Head of Art

Are you a passionate and inspiring Art teacher ready to take the next step in your career? Do you have the vision, creativity and leadership skills to lead a thriving Art department and inspire the next generation of artists?

We are seeking an enthusiastic, ambitious and talented Head of Art to join one of the largest academies in Birmingham. This is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional practitioner to lead, develop and shape the delivery of Art across the academy, ensuring students are inspired to explore their creativity, develop their skills and achieve their full potential.

As Head of Art, you will provide strategic and day-to-day leadership of the Art department, driving high standards of teaching, learning and achievement. You will lead a dedicated team, develop an engaging and ambitious curriculum, and create a positive learning environment where creativity, individuality and artistic expression are encouraged.

You will be responsible for monitoring student progress, raising attainment and ensuring that all students, regardless of their starting points, have the opportunity to succeed. Through your leadership, you will inspire both students and colleagues to develop a genuine passion for Art and Design.

We are looking for a committed and forward-thinking professional who:

• Has a strong track record of delivering high-quality teaching and learning in Art.
• Can lead, motivate and inspire colleagues to achieve excellent outcomes.
• Has the ability to develop an engaging, challenging and inclusive Art curriculum.
• Uses assessment and student progress data effectively to raise standards.Is passionate about developing students’ creativity, confidence and artistic abilities.
• Has high expectations of behaviour, achievement and personal development.
• Is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Previous experience of leading a department, or the ambition and ability to take on a leadership role, will be highly valued.

Fortis Academy is more than a school. It is a thriving community where ambition, hard work, and opportunity come together. With a brand new, state of the art campus opening in 2030, Fortis is on track to become the largest academy in Birmingham, educating over 2,000 students from Year 11 to Sixth Form.

Our mission is simple: Enriching Lives. We develop confident, capable young people guided by our core values of character, resilience, and aspiration, which shape everything we do.

We offer a challenging, well-structured curriculum from GCSE to post 16 pathways, preparing students for further education, employment, and life beyond school. Every student is equipped with an iPad to support modern, flexible learning in school and at home.

Our success is driven by over 200 dedicated staff who are fully committed to supporting students and improving practice. Student wellbeing is central to life at Fortis, with strong support for mental health, confidence, and personal development. Our Sixth Form is one of Birmingham’s strongest, with a Value-Added score of 0.36 in 2026, enriched by opportunities that broaden horizons and build real world skills.

With outstanding facilities ahead and a growing community, Fortis Academy continues to inspire, support, and challenge every student to succeed.

All candidates are required to provide a supporting statement on the formal application forms which states clearly your reasons for applying, skills and experience for this position.

At Shaw Education Trust, we believe every role has the power to transform a life. Whether you’re supporting behind the scenes, inspiring in the classroom, or leading with vision, you will be part of something truly meaningful.

Our values—opportunity, integrity, community, and equity—guide everything we do. Our vision is “Opening doors to the world through the power of learning.” We bring this to life through our mission: working together to inspire communities where every school is valued, every voice matters, and every learner thrives.

We are a dynamic and growing family of primary, secondary, and special schools, proudly serving communities from Birmingham to Bury.

Our people are our greatest asset, and we are deeply committed to their development through high-quality training, apprenticeships, talent development programmes, and research opportunities, we empower our staff to thrive as skilled, confident professionals. We champion wellbeing, value every voice, and foster a culture where you feel supported, motivated, and inspired to make a real difference.

You will join a collaborative network of schools where shared expertise and a strong professional community drive success. Every academy within our Trust has an equal voice, and every colleague plays a vital role in shaping tailored learning experiences that raise aspirations and build brighter futures.

If you have the passion, dedication, and drive to help shape lives and create futures filled with promise, we would love you to join our team.

Together, let’s make the remarkable happen.

We believe every child has the potential to be extraordinary.

In our secondary schools, we pride ourselves on our innovative approach to curriculum design, to ensure all our schools have breadth and ambition for all students, regardless of their starting points and barriers. Standard curriculum models don’t always engage all students, so we constantly seek to innovate and provide better opportunities to develop both knowledge and skills for life. We want our students to believe their curriculum is bold, exciting, purposeful, and ultimately leads to something meaningful for them.

Shaw Education Trust offer the following employee benefits with your Teaching or Support Staff employment:

• An excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (Support Staff) / Teachers Pension (Teaching Staff)
• Support Staff only based on working full time, all year - Generous holiday entitlement from your first day of employment (37 days holiday rising to 39 days after 5 years’ service including Bank Holidays)
• Access to Medicash Health & Wellbeing Plan: Enjoy health services designed to support your well-being.
• Free DiscountForTeachers Scheme for all staff (Support and Teaching), Exclusive discounts to save money with a wide selection of discounts and exclusive offers from hundreds of the biggest brands.
• Free Eye Tests
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to our Institute of Education and fantastic opportunities to help you grow, contribute and flourish in your role and in the Trust.

We know our people are the key to our success and so we’re committed to ensuring the employment experience at Shaw Education Trust is a rewarding one.

Colleagues within the Trust benefit from: Access to a full range of courses both in-house and professionally accredited. These courses include a variety of the National Professional Qualifications and the Early Carer Teacher Programme delivered by Shaw Education Trust as a delivery partner for Ambition Institute.

• Experienced leadership and subject-specific support.
• Guidance from former HMIs and serving Ofsted Inspectors within the Trust.
• Access to the Trust’s Institute of Education and SCITT.
• Opportunities to work with different schools within the Trust as a Professional Advocate.
• Participating in peer reviews.
• Access to a suite of online courses.
• Placement projects within our family of schools.