Vacancies
Headteacher’s Welcome Message
I would firstly like to thank you for your interest in a vacancy at Upton-by-Chester High School. The purpose of this information is to help you get to know more about our school and help you to decide if this is the right post for you.
Upton-by-Chester is a large and successful comprehensive secondary school located in Upton-by-Chester, an area on the outskirts of the wonderful city of Chester. Upton-by-Chester High School was established in 1968 and has gone from strength to strength over this time. We are a thriving, vibrant school with a proud record of academic excellence and success. Combined with our exceptional extra-curricular opportunities, we inspire our learners to flourish, no matter what their strengths and aptitudes. We are fully inclusive and open to young people of all abilities.
The school was inspected in February 2025. Inspectors found that;
"Pupils flourish in this school’s nurturing and inclusive environment. Students in the sixth form are particularly appreciative of the school’s support for their academic achievement and personal growth. Pupils develop positive relationships with staff. This helps them to feel known and cared for, despite the large size of the school. A culture of trust and respect is evident." (Ofsted 2025)
An exciting development for the school is being part of the School Rebuilding Programme. This means that between September 2025 and September 2028 the school will undergo a complete rebuilding programme to provide learners with brand-new indoor and outdoor facilities to support their learning. Details of the new build can be found on the schools 'New Build' webpage.
The school currently serves both the local community and an extended catchment area with learners attending the school from up to 40 individual primary schools. There are currently 1750 learners on roll and the school is oversubscribed in a number of year groups. The school also has an outstanding Sixth Form (Ofsted 2015, 2019 and 2025).
Our school motto is 'Learning to Shape the Future'. This really does capture what is at the heart of the school. We ensure that every learner - whatever their previous attainment - will gain life-long enrichment and learning from the time they spend with us at Upton. Our approach is to provide opportunities that will capture the imagination of our learners and allow them to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding to be successful academically and socially. We will provide traditional academic subjects and vocational opportunities so we can support the learning needs of all our young people.
Our learners are fantastic and our greatest asset. They represent a truly comprehensive intake in terms of ability and preparedness for learning. They are committed to their learning, and they strive to succeed. We also have a very talented team of teaching and support staff who support and challenge every learner to be the best that they can be. The professional development opportunities of our staff are highly valued.
Upton-by-Chester High School is a great place to work. It is challenging, focused on teaching and learning and dedicated to the wellbeing of our learners. We have the highest expectations of all who work here and therefore, we are only looking for the finest staff to work with our learners. We know that our school can only be as good as the workforce within it.
The school is at an exciting stage of development within the changing educational landscape in England. If, prior to submitting an application, you would like to see for yourself why we believe Upton-by-Chester High School is a great school in which to work, then please let us know.
Yours Faithfully
Lee Cummins
B.Ed(Hons), M.Ed, NPQH
Newly Appointed Candidates
At Upton-by-Chester High School the ongoing development of staff is a very important aspect of our work. To support this we have very clear professional plans for staff who join us in addition to the normal Professional Learning (PL) programme that is in place for all staff. The details of this are shown below in the following documents
The school is strongly committed to the safeguarding of children and therefore all shortlisted candidates will be expected to complete a DBS form as part of the interview process. You will need to supply the appropriate documentation during the interview process. The following link may help https://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check/documents-the-applicant-must-provide-
Workload Charter
Upton-by-Chester High School Leadership and Governors are committed to implementing in full the Department for Education - Education Staff Wellbeing Charter. This piece of work is currently being lead by the Headteacher and a representative sample of staff in the school. The personnel committee of the Governing Body have oversight of this important area of the school's work.
Flexible Working Policy
The school is committed to flexible working where possible.
