Job Vacancies

2.5 days per week, comprising weekday afternoon on-site hours (13:30–16:30) and additional time for administrative duties
Circa £20k per annum
All year round contract
To start as soon as possible

There is the opportunity to combine this role with the CCF SSI position to create a full-time post. Please indicate on your application form whether you are applying for one or both roles.

This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate and energetic professional who believes in outdoor education as more than just a career – someone who understands its power to instil a lifelong appreciation of the outdoors in young people and is eager to embrace this exciting role at Shiplake College.

The successful candidate will lead and develop a thriving outdoor education programme, embedding high-quality outdoor learning across the College and playing a central role in delivering and enhancing a well-established Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.

We are looking for a strong leader with excellent organisational skills and proven experience in planning and delivering DofE expeditions. You will bring vision, drive, and adaptability to further develop this successful provision, creating meaningful and challenging experiences that build resilience, teamwork, and personal growth in young people.

Early applications are encouraged for this role. We reserve the right to appoint before the closing date if an early application from a suitable applicant is received.

Head of Outdoor Education and Duke of Edinburgh Expedition Lead Candidate Pack

Support Staff Application Form

Closing date: Friday 26 June 2026, 10am
Interviews: Applications reviewed on receipt and interviews arranged accordingly

To start in September 2026
Part-time, term-time only plus 2 weeks
£20.51 per hour plus MOD SSI Allowance

There is scope to combine this role with the Head of Outdoor Education and DofE Expedition Lead post at Shiplake College to create a full-time role, or with the part-time CCF role at Bulmershe School to form a 3.5-day-per-week position. Please indicate on your application form whether you are applying for one or both roles.

We are looking to appoint a motivated and proactive CCF School Staff Instructor (SSI) to start in September 2026. We require a 2.5-day-per-week commitment during term-time, plus 2 weeks, with flexibility in working days; however, availability on Wednesday and Friday would be advantageous.

This role will be an integral part of our progressive CCF contingent which, from September 2026, will focus on the RAF and Royal Navy sections, making the most of our excellent riverside location and close proximity to local RAF flying bases.

This is an exciting opportunity for an individual who is passionate about developing young people through cadet training. You will help deliver a programme that builds confidence, leadership, resilience, and teamwork, while supporting pupils to achieve their full potential in a structured and rewarding environment.

We are looking for someone who brings energy, organisation, and enthusiasm to the role. The ideal candidate will be actively involved in a CCF, ACF or tri-Service equivalent programme. Potentially, recent service as a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCO) in the Armed Forces would be beneficial for this role.

Early applications are encouraged for this role. We reserve the right to appoint before the closing date if an early application from a suitable applicant is received. 

CCF SSI Candidate Pack

Support Staff Application Form

Closing date: Friday 26 June 2026, 10am
Interviews: Applications reviewed on receipt and interviews arranged accordingly

At Shiplake College, we are proud to be a Thinking School, where metacognition forms a core part of our teaching and learning culture. Every lesson includes a metacognitive element, supporting pupils to develop awareness of how they learn as well as what they learn. This approach is firmly rooted in the science of learning, with all staff using consistent visual tools and shared language to help pupils articulate their thinking and learning strategies. New members of staff receive dedicated training in the principles of cognitive science and metacognitive practice as part of their induction, and this professional development continues throughout the year with ongoing guidance, resources, and reflective opportunities. As a result, we work together as a cohesive, thoughtful community, equipping our pupils with the skills to become confident, independent learners.

All teaching staff at Shiplake College are expected to contribute to the Learning Research Group within their first two years of joining the College, with Early Career Teachers (ECTs) expected to engage within their first year. The Learning Research Group is built around the model of practitioner research, where teachers undertake research into their own classroom practice with the specific aim of solving problems and improving teaching and learning. Unlike purely theoretical research, practitioner research is directly focused on enhancing professional practice. The process follows a one-year cycle: staff join or lead a research group in the autumn term, complete secondary research in the spring, and carry out and report on their research in the summer term. Findings are then published in an in-house journal at the start of the next academic year, with staff sharing their work through presentations at September INSET. Recent research projects have included topics such as metacognition for SEND learners, the use of AI in the classroom, pupil feedback to improve practice, and the merits of digital versus handwritten learning, among many others. This culture of reflective practice and professional enquiry is central to our commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.