Ark
Head of Religion and Philosophy

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Head of Religion and Philosophy
Salary: £41,328 - £65,000
Start Date: September 2027 - but earlier start dates will be considered
Location: Acton, London – a five-minute walk from Acton Town tube station
Term: Permanent, Full-time
About the role:
Ark Soane Academy is an Ofsted outstanding secondary school located in Acton. Our 2021 founding cohort sat their GCSEs in 2026, and achieved outstanding results, with 90% of our pupils achieving a 4 or above in English and Maths. We opened our A-level provision in September 2026 and there are now 1,000 pupils enrolled from Years 7-12.
The Religion and Philosophy department achieved a value add score of +2.2, with an average grade of 7.2. We are looking for an exceptional teacher to lead the hugely successful Religion and Philosophy department at Ark Soane, who cares deeply about the pupils they teach and are prepared to hold pupils to account with strictness and warmth while teaching a knowledge-rich curriculum.
The successful candidate will embed the school vision and support the refinement and introduction of a Religion and Philosophy A level for the next school year. The successful candidate should have a love and knowledge of the six major world religions, especially Christianity and Islam, alongside a passion for the direct teaching of core knowledge.
For more information about our school, please visit: www.arksoane.org. To arrange a confidential conversation with the Principal about a role in the school, please contact HR (hr@arksoane.org) or phone 02074308876.
Benefits
Leaders at Soane prevent unnecessary demands on teacher time – meetings, marking and administrative tasks are minimised to ensure teachers can be highly effective. The curriculum and resourcing ensure that teachers rarely plan alone: staff time is used where it is most valuable: working as a team to implement the curriculum for the stud ents in our classrooms.
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We have a truly open-door culture where frequent low-stakes feedback is the norm. We value the input of all of our staff and collaborate to ensure the academy continues to improve as it expands. We frequently host teams of domestic and international educators who come to learn from us and help us shape our provision.
- Twice as many training days as standard
- Weekly staff training designed to meet the needs of the school
- Coaching for every teacher
- Protected co-planning time
- Access to high-quality, regular professional development
Find out more about the benefits of working for Ark at arkonline.org/careers/why-work-with-us/
Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer.
About Us
We are a new secondary school in Acton which opened in 2021. We will have 720 students in Years 7- 10 from September 2024 and will be launching our GCSE programmes for the first time.
Ark Soane seeks to redefine what is possible in education. Our model is “simplicity delivered expertly”: by delivering an immaculately planned and highly academic curriculum exceptionally well; and by providing our students with a compelling aspiration-raising ethos we seek to transform the future of students in a highly deprived community.
Behaviour at Soane is exemplary enabling you to deliver exceptional lessons. Students are entirely bought-in to the values and ethos of the school and know that they are fortunate to attend a school where the quality of education is exceptional and where love, warmth, respect and the highest standards permeate every interaction. Students are a pleasure to teach and you can always expect a “thank you miss” when students leave your classroom.


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Diversity and inclusion:
We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone – staff and students – can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark’s diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on this link.
Safeguarding statement:
Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.
Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please click this link.
Please note we will be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this role may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response. We strongly encourage to submit your application at your earliest convenience.
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