Start Date: 1st September 2026 (Subject to Clearances)
Salary: Teacher Main Scale (Outer London Area) £40,317.00 - £52,300 + TLR 2B £6,550 + SEN Allowance £2679.00
Location: Carew Academy, 33 Headley Avenue, Wallington, Surrey, SM6 8NQ
Working Pattern: 36 hours per week, 52 weeks per year.
Carew Academy is an Outstanding special school supporting students aged 7 to 18 with a wide range of abilities and additional learning needs, including those with complex needs.
We are excited to be based in Wallington on a brand-new site in a purpose-built school designed to meet the diverse needs of our students. This new environment offers enhanced facilities and spaces that support our broad and balanced curriculum, which is enriched by opportunities such as residential trips, curriculum visits, and access to a comprehensive range of on-site therapies.
Carew Academy is a vibrant and welcoming school and offers many opportunities for professionals who want a rewarding career enabling young people to achieve their full potential. To find out more about us visit our school website
We are looking for a passionate, experienced and innovative Lead Teacher of Food Studies to provide strategic and operational leadership within our specialist setting. This is an exciting opportunity for a dedicated professional to shape an ambitious, inclusive and highly adapted curriculum that meets the complex needs of our learners. The successful candidate will be committed to delivering high-quality teaching, promoting learner wellbeing, and ensuring all pupils are supported to achieve meaningful outcomes and develop independence through Food Studies.
Key Responsibilities:
• Provide strategic leadership of Food Studies within a SEND setting, delivering an ambitious, inclusive curriculum that supports learners with complex needs to achieve meaningful outcomes.
• Lead and manage the department, including curriculum design, progression pathways (Entry Level, ASDAN, Functional Skills and vocational routes), staff line management, CPD, and the safe, effective running of facilities.
• Plan and deliver high-quality, differentiated teaching using adaptive, sensory-aware and therapeutic approaches, maintaining a safe, purposeful learning environment.
• Oversee assessment, monitoring and reporting of pupil progress, using data to inform planning, maintaining accurate records, and ensuring compliance with safeguarding, health and safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Work collaboratively with families, therapists, external professionals and the wider school community, contributing to whole-school priorities and promoting learner wellbeing, independence and employability.
Key Requirements:
• Qualified Teacher Status
• Qualified to degree level and above
• Food Hygiene & Safety Certification
• Right to work in the UK
• Recent and relevant professional development
• Experience teaching Food Studies or vocational/practical learning.
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.
• 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 learn more about our values, opportunities and the difference our staff make every day.
Our Trust:
Carew 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.
To ensure a fair opportunity for all applicants, candidates who have applied for this position in the past 6 months will not be considered.
Closing Date: 30th April 2026
Interviews will take place on: 14th May 2026
To help us manage applications effectively, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient suitable applications are received.