Teacher of Physical Education, St Kentigerns Academy, 474.80

Job Description

The Role

Are you an inspiring and dedicated educator with a passion for Physical Education? St. Kentigern's Academy is seeking a dynamic teacher to become a vital part of our thriving Faculty of Performing Arts & PE. Our PE department is known for its success and popularity, offering a range of PE subjects at all levels including Advanced Higher, along with Level 6 Exercise & Fitness, and Level 7 Refereeing. While experience in teaching these subjects is an advantage, it's not a requirement; we welcome all enthusiastic qualified teachers to apply. Join our team and make a difference in the lives of our students.

The School

St Kentigern’s Academy, a Catholic secondary school situated in Blackburn, serves the west of West Lothian. Our catchment area boasts a strong community spirit and proudly retains traces of its mining cultural heritage. As one of West Lothian's three denominational schools, we work closely with nine associated primary schools. In the 2023-2024 academic year, our S1 comprises students from a remarkable twenty-two primary schools, creating a diverse and inclusive learning environment.

Currently, our school roll stands at 1285 students, supported by 94 full-time equivalent teaching staff, including those dedicated to assisting students with additional learning needs. Our departments operate under the guidance of Principal Teachers, each responsible for a specific curricular area. For the 2023/24 session, our free meal entitlement (FME) is at 18.5%. St Kentigern’s Academy is proud to offer various support units, including an integrated Autism Support Unit (Multi-Study), a Learning Base, a Nurture Base, and both an Employability and a Health & Wellbeing Hub.

Our school enjoys an excellent reputation in the local community, with students known for their high standards of conduct and confidence, including a commitment to wearing the full school uniform. Beyond the formal curriculum, we provide a wide array of extracurricular and out-of-hours activities. Our parents actively support the school, as evidenced by strong attendance at parents' evenings and robust engagement in information and consultation exercises.

At St Kentigern’s Academy, we understand that the curriculum isn't just about 'what' students learn but also 'how' they learn. We prioritise the student experience and embrace flexibility to ensure our students succeed in exams and personal achievement pathways.

Aims

To cultivate a Christian community built on mutual respect, fairness, and support to help each member achieve their fullest potential.

To promote the highest standards of achievement and attainment for all our students.

To provide a supportive learning and teaching environment with an effective curriculum, nurturing each young person academically, spiritually, and socially.

To encourage young people to develop as responsible citizens, successful learners, effective contributors, and confident individuals.

To foster effective communication and partnership between school, home, parish, and the groups and agencies supporting our school.

To empower young people to actively engage in their community and encourage participation by parents and the broader community in the school's life and work.

To address inequalities stemming from poverty and ensure equity for all our students.

 

Requirements

The current priorities for session 2023-2024 are:

• Further develop our approaches to support improvements in students' health and wellbeing.
• Raising attainment for all, with a particular focus on literacy and numeracy.
• Increasing student attainment while ensuring equity and addressing the poverty-related attainment gap.
• Expanding our curriculum, including enhancements in employability skills leading to positive school leaver destinations for all young people.
• Continuing to improve the quality of the learners' experiences.

We are keen to employ a diverse workforce that reflects the people of Scotland. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and particularly from groups currently under-represented, including people with disabilities, those from minority ethnic communities or from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds

West Lothian Council are committed to far reaching changes to the way we deliver our Education Services. These changes include giving you the support and environment that you need to get on with your job and develop your abilities. Our dedication is demonstrated by the whole council achievement of the Investors in People Standard and always aiming a little higher in our service delivery and improvements.

A relevant teaching qualification and registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland is essential.

This post is considered Regulated Work with Vulnerable Children and/or Protected Adults, under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. Successful candidates will be required to join the Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme Update check prior to commencing employment and the cost will be met by the candidate.

The fee for a Full PVG Scheme Membership is £59 or Existing Member is £18.