Salary: £40,317 - £62,496 p/a (Inner London Teachers Main Pay Scale/Upper Pay Scale) + SEN 1 Allowance
Location: Nightingale Community Academy, Beechcroft road, London, SW17 7DF
Start Date: September 2026
Nightingale Community Academy is a special school in Wandsworth, providing education for boys aged between 5 to 19 with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. Our primary pupils benefit from a purpose-built classroom hub, an outdoor adventure playground, weekly music lessons, and a comprehensive therapy service. Secondary and post-16 students have access to a broad curriculum, including vocational courses such as motor vehicle studies, construction, horticulture, and hospitality. All pupils also enjoy regular animal therapy sessions at Tom's Farm, located on our expansive school grounds.
Staff at Nightingale Community Academy take pride in the development of young people in a safe and stimulating environment and are offered a rewarding and varied career in return.
We are seeking an enthusiastic, creative and dedicated Food Technology Teacher to join our team. The successful candidate will play a key role in delivering engaging and practical learning experiences that develop learners' independence, confidence and essential life skills. Working within our specialist setting, you will create a safe, nurturing and inclusive learning environment that supports pupils with SEMH needs to achieve positive outcomes and prepare successfully for adulthood, further education, training and employment.
Key Responsibilities
• Plan and deliver engaging, differentiated Food Technology lessons in line with curriculum requirements.
• Promote independence, healthy living, practical cooking skills and employability skills.
• Ensure safe practice and effective management of food hygiene and health and safety requirements.
• Use a range of teaching strategies to engage and motivate learners with SEMH needs.
• Support positive behaviour using trauma-informed and relational approaches.
• Assess and monitor learner progress and contribute to EHCP reviews and target setting.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, families and external professionals to support learner achievement and successful transitions.
Key Requirements
• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
• Experience teaching Food Technology within a school setting.
• Strong subject knowledge and understanding of practical and vocational learning.
• Passion for supporting pupils with SEMH and SEND needs.
• Strong classroom and behaviour management skills.
• Ability to build positive relationships with learners, families and colleagues.
• Commitment to safeguarding, inclusion and professional development.
OHCAT is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:
Rewards & Benefits:
Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme, Employee Car Lease Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme)
• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme
• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)
Find out what makes Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust a truly rewarding place to work - visit our ‘Work for Us’ page to hear from our Chief Executive Officer, Ian Valvona, and watch inspiring messages from students and parents about the difference our staff make every day.
Our Trust
Nightingale Community Academy is part of Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust. We are a family of specialist education providers from pre-school through to further education across London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire and fully represent all designations of special education needs and disabilities (SEND). To find out more about us, and what makes us a special place to work please visit our website.
We are committed to promoting and advancing equality of opportunity by attracting and retaining the most diverse range of students, staff and partners.
Working together to transform lives is what we do and across the whole organisation we have a range of experts and practitioners who advocate for children and young people with SEND to ensure they receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential.
As a large specialist education provider we employ over 1500 people across our schools, college and central support team. There is a wide range of job roles available, ranging from teaching and therapy to business support roles and significant career progression opportunities.
It is an exciting time to be part of OHCAT and we are keen to recruit talented people who can play a key role in realising our mission and who want to make a difference. In return, we offer training and development, competitive pay and benefits in a positive and inclusive working environment.
If you wish to discuss this opportunity before or after submitting an application form, please get in touch with the School directly. Visits to the School in advance of applications are encouraged.
Your application form will be scored according to each of the requirements laid out in the person specification for this role. Please demonstrate in your statement how your experience, skills and knowledge match the criteria that are required for the role.
To apply for this role, please click ‘Fast Apply’, you will then be directed to a ‘Login’ page, once signed in, please complete and submit the Application Form.
Please note that CV applications cannot be considered.
Closing Date: 18th June 2026
Interviews will take place on: The week commencing 22nd June 2026