Trust Director of Science Full Time

This role requires you to teach at your ‘home’ academy for four days a week, with one day a week supporting other secondary schools. If selected for interview, a discussion will take place regarding the most suitable ‘home’ academy. The secondary schools currently with our Trust are Royds Hall, Shelley College, Thornhill Community Academy, Todmorden High School, Whitcliffe Mount.

Overall Purpose And Description Of The Role

• To support leaders to deliver our trust’s strategic objectives, values, and commitment to staff wellbeing and development, as described in our commitment to “Valuing People, Supporting Personal Best”.
• To work collaboratively with the Headteachers, Assistant Trust Director of Science, Heads of Science, and other postholders to lead and support the delivery of high-quality teaching and learning across the science faculties, within the trust and other partner schools. The postholder will play a key role in driving improvements in student outcomes, curriculum development, and staff professional development, in line with the trust ethos and strategic priorities.

This role offers exceptional preparation for progression to the highest levels of senior leadership. The postholder will work as part of our outstanding Trust Improvement Team, which has been instrumental in securing significant and sustained improvements in standards across schools.

Key Responsibilities & Specifications

Strategic Leadership

• Help establish and sustain the trust’s ethos and strategic direction.
• Develop policies and strategies to support the highest standards of behaviour and attendance, in consultation with appropriate members of the school’s and trust’s community.
• Contribute to the creation of a culture where pupils experience a positive and enriching school life.
• Uphold ambitious educational standards which prepare pupils from all backgrounds for their next phase of education and life.
• Promote positive and respectful relationships across the trust community and a safe, orderly and inclusive environment.
• Ensure a culture of high staff professionalism.
• Ensure the protection and safety of pupils and staff through effective approaches to safeguarding as part of the duty of care.

Teaching and curriculum

• Establish and sustain high-quality, expert science teaching, built on an evidence-informed understanding of effective teaching and how pupils learn.
• Ensure teaching is underpinned by high levels of subject expertise and approaches which respect the distinct nature of subject disciplines or specialist domains.
• Establish a broad, structured and coherent curriculum entitlement which sets out the knowledge, skills and values that will be taught.
• Establish effective curricular leadership in science, developing subject leaders with high levels of relevant expertise with access to professional networks and communities.
• Ensure valid, reliable and proportionate approaches are used when assessing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the curriculum.

Behaviour

• Establish and sustain high expectations of behaviour for all pupils, built upon relationships, rules and routines, which are understood clearly by all staff and pupils.
• Support the establishment of high standards of pupil behaviour and courteous conduct, in accordance with the trust’s behaviour policy.
• Implement consistent, fair and respectful approaches to managing behaviour.
• Help ensure that adults within the trust, model and teach the behaviour of a good citizen.

Additional And Special Educational Needs And Disabilities

• Ensure the trust holds ambitious expectations for all pupils with additional and special educational needs and disabilities.
• Help establish and sustain culture and practices that enable pupils to access the curriculum and learn effectively.
• Contribute to working effectively in partnership with parents, carers and professionals, to identify the additional needs and special educational needs and disabilities of pupils, providing support and adaptation where appropriate.
• Contribute to the trust’s obligation to fulfil its statutory duties with regard to the SEND code of practice.

Working in partnership

• Forge constructive relationships beyond the school, working in partnership with parents, carers and the local community.
• Work successfully with other schools, particularly other trust academies or RISE partner schools in a climate of mutual challenge and support.
• Establish and maintain working relationships with fellow professionals and colleagues across other public services to improve educational outcomes for all pupils.

Governance and accountability

• Understand and welcome the role of effective governance, upholding an obligation to give account and accept responsibility.
• Provide reports and attend meetings that enable trustees or governing bodies to fulfil their statutory and strategic responsibilities.
• Where required, develop a professional working relationship with trustees and/or local governors.
• Ensure your staff teams or teams you are supporting externally know and understand their professional responsibilities and are held to account or teams you are supporting externally.
• Help to ensure the trust effectively and efficiently operates within the required regulatory frameworks and meets all statutory duties.

Continuous school improvement

• Make use of effective and proportional processes of evaluation to identify and analyse complex or persistent problems and barriers which limit school effectiveness and identify priority areas for improvement.
• Develop appropriate evidence-informed strategies for improvement as part of well-targeted plans which are realistic, timely, appropriately sequenced and suited to the school’s context.
• Ensure careful and effective implementation of improvement strategies, which lead to sustained school improvement over time.

Professional development

• Deliver effective training, coaching and support for Science teachers and leaders, both in the trust and any external partner schools.
• Ensure staff have access to high-quality, sustained professional development opportunities, aligned to balance the priorities of trust-wide improvement, team and individual needs.
• Prioritise the professional development of staff, ensuring effective planning, delivery and evaluation which is consistent with the approaches laid out in the standard for teachers’ professional development.
• Ensure that professional development opportunities draw on expert provision from beyond the school, as well as within it, including nationally recognised career and professional frameworks and programmes to build capacity and support succession planning.

Ethics and Professional Conduct

Role

All staff are expected to uphold consistently high standards of ethical and professional behaviour. In your role, you must demonstrate integrity, accountability, and leadership in line with the Seven Principles of Public Life:

Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty, Leadership

As a Representative Of The Trust, The Postholder Must

• Build respectful, professional relationships and maintain appropriate boundaries.
• Show tolerance and respect for others, embracing cultural diversity.
• Uphold fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect.
• Ensure personal beliefs do not influence or compromise professional responsibilities.

In your role in the Trust, you are expected to:

• Act in the best interests of the trust and its community.
• Model ethical behaviour and professionalism.
• Accept accountability and operate within relevant statutory frameworks.
• Commit to ongoing professional development and contribute positively to the wider education system.
• Be attentive to potential discrepancies or concerns, and act with professional curiosity and healthy professional scepticism.
• Be aware of and follow the trust’s whistleblowing and reporting procedures, ensuring that safeguarding, integrity, and transparency are upheld at all times.

Other Requirements

• Commitment to the Trust’s values and objectives.
• Willingness to work flexibly and travel between schools, as required.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment.
• Expertise in Role Required (At selection – Level 1) – Essential.
• Undergraduate degree or equivalent and QTS.
• Can demonstrate commitment to an educational vision and values which are in line with those of the trust.
• Successful experience as a science leader or equivalent position.
• Highly effective subject teacher, able to model good practice to fellow professionals.
• Able to build warm, positive but professional working relationships with a wide range of colleagues with a broad range of emotional and professional needs.
• Strong track record in securing the best possible outcomes for students in science.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Able to communicate effectively with different groups, including pupils, parents and staff.
• Possesses a strong understanding of how to keep children safe in education.
• Able to multi-task and manage time effectively.
• Can demonstrate a high degree of cultural awareness.
• Evidence of recent and relevant professional development.

Other (Physical, Mobility, Local Conditions) – Essential

• Has the ability to travel around the trust area (and, occasionally, other UK locations).
• Is willing to work flexibly within scope of overall hours, e.g. occasional evening meetings.
• Has a full current UK Driving Licence.
• Has access to a motor vehicle and is prepared to use it for business purposes.

For more information and to apply, please visit our vacancies page.

Closing date: 8:00am on Tuesday, 5th May 2026.

Interview date: Thursday, 14th May 2026 (at Royds Hall School).

This post requires the post holder to work in settings with children and young adults. Any employment offer is therefore subject to the results of an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). People who may have contact with younger children (i.e. primary school age) are also required to complete a declaration about family or other members of their household.