Teacher of Art, Design & Technology

“Pupils and staff enjoy belonging to a vibrant school community where caring, respectful relationships are the norm” – Ofsted (January 2024)

We are delighted to invite applications for the post of Teacher of Art, Design & Technology at King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy, to take up post from September 2026. Our academy was graded ‘Good’ in all four areas by Ofsted (January 2024), reflecting the strength of our provision and the dedication of our staff. We are seeking a highly effective, committed and passionate practitioner who can inspire and engage pupils through their teaching of Art, Design & Technology. This is an exciting opportunity for either an experienced teacher or an Early Career Teacher (ECT) to join a well-established and supportive team. You will teach across Key Stages 3 and 4, with a particular focus on Resistant Materials, alongside contributing to the wider Creative Arts provision. At Key Stage 3, pupils experience a broad and engaging curriculum including Textiles, Graphics, Food Technology and Resistant Materials. At Key Stage 4, we offer a range of GCSE courses including Art and Design, Textiles, Photography and 3D Art/Craft. The Creative Arts faculty plays a vital role in equipping pupils with the skills, creativity and confidence to progress into further education and the world of work.

We are looking for a practitioner who:

• Has strong subject knowledge and a clear understanding of the Design Technology curriculum
• Is passionate about delivering high-quality teaching that inspires and motivates all learners
• Is bold in their approach to teaching and learning, ensuring all pupils feel challenged and supported
• Is ambitious in driving high standards and improving outcomes year-on-year
• Is collaborative, working effectively with colleagues to share practice and secure the best outcomes for pupils
• Is kind, placing relationships and wellbeing at the heart of their practice.

You will be joining a small, supportive and values-driven community of Senior Leadership, Teaching and Support staff, where staff wellbeing is prioritised. As highlighted in our recent Ofsted report, “staff feel valued and appreciate how their workload and wellbeing are considered by leaders at all levels.” This role offers an excellent opportunity to develop your career within a forward-thinking academy committed to professional growth and high-quality teaching.

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy is a dynamic and forward-thinking school, recently recognised as the most improved school in the West Midlands and the fifth most-improved school in the country by the Fairer Schools Index (January 2025). We are also incredibly proud to be the first Birmingham City Academy School in conjunction with Birmingham City Football Club, fostering a unique and inspiring environment for our pupils.

We are incredibly proud of the journey our academy is on and we are looking forward to meeting other like-minded professionals who want the best outcomes for our pupils who “know staff have high expectations of them and want them to be successful.” Both staff and pupils are “rightly proud of how much Balaam Wood has improved over recent years” in which “daily life reflects the school’s values of being bold, ambitious, collaborative and kind.” We are looking forward to receiving your application and welcoming you to our vibrant community.

Who will you be joining?

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy is located in South West Birmingham. The academy is rapidly improving and continuing to benefit from having joined King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham which has led to investment across the academy, including the availability of cutting-edge technology in each classroom. King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy is proud to be part of The Schools of King Edward VI Birmingham which supports its schools, faculties/departments and individual staff to work collaboratively. The successful candidate will benefit from a wide range of professional development opportunities encompassing the potential to experience schools across the Foundation and to pursue professional qualifications. There will be opportunities to collaborate with other schools and to benefit from their expertise and resources.

Our expectations and aspirations

King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy has the highest aspirations and expectations for all members of its community. As a member of staff, you will be valued, challenged and supported in making a difference to the lives of our young people. We expect the same of our pupils. We demand courtesy, endeavour and resilience from all of our pupils and the support of their parents and carers.

We are exceptionally proud of our academy and our young people and would encourage interested applicants to come and spend some time with the leadership team to understand our shared vision, have a look around and experience what life is like as part of our community.

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Source: UK Teaching Vacancies Service (teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.