaviour is taught, modelled and supported through a clear behaviour curriculum
4. Personal development and extra‑curricular opportunities enrich every student’s experience
5. Everybody in the Academy can always improve, both personally and professionally

Why Us?

We are committed to staff wellbeing, professional growth and a healthy work–life balance. Initiatives include flexible working for all Teaching professionals during PPA and non-contact time, and a friendly, fair approach to cover.

Join a school that invests in You, we believe that our staff are our greatest strength. Our wellbeing strategy ensures every colleague feels valued, listened to and supported. Career progression is a genuine reality here, many of our teachers and leaders have grown and developed within the Academy through a range of avenues such as Apprenticeships, Teacher Training, NPQ Courses and much more.

We offer:

1. High expectations paired with a genuine commitment to manageable workload
2. Extensive professional development for all roles: pedagogy, leadership and beyond
3. A warm, collaborative and supportive staff community
4. Mental Health Champions, accessible in school for a coffee and a chat
5. Polite, motivated and respectful students
6. Staff wellbeing activities and events
7. A work laptop for all teaching staff
8. Increased non-contact time for planning and preparation
9. Additional leadership time for leadership roles
10. A visible, approachable and supportive Senior Leadership Team
11. A united staff body working together to continually improve our Academy

Why You?

We welcome applications from dedicated and hard-working professionals, who are passionate about improving young people’s life chances. You will bring strong role‑specific expertise, a commitment to high standards and the desire to help students grow, academically and personally.

Celebrating Our Success

Our 2023 Ofsted inspection rated us ‘Good’, and we have held Category 1 status (the highest level of school performance) for six consecutive years. Inspectors praised our high expectations, exceptional personal development offer, strong safeguarding culture, and the positive relationships between leaders and staff. Notably, 100% of staff completing the Ofsted questionnaire said they were happy working at EDA.

We’d Love to Meet You!

Prospective candidate visits with the Headteacher are welcomed and can be arranged via the contact details below. Tour slots: 12:40pm, Thursday 24th or 11:40am, Monday 28th September.

Further Information

Further information about the Academy can be found at: https://www.eda.staffs.sch.uk/

This position is suitable for ECTs.

Primitas Learning Partnership is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. As such this post is subject to a ‘disclosure’ check under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and satisfactory Enhanced DBS check, Online Search and references.

Further details regarding this check are available from schools or by visiting www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service. A copy of the school’s Safeguarding Policy can be found on our website. You will also be required to provide proof of eligibility to work in the UK, evidence of your qualifications and suitable references.

OUR HISTORY DEPARTMENT

History Curriculum (Key Stages 3 and 4)

We follow a bespoke Learning Journey in English which covers a range of topics such as Roman England, Medieval England, Tudor England, the Industrial Revolution and both 20th and 21st Century History. In Year 7-9 we have a scheme of learning which we have designed to be ambitious, challenging and engaging. In Years 7-9 students have 4 hours of History over a fortnight to build up their historical knowledge. In Year 10-11 students have 6 hours of History over a fortnight and follow AQA 8145 GSCE specification. This involves them focusing on Health and the People Through Time, Germany 189-1945, The Cold War 1945-1972 and Elizabethan England 1485-1603. These all build upon topics covered in Key Stage 3 and allow students to delve deeper into the periods they’ve previously looked at.

Extra-curricular Opportunities

In the past, we have organised a trip for GCSE students to Thackaray Medical Museum and Hardwick Hall to support their understanding ahead of their GCSE site study exam question. We hope to continue to offer further extra-curricular opportunities over time.

Facilities

The History Department has 2 dedicated classrooms, each with a projector, Smart Board/Smart TV and visualisers in each room. We have copies of all required texts. To help support with planning and workload, the History Department has a dedicated History Shared Drive for the development of resources.

Staffing

Our current History Team consists of the following staff:

Mr Christopher Shelton (Subject Leader of History), Mrs Jessica Whelan (Teacher of History and Head of House), Mrs Amy Killops (Teacher of History)