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THE TRUST

Barton Court Academy Trust (BCAT) is a multi-academy Trust which was established in 2017.

It currently consists of three secondary schools: Barton Court Grammar School, an 11-18 years, mixed selective school in the heart of Canterbury, rated “Good” with many outstanding features by Ofsted in February 2020 and November 2024; The Charles Dickens School, an 11-16 years mixed non-selective school in Broadstairs, rated “Good” by Ofsted in March 2023 and Barton Manor Free School, an 11–18 years non-selective mixed school in the heart of Canterbury which opened to Year 7 in September 2022 and as the school grows will have students in Y7 to Y11 from September 2026, rated as “Good” with many outstanding features by Ofsted in May 2025. It is planned for Sandwich Technology School to join our Trust from 1 November 2026.

OUR SCHOOL

The Charles Dickens School is an Ofsted rated “Good” school (March 2023). We are an oversubscribed, non-selective 11-16 school located in Broadstairs, Kent with an excellent reputation locally. We have a vision and a determination to provide our community with an excellent school and we are delivering on this. Our first results post-COVID in 2022 identified us as the most improved school in Kent (out of 101 secondary schools) and one of the most improved schools in the country. Schools Week identified us as the 8th most improved school in the country between 2019 and 2023, for a school with an above average proportion of Pupil Premium pupils. We have consolidated these strong results every year since then, being the highest performing non-selective school in East Kent (an area which comprises Canterbury, Swale and Thanet) for Progress 8 in 2023 and 2024 (the most recent progress data), and for Attainment 8 in 2024 and 2025. Our performance in 2026 is equally impressive.

To work here is to embrace the challenges of an economically-diverse community and understand the influence education has in addressing social immobility.  There are few schools in the country where a teacher’s ability to change lives is so evident. Without hyperbole, this is a career-defining mission. We’re looking for brilliant people to join us on our journey.

The School has excellent facilities. All rooms are equipped with state-of-the art electronic interactive whiteboards. There are excellent specialist facilities for sport, hospitality, engineering, dance, drama, music and art. We have a Specialist Resource Provision for visually-impaired children. We offer and value a broad curriculum aimed at promoting talent beyond traditional academic subjects. Our significant investment in professional development drives colleagues’ continuous improvement. This is a place where everyone improves regardless of their career stage.

THE POST

Required for an immediate start, the Trustees are seeking to appoint a Safeguarding and Welfare Manager to work in partnership with our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) to assist in the responsibility for safeguarding and child protection across the School and to take full accountability in the absence of the DSL.  Candidates would be involved  in participating in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings, contributing to student assessment and thereby supporting the whole school, students and their families in safeguarding and child protection.

Deadline: Friday 6 November 2026 at 9:00am.  Early applications are encouraged and we retain the right to fill the vacancy before the deadline date.

How To Apply

Applications for this post should be made online only using the School’s application form, which can be found in the ‘vacancies’ section of the School website, at the bottom of each advert. CVs will not be accepted. Please email your application to recruitment@bartoncourt.org.

If you wish to discuss the post or to arrange a visit, please contact the HR Department on recruitment@bartoncourt.org.

The Charles Dickens School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure application via the Disclosure & Barring Service and a check against the ISA Barred List for Children.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early and proceed to interview upon receipt of a number of suitably qualified applications. All candidates are advised to refer to the job description and person specification before making an application.

In line with the latest KCSIE guidance, as part of the shortlisting process, the Trust reserves the right to conduct an online search on shortlisted candidates as part of our due diligence and any relevant information found concerning a candidate's suitability to work with children will be discussed at interview stage.

Our safeguarding practices prevent us from accepting CV’s.

Barton Court Academy Trust embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.  Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.  

Further details and information about the Trust can be found on our website page.

A commitment to staff welfare and promoting BCAT core values is at the heart of this role.