Curriculum Performance Lead – Animal Care and Plant Sciences/Horticulture
Hours: Full time (37 hours each week, all year‑round)
Duration: Permanent
Salary: £43,672 per year + benefits
Location: Dearne Valley College, Rotherham
About the Role
Are you an experienced, high‑performing lecturer or course leader ready to take your first step into operational leadership? Do you have a passion for driving academic excellence and inspiring both staff and students to reach their full potential? RNN Group seeks a dynamic, passionate, and proactive Curriculum Performance Lead (CPL) to join our team. As a first‑line leader you will shape an inclusive curriculum, ensuring provision aligns with local, regional, and national skills needs for a sustainable future.
The CPL role combines operational leadership with a small teaching commitment (approximately 12 hours per week). You will lead a dedicated team of lecturers, assessors, and technicians across a variety of provisions—including Study Programmes (EPYP), Adult Learners, Higher Level Skills, Commercial, and Apprenticeships.
Operational & Team Leadership
- Line Management: Provide clear direction, support, and professional challenge to staff to drive high standards of performance and conduct.
- Performance & Development: Lead the Performance Development Review (PDR) process for the team, setting clear targets and identifying CPD needs.
- Staff Induction & Support: Provide personalised, structured induction and mentoring for new and developing staff.
- Resource Planning: Manage staffing allocation, contribute to timetable development, and oversee delegated physical resources and budgets.
Quality Assurance & Curriculum Excellence
- Academic Rigour: Lead the local self‑assessment process (SAR), manage Internal Quality Assessment/Moderation (IQA/EQA), and ensure compliance with external awarding bodies.
- Quality Improvement: Conduct learning walks with the Quality Team to continuously improve the classroom and training experience.
- Data Integrity: Manage student data tightly—maintaining accurate registers, tracking enrolment, and monitoring exam claims alongside the MIS team.
Student Success & Inclusive Practice
- Teaching & Tutoring: Deliver high‑quality teaching, planning, and assessment across programmes you are qualified to teach, acting as a group tutor.
- Early Intervention: Track attendance, punctuality, and progress; implement early intervention strategies to address underperformance.
- Inclusive Curriculum: Work collaboratively to eliminate barriers to education and provide tailored support for students with EHCPs or those facing social exclusion.
- Employability & Recruitment: Engage employers, schools, and parents to secure real‑world projects, placements, and guest speakers; recruit the “Right Students to the Right Course.”
Key Role Objectives
- Foster a department‑wide culture of high expectations, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Use empowering coaching techniques to support the mental health, well‑being, life skills, and self‑reliance of staff and students.
- Ensure full institutional compliance with regulatory bodies, focusing on Keeping Children Safe in Education and the Prevent Duty.
- Meet or exceed departmental KPIs, reporting progress to the Curriculum Manager on recruitment, retention, and achievement.
The Challenges You'll Thrive On
- Being a Role Model: Stay positive and solution‑focused, helping staff overcome daily obstacles.
- Supporting Every Learner: Help students achieve their best, regardless of personal or educational challenges.
- Navigating Change: Adapt to changing awarding body specifications and curriculum shifts with agility and support.
You Will…
- Be an experienced lecturer or course leader within Animal Care and Land‑Based provision, with a proven track record of excellent educational outcomes.
- Maintain strong knowledge of curriculum intent, quality assurance processes, and data tracking in FE, Adult and Apprentices contexts.
- Be an empathetic, coaching‑focused leader who motivates staff and builds confident, independent learners.
- Work cross‑campus, participate in cross‑college project working groups, and collaborate with wider college departments.
- Hold a Level 2 (or equivalent) qualification in English and Maths, a recognised teaching qualification at Level 5 or higher, and a professionally relevant qualification within animal care, veterinary sciences, animal welfare or plant sciences. An assessor's award (A1/CAVA) is advantageous.
Department Info
Reporting to the Curriculum Manager, you will collaborate with colleagues within the curriculum area and wider college departments. Your supervisory responsibilities include first‑line management of lecturers, assessors and teaching assistants as directed.
Benefits
- Access to teachers’ pensions scheme (employer contributions 23.68%)
- Up to 50 days annual leave per year, including closure during Christmas period
- Access to gyms, restaurants and salons
- Staff health & wellbeing and benefits schemes, including in‑house Occupational Health service
- Extensive wellbeing support through a digital Wellbeing Hub
- Full, part‑time and flexible working hours available in many roles
- Free parking at all sites
- Career development opportunities with funding for teacher training, apprenticeships and industry‑recognised qualifications
- Teacher retention initiative grants up to £6,000 in STEM subjects (conditions apply)
- Recruitment Referral Scheme: £200 per referral
Equal Opportunity and EEO Statement
We welcome applications from everyone regardless of background, are proud participants in the Disability Confident Scheme, and provide reasonable adjustments. All new employees will undertake a DBS check and other associated checks in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education Guidance. All candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK.
Application Closing Date
Closing date: Monday 15 June 2026 – shortlisted candidates will be contacted within a week of the closing date.
