Kennet School
West Berkshire, United Kingdom
About Kennet School
Welcome to Kennet School’s Career Site
Explore what makes Kennet School a unique and rewarding place to build your career. Here, you’ll find all the details on our values, culture and current vacancies.
Our Vision and Beliefs
At Kennet School, learning is at the heart of everything we do. Whilst many schools make this claim, for us, it’s a defining principle that guides our approach every day. Kennet is a vibrant, supportive and purposeful place to work, offering diverse career opportunities across a wide range of roles. Our staff includes forward-thinking, creative educators who are genuinely passionate about their subjects. Our motto, Excellence through Endeavour, isn’t just for our pupils; it’s a guiding value for our entire community.
We value a welcoming and rewarding atmosphere, reflected in the number of staff who progress into leadership roles or return to Kennet after gaining experience elsewhere. Staff at Kennet live by educationalist Dylan Wiliam’s mantra: "If we create a culture where every teacher believes they need to improve, not because they aren’t good enough but because they could be even better, there is no limit to what we can achieve."
Our History
Founded in 1957, Kennet School has grown into a vibrant, ambitious 11-18 comprehensive school. Today, we serve around 1,800 pupils, with a thriving Sixth Form of approximately 350 students. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in numerous awards and accreditations, including Artsmark Platinum, Exceptional Schools Award, Music Mark School, and the Sandwell Well-Being Charter Mark, which focuses on the mental health and well-being across our organisation.
Commitment to Professional Growth
Kennet School is dedicated to cultivating professional growth, investing in our staff with development resources far above the national average. From NPQs and Leadership apprenticeships to MA programmes, we are committed to helping every team member reach their full potential.
Our new staff and Early Career Teacher (ECT) programmes are tailored to individual needs, offering mentorship, shadowing opportunities and exposure to diverse school roles. As the local cluster lead for ECT training in partnership with UCL, we provide dedicated weekly mentor meetings and at least three professional development sessions each half term.
Benefits
- High quality professional growth programmes and clear opportunities for progression
- Supportive culture with lesson observation and coaching
- Career support tailored to all levels of experience
- State-of-the-art facilities and resources
- Discount at our onsite Leisure Centre
- Cycle to Work scheme
- FREE access to Office 365 & Adobe Creative Cloud
- FREE IT training courses
- Discounted vehicle breakdown cover
- Childcare support
But don't just take our word for it... read the quotes below and take some time out to watch our recruitment video and hear firsthand what it is like to work at Kennet.
Recruitment Process
We are seeking to secure the best possible teachers for our school and so will usually interview within a week of the closing date. Interview schedules vary depending on role and subject but full details will be sent to candidates following shortlisting. All interviews include a tour of the school site and an opportunity to meet key staff members.
Speculative Enquiries and Visits
As an outward looking organisation, we are always keen to have conversations with teachers about their careers and potential opportunities at Kennet. Equally, if you have seen a vacancy and are considering an application, we would encourage you to come and see the school in action. For more information contact Mrs Cambridge (Head's PA) on scambridge@kennetschool.co.uk.
Further Information
Location
Working at Kennet School means being part of a team that truly cares. From the supportive staff to the motivated pupils, each day here is both rewarding and full of purpose.
- English Teacher (2024)Kennet has a fantastic sense of community. As a non-teaching staff member, I feel fully supported and appreciated, and it’s rewarding to see the positive impact we all make on pupils’ experiences.
- School Administrator (2024)I love the opportunities that Kennet has to offer our pupils and how engaged they are in these. The joy of all the performances we put on in the school is a pleasure to witness. The staff at Kennet are enthusiastic and always willing to develop their own practices. The teams of staff that I directly work with are fantastic and make the job so much easier and I always leave work feeling supported.
- Head of House (2024)Kennet is a happy and vibrant place to work. A great group of pupils and staff, excellent facilities and the opportunity to get involved.
- Science Teacher at Kennet (2021)What I love about working at Kennet is the culture of collaborative working. This has allowed me to develop both as a teacher but also as a person.
- Head of Business & Economics at Kennet (2021)I love the sense of community at Kennet. The joyful devotion of the staff is matched by the infectious zest of the pupils.
- Newly Qualified English Teacher (2021)The pupils and parents have a real passion and enthusiasm for learning, enabling a positive environment!
- Assistant Headteacher at Kennet (2021)
