Head of Food Technology (Beacon Academy) in Crowborough

Hours of work: 32.5

Working pattern: Full-time

Closing date: Tuesday 19 May 2026

Start date: 1st September 2026

Grade/salary: MPS/UPS with TLR

Contract: Permanent, full time

We are seeking an inspiring Head of Food Technology to lead and develop this thriving subject within our Academy. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and passionate teacher to shape a forward thinking curriculum, drive excellent outcomes, and foster a love of food, nutrition, and design among students. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong leadership, outstanding classroom practice, and a commitment to high standards of teaching and learning, while working collaboratively within the wider Design & Technology team. If you are motivated to innovate, mentor colleagues, and make a lasting impact on young people’s lives, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Benefits of working at Beacon Academy:

• Flexible working approach
• Staff recognition initiatives
• Eligibility to join the Local Government Pension Scheme/Teacher’s Pension Scheme
• Generous annual leave entitlement (support staff)
• Access to Wellbeing Support through our Employee Assistance Programme, this includes free confidential telephone and face to face counselling
• Opportunities to share your views through staff surveys and forums
• Eligibility to access Blue Light Card and discounts
• Discounted use of Gym and Exercise Classes at Uplands Academy
• Free parking available onsite or within close proximity to all our schools

Beacon Academy is a split site, semi-rural, mixed 11-18 non-selective converter academy with approximately 1600 students, including over 300 students in our Sixth Form. We are situated centrally in Crowborough on the outskirts of the Ashdown Forest, an area of outstanding natural beauty. We are close to Tunbridge Wells and the south coast. The vast majority of our staff travel to Beacon from a variety of locations within the southeast, including Brighton, Eastbourne, Lewes and Tunbridge Wells.

In September 2022, Beacon Academy, together with Uplands Academy in Wadhurst, became a member of the MARK Education Trust (formally Beacon Community College Academy Trust). The acronym, MARK, was selected because staff who work in the Trust are motivated, ambitious, resourceful, and knowledgeable. We were pleased to expand our Trust further in September 2025 with the addition of Hailsham Academy. This continued growth reflects our shared commitment to educational excellence, collaboration and supporting the success of all students across our Academies. We work meticulously to secure a culture of unapologetically high expectations that are underpinned by our collective, uncompromising belief and ambition for our students, and for the experienced, loyal, highly skilled and highly-effective team of staff that teach them, allowing teachers to teach and students to learn in a school where leadership, management, behaviour and welfare are all judged as outstanding.

MARK Education Trust is committed to the development of both its staff and students. For further details, please contact the Human Resources department on 01892 603000 or email hr@beacon-academy.org. Please be advised that we do not accept curriculum vitae.

All schools within MARK Education Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to disclosure and barring service checks along with other relevant employee checks.

NB: we advise applying promptly for this post as we reserve the right to close and interview early if sufficient suitable applications have been received.