Lead Practitioner in Science

Salary: Lead Practitioner Scale P1-P5 Contract: Full-time, permanent Start Date: September 2026 Why This Role is DifferentImagine a role where you don't just teach – you transform teaching. As our Lead Practitioner in Science, you'll be at the heart of educational innovation, working alongside a dynamic team of subject 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're not just another high-performing school (though our Progress 8 of +0.26 in 2024 and 81%+ achieving 4+ in English and Maths in 2025 speaks for itself). We're a community that genuinely invests in our staff: Your work-life balance matters to us: 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 science facilities to work with Your ImpactYou'll join our successful Science Faculty – a team of 13 staff who consistently deliver strong outcomes for pupils. But more importantly, you'll: Model excellence – demonstrate what outstanding Science teaching looks like across KS3-KS5 Develop others – coach and mentor colleagues using evidence-based approaches