Head of Design and Technology

From the advert

Salary: Teachers' pay scales + TLR2b

Contract term: Full time, 1.0FTE, permanent

Start date: January 2027

Closing date: 8am Wednesday 21 October 2026

Mercia Learning Trust

Mercia Learning Trust is a successful partnership of four primary and four secondary schools located in Sheffield. Established in 2012, with one secondary school, our trust has grown to serving over 6100 pupils, with over 800 staff.

Why do we exist?

• To empower everyone in our communities, especially the most disadvantaged, to succeed.

How do we behave?

• We are kind - showing care and supporting each other.
• We have integrity - doing the right thing and always putting children first.
• We work with diligence - overcoming obstacles and having no excuses.

What do we do?

• We run schools that focus on academic excellence, cultural capital and the development of character.

How will we succeed?

• A culture of excellence – high standards shaped by clarity, not control.
• Academic focus – empowering all children through an exceptional curriculum.
• Purposeful collaboration – relationships built on trust, reducing sub-optimisation and driving collective success.

Our staff are a crucial part of our trust, just like our pupils. We are devoted to recruiting, training, retaining and taking good care of our highly skilled and dedicated team.

Newfield School

Newfield School is a mainstream secondary school for children aged 11-16. It is situated in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, with approximately 1050 pupils on roll. Drawing from a wide catchment, the school offers a truly comprehensive experience.

Newfield School strives to provide all pupils, no matter their background or starting point, an academic curriculum that allows them to excel and thrive when they leave. We are committed to the most vulnerable pupils, and we are recruiting those who believe that high standards and expectations are necessary to lead pupils towards success. The recent Ofsted report reflects our supportive culture and high standards.

We passionately believe in the need for a warm/strict approach as the bedrock of any success for pupils. Clarity and consistency are paramount for both pupils and staff as we work together to achieve our shared aspirations. Our pedagogical approach is clearly defined, emphasising direct instruction, the use of visualisers and high-level questioning to enhance learning. While we have established a strong level of consistency that supports pupil progress, we continually strive for excellence. We are seeking dedicated professionals who can help us build on this foundation and drive our ambitions forward.

The role

Newfield School is seeking to appoint a highly skilled and talented head of design technology.

We are a small team of passionate teaching staff working together to ensure the very best outcomes for all pupils. We are ambitious for all, which is reflected in our academically rigorous curriculum. You will be responsible for teaching pupils across key stage 3 and 4. At key stage 4, we offer GCSE Design Technology and Construction Health and Nutrition as part of our option process.

The candidate

The ideal candidate will have a strong academic background in design technology. They will be able to demonstrate a passion for teaching and learning and have a deep understanding of how to engage pupils in design technology. They will also be committed to the personal development of pupils, inspiring and motivating them to achieve highly. They will have a willingness to lead extra-curricular/ after school clubs.

If you are passionate about teaching design technology and committed to helping young people develop their learning and understanding, then we would welcome your application and we look forward to hearing from you.