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Subject Leader for Food and Nutrition

Subject Leader for Food and Nutrition

Downsend School

Surrey

  • New
Job type:
Full Time, Maternity Cover
Start date:
March 2025
Apply by:
9 December 2024

Job overview

About the School - Downsend - Main

Downsend is an innovative and forward-thinking independent school, with a new vision; to inspire a generation to embrace the future, shaping incredible people who will make change in our world.

At Downsend, we prepare our young people for the future with a creative and problem-solving approach. We think big, we celebrate innovation, and we never hold back.

We are delighted to announce that all four schools in the Downsend family have been judged to be ‘excellent in all areas’ by the Independent School Inspectorate.

The school now has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Subject Leader for Food and Nutrition to join our fantastic team as Maternity Cover. This role will be needed for a year beginning March 2025.


About Cognita

Cognita is a global leader in independent education. Founded in 2004, we are a growing community of 100+ schools in 16 countries - in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East - serving more than 85,000 students. Each of our schools are proudly unique, however our collective purpose is to create an environment where everyone can, ‘Thrive in a rapidly evolving world’.

At Cognita, we know every student is unique. We nurture their distinct personalities and strengths. We support them academically, socially, and emotionally, wherever they are in the world, wherever they’re starting from. And each and every one of our schools is unique too. 

We protect what’s special about them, while offering them rich knowledge, opportunities, and best practices. And they get to be part of something bigger. We open their classrooms to the collective wisdom of over 100 schools in 16 countries, ensuring every child gets an education that’s, quite literally, world class.

It’s an individual approach that empowers every school, teacher and student to focus on what they do best and thrive.


About the role

As the Subject Leader for Food and Nutrition, you will work collaboratively with the Head of Art and Design Technology (ADT) to lead and promote the teaching of Food and Nutrition. This role will involve teaching and learning duties across KS2, 3 and 4, leadership and management of the Food Technology curriculum, standards and quality assurance to support the aims and ethos of the school, assessment and reporting and Health and Safety compliance.

To view the full job description, click here.


Who we are looking for: 

  • A good Honours graduate
  • Qualified Teacher Status
  • An outstanding and dynamic teacher with strong leadership skills and a proven track record of success at GCSE level  
  • Excellent communication skills (oral, written and use of ICT)
  • Outstanding organisational and administrative skills
  •  Postgraduate degree in relevant subject area (desirable)
  • Ability to also teach Art, DT, Graphics or Textiles (desirable)


Benefits at Cognita 

  • Competitive salary depending upon qualifications and experience 
  • Teacher’s Pension
  • Free lunch provided during Term Time 
  • School holidays and public holidays
  • Free parking on site (subject to availability) 
  • School fee discount 
  • Exclusive third-party discounts 
  • Professional Development 


How to Apply

Complete this application before the closing date. The Closing Date for Applications is: Monday 9th December 2024.

Cognita Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers and other third parties to share this commitment. Safer recruitment practice and pre-employment background checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. 

We are an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity and treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of background.

EARLY APPLICATIONS ARE ENCOURAGED, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO INTERVIEW AND APPOINT PRIOR TO CLOSING DATE FOR THE RIGHT APPLICANT.

About Downsend School

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+44 1372 385430

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Introduction

At Downsend, we prepare children for the future with a creative and problem-solving approach to learning that not only inspires young minds, but fosters bravery, sparks imagination, celebrates innovation and creates opportunity every day.

From nursery through to GCSEs, we provide the skills, motivation and inspiration for our students to be successful throughout their school journey and far beyond.

We have three Little Downsend locations in Ashtead, Epsom and Leatherhead. Each teaches children from the age of two to six. All the Little Downsend sites are overseen by the Head of Little Downsend, Mrs Lisa Burns, who instils the same ethos, high standards and innovative curriculum across each school through her dedicated team of experts.

The main school is located in Leatherhead and continues the same innovative, creative and academically excellent curriculum from Year 2 to Year 11 under the inspiring headship of Mr Ian Thorpe. Over the last 2 years, Downsend has benefited from an £8m investment in brand new flexible teaching spaces and our cutting edge Creative Arts Centre opened summer 2022. Last year we added Modern Foreign Languages block consisting of 5 contemporary classrooms.

Our ‘Inspiring Young Minds’ philosophy pervades all four schools and has resulted in some really creative teaching and learning initiatives across the schools, as well as fantastic enrichment opportunities, such as our tailor-made Stretch Programme.

The core curriculum provides a solid framework, preparing children well for their educational journey through Downsend. We achieve amazing success at all levels academically, and we are delighted for our first cohort of Year 11 pupils who have achieved remarkable results last year. As the first cohort to undertake a full set of GCSEs at Downsend since becoming a through-school, they mark a momentous day both personally, and for the School. We are delighted by their results, which are a testament to their hard work. With 100 % of all pupils securing the grades required for their first-choice onward destination.

It is the school's broader curriculum and strong pastoral support that particularly sets us apart, with an emphasis on practical subjects such as STEAM, Computing, Design Technology, Drama, Textiles and Food Technology.

The sporting programme offers scope for nearly every child to represent the school, with strong results achieved in both county and national competitions. The school’s huge range of clubs, with more than 50 activities on offer each week, further enhances the schedule.

The active programme continues into the school holidays when Downsend+ takes over. Children have the opportunity to participate in horse riding, rock climbing, scuba diving, fashion design or any of the other activities that are on offer throughout the holiday weeks. The school also offers Downsend Early Years+, for younger girls and boys age 2 to 5, at Little Downsend Leatherhead. Combined with term time schooling, Downsend can offer 50 week provision for working parents.

We are an incredibly friendly and supportive staff and we are looking for the right people to join us. So, if you are a great practitioner with a level of creativity and innovation to your teaching, would relish contributing to the extra-curricular life of school, are ambitious, and are happy to challenge and be challenged in a positive way for better outcomes for the children, then we want to hear from you.

Additional Benefits

· Free on-site parking

· Good road and rail transport links and proximity to London

· School Fee remission after qualifying period

· Childcare voucher scheme in operation

· Holiday club discount

· Free lunch available

Benefits of being a Cognita School

Cognita is an international group with over 90 schools in Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Asia, we employ 15,000+ teaching and support staff in the care and education of more than 60,000 students.

Teaching excellence represents everything we stand for at Cognita. We’re committed to hiring and retaining outstanding talent: teachers and school leaders who are passionate about their craft as well as functional leaders and professionals in our Head and Regional offices who can take the business forward.

We are looking for people who want to make a positive difference to children’s lives, who can help us stretch and support children to achieve beyond expectation.

Our diverse portfolio of schools and Regional Offices, combined with our ongoing investment in the professional development of our people, means we can offer first-class career opportunities with a global dimension. If you want to take your career further, we want to support you in achieving that goal within Cognita. www.cognita.com

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