Depute Head Teacher - St David's RC High School - MID07525 in Midlothian

Currently, Midlothian has 6 secondary schools, 30 primary schools (19 of which have nurseries) and 2 stand alone nursery schools. Our special school, Saltersgate, provides support for children with a range of physical, social, emotional, behavioural and learning difficulties. The schools range in size from our smallest primary school with around 20 children to our largest secondary with over 1200 pupils. We have a diverse range of school catchments, from rural to urban settings. We are fortunate to have a growing number of new build schools, with 13 of our primary schools and 1 secondary having been built within the last 10 years and several new builds planned.

St David’s RC High School, Dalkeith is looking to appoint a committed and enthusiastic Depute Head Teacher to join our successful and dynamic staff team. Our current roll stands at around 765 drawn from the towns and villages across Midlothian and from Musselburgh and south Edinburgh. We have a high number of placing requests every year from families who are attracted by the caring and inclusive ethos of the school, built on our ASPIRE values of Achievement, Service, Perseverance, Inclusion, Respect and Excellence. Our students are our greatest assets and we are very proud of their successes and achievements, particularly their consistently outstanding Qualifications Scotland Exam attainment and our very positive Education Scotland Inspection from 2019.

The school management team consists of Headteacher; 3 Depute Headteachers; 9 Principal Teachers (Curriculum Leaders); 4 Principal Teachers (Guidance); Principal Teacher – Inclusion and Principal Teacher - Complex Needs. Our very successful HMIe Inspection praised the leadership of staff and pupils in delivering positive outcomes for the whole school community. The creative, flexible and imaginative ways in which we seek to meet the needs of our young people and families was also recognised as a clear strength.

In normal times, our students also enjoy opportunities to participate in a wide variety of extra-curricular activities including trips both abroad and closer to home and we are rightly renowned for the quality and standard of our musical performances, productions and achievements. We are a Roman Catholic School and are committed to providing a welcoming learning environment through our caring and inclusive school ethos, which is underpinned by the SCES Charter for Catholic Schools. Applicants must seek Catholic Church approval when submitting their application for this post. Forms and guidance can be obtained at www.sces.uk.com/approval.html.

The school shares a Campus facility with Dalkeith High School; Saltersgate Special School and Woodburn Primary School. For further information or an informal discussion, please contact Catherine Jackson, Headteacher on 0131 654 4702. Interviews for the above post will take place on 11th June (long leet) and 17 June (short leet) 2026.

Requirements

Pre Employment Checks/Requirements for Teaching Positions: If you are successful, our offer of employment will be conditional on satisfactory completion of pre-employment requirements, such as medical screening, two written references, one which must be from your most recent/current employer, verification of your original qualifications and your eligibility to work in the United Kingdom. Registration with the General Teaching Council and a satisfactory PVG check for Regulated Work with Children will also be essential.

General Teaching Council Scotland: Teachers applying for permanent posts should be fully registered with the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTCS). For further information on registration please visit: www.gtcs.org.uk.

Regulated Work with Children: This post is considered Regulated Work with Children, under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act, 2007. Therefore, it is an offence to apply if you are barred from working with children. Successful candidates will require a PVG Scheme membership for Regulated Work with Children. You will be required to join the Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme Update check prior to commencing employment with Midlothian Council, the cost of which will be met by you. The fee for a Full PVG Scheme Membership is £59. You will be required to re-pay this amount to the Council by salary deduction over 6 consecutive pay periods. The fee for a PVG Scheme Record Update is £18. You will be required to re-pay this amount to the Council by salary deduction over 2 consecutive pay periods. If your employment concludes before the amount is re-paid in full, the outstanding balance will be deducted from your final salary.

In your application we ask for information under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. We ask you to disclose any unspent convictions. Disclosures should be made by writing to or emailing the Employment and Reward Manager, in confidence, giving details of the offence(s), penalty and date(s) of conviction. Applicants should note that failure to disclose a conviction which is subsequently advised through a Disclosure Scotland check may result in the withdrawal of any offer of appointment. Having a criminal record will not necessarily debar an applicant from working with Midlothian. Decisions regarding suitability for positions of trust which are subject to vetting will be dependent on the nature of the position, together with the circumstances and background of the offence(s).

For further information on the PVG Scheme please visit: www.disclosurescotland.co.uk. Please note that Disclosure Scotland has changed the way PVG certificates are issued. You will be notified by email from Disclosure Scotland that your certificate is available to view. Once you have viewed your certificate you will be allowed to share this with your employer and it is only available for 14 days from the first day you have viewed the certificate. If you do not grant access to Midlothian Council to view before access is removed, a further application will need to be generated, and this will incur an additional cost.

How to Apply: Please apply on-line. Facilities are available at all public libraries in Midlothian. If you have difficulty applying for this post or in accessing the attached documents, or if you have a disability and reasonable adjustment is required, please call 0131 271 3063 to speak to a member of the Recruitment Team stating the post reference number. If you are a trainee of a Midlothian Council Training Programme, have a disability or you are a care experienced young person who has previously been a looked after child you are eligible for a guaranteed interview if you meet the essential criteria for the post.

Closing Date: Sunday 7th June 2026.