Teacher of Religious Education

Unity Schools Partnership; Felixstowe; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Two-week half-term

Employee Assistance

Wellbeing supervision

EV salary sacrifice

Cycle to Work

Job summary

Unity Schools Partnership is seeking a Teacher of Religious Education (Maternity Cover) at Felixstowe School from January 2027. The role is 0.6–1 FTE and suits an experienced teacher or an Early Career Teacher with strong support and a welcoming team.

You will bring passion for RE, encourage thoughtful questions, and help students explore beliefs and ethical questions within a broad, aspirational curriculum. The school supports professional growth and values inclusive, reflective practice.

Qualifications

• Loves Religious Education and wants students to engage seriously with beliefs, values and ideas.
• Brings curiosity and enjoys exploring complex questions.
• Maintains high expectations for student learning and progress.
• Acts as a team player and collaborates with colleagues.
• Believes in inclusive teaching that invites all backgrounds to participate.
• Open to coaching, development, and reflective practice.

Responsibilities

• Teach engaging and ambitious Religious Education lessons across the age and ability range.
• Develop students' knowledge of religious and non-religious worldviews.
• Encourage thoughtful discussion, critical thinking and respectful debate.
• Help students explore significant philosophical, moral and ethical questions.
• Assess students' understanding and use findings to support progress.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to strengthen the curriculum.
• Contribute positively to the wider life of the school.
• Benefit from shared planning and professional development to grow as a teacher.

Skills

Passion for RE

Curiosity

High expectations

Team player

Inclusion

Willingness to learn/coachable

Job description

Teacher of Religious Education (Maternity Cover)

Felixstowe School

Contract: Temporary (maternity cover), 0.6 - 1FTE

Start date: January 2027

Great students. A strong and ambitious curriculum. A brilliant place to begin, or continue, your Religious Education teaching career.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, thoughtful and committed Teacher of Religious Education to join Felixstowe School from January 2027 on a maternity-cover basis. This post would suit an experienced teacher, but it would also be an excellent opportunity for an Early Career Teacher who wants strong support, a welcoming team and the chance to make a visible contribution to school life.

Religious Education is an important part of our curriculum, helping students explore beliefs, values and ethical questions while developing the knowledge and confidence to engage respectfully with different perspectives. This is an exciting time to join Felixstowe School. We continue to strengthen the quality and ambition of our curriculum, and we want Religious Education to make a distinctive contribution to students' academic development, personal growth and understanding of the wider world.

We want someone who will bring the subject to life. Someone who will encourage students to ask thoughtful questions, test ideas and communicate their views with clarity and respect. Someone who understands that excellent Religious Education is about more than acquiring knowledge: it helps young people think critically, understand the experiences of others and participate thoughtfully in a diverse society. You do not need to arrive with every answer. You need to love your subject, care about young people and want to keep getting better. If you are early in your career, we will support you to grow. If you are more experienced, we will value the knowledge and ideas you bring to the team.

About Religious

Education at Felixstowe Religious Education is taught as part of our broad and balanced curriculum. Students develop secure subject knowledge and consider significant religious, philosophical and ethical questions through carefully sequenced learning. We want our maternity-cover teacher to maintain high expectations, deliver the established curriculum confidently and ensure students continue to make strong progress.

You will:

• teach engaging and ambitious Religious Education lessons across the age and ability range
• develop students' knowledge of religious and non-religious worldviews
• encourage thoughtful discussion, critical thinking and respectful debate
• help students explore significant philosophical, moral and ethical questions
• assess students' understanding accurately and use this to support their progress
• work collaboratively with colleagues to deliver and further strengthen the curriculum
• contribute positively to the wider life of the school
• be supported through shared planning, professional development and, if relevant, a strong ECT programme so that you can focus on becoming an excellent classroom teacher

Who are we looking for?

• Loves Religious Education. You understand the difference an excellent Religious Education can make and want students to engage seriously with beliefs, values and ideas.
• Brings curiosity. You enjoy exploring complex questions and help students listen, reflect and respond thoughtfully.
• Has high expectations. You believe students can develop secure knowledge, think deeply and communicate their ideas with clarity.
• Is a team player. You will enjoy collaborating with colleagues and contributing positively to school life.
• Believes in inclusion. You will create a classroom in which students from all backgrounds can participate, ask questions and encounter different perspectives respectfully.
• Most of all, we are looking for someone who wants to keep learning. That matters whether you are an experienced teacher or an ECT. We want colleagues who are reflective, ambitious for students and open to being coached, supported and developed.

Why Felixstowe School?

Felixstowe School is changing quickly and ambitiously. In June 2024, we were judged Good in all areas by Ofsted — the first Good judgement in the school’s history. It was an important milestone, but not a destination. We are proud of the opportunities our students now experience, both inside and beyond the classroom. We are continuing to strengthen the quality and ambition of our curriculum so that every subject makes a distinctive contribution to students' knowledge, character and understanding of the wider world. We are a school that believes young people should leave us with more than examination results. We want them to have questioned, explored, contributed, developed confidence and discovered what they are capable of. Our values are simple: Inspiration – Aim high Influence – Work hard Integrity – Be kind

For the right Religious Education teacher, this maternity-cover post is an opportunity to join a supportive school, teach an important subject and make a meaningful contribution to students' education. We also want Felixstowe to be a good place to develop as a teacher. Colleagues benefit from shared curriculum resources, sensible and proportionate approaches to feedback, excellent professional development and opportunities across Unity Schools Partnership, including access to Teaching School Hub and Research School expertise.

Our wider staff offer includes:

• a two-week October half‑term
• an Employee Assistance Programme
• monthly professional supervision through OM Health and Wellbeing funded by the school
• a salary‑sacrifice electric vehicle scheme
• a Cycle to Work scheme

Interview date: 20 October 2026

Please note: We may interview as applications are received and may appoint before the closing date. Applications must be submitted online via our careers website before the deadline, so we encourage early applications and advise checking the job details on our site.

In line with safer recruitment, we cannot accept CVs. Incomplete application forms may result in candidates not being shortlisted.

Unity Schools Partnership is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils. All successful candidates will be subject to rigorous pre‑employment checks, including an enhanced DBS. We are also committed to equality, diversity and fair recruitment practices, and we oppose all forms of unlawful discrimination.

We value inclusive working practices and diverse teams. If you wish to work part‑time or as a job‑share, we will accommodate this wherever possible. We particularly welcome applications from under‑represented groups.