Teacher of English/Lead Teacher of English

Teacher of English/Lead Teacher of English

As a Good school with an Outstanding Sixth Form, staff and students at Ridgewood enjoy the use of some of the very best facilities available in the country. We are enjoying a trajectory of continued success and look forward to welcoming a successful applicant who can join us on our journey. We became a standalone academy in 2011, and we are incredibly proud of the progress we have made as a school, having laid strong foundations for further improvement going forwards. 

Our school motto, ‘Prepare for the road ahead’, represents our belief in preparing our staff and students for their future, not only in terms of academic achievement, but also in terms of the training, enrichment and experiences which make us all model citizens. Our school values – Excellence, Integrity, Teamwork and Enjoyment – underpin what we do and contribute to our ethos in everything we undertake as a school community. We set our standards high and do not compromise, because we believe in the best for everyone.

Ridgewood School celebrated some very strong outcomes for its students once again this year. Summer 2018 saw the introduction of the new 9-1 grading system for GCSE in almost all subjects, along with more hours of examinations and much more challenging assessments. Only 2% of students nationally were awarded the new highest grade 9, but Ridgewood saw 27 students (one in ten of our cohort) achieve at least one of these grades. In total, Ridgewood students achieved 83 grade 9s. This is an outstanding achievement. Eight students achieved grade 9s in at least six subjects and thirteen students achieved grade 9s in at least three subjects. One in five grades achieved overall by Ridgewood students were awarded at a 7 or higher (or equivalent in GCSEs measured on the old grading system). In our Sixth Form, all of our Year 13 students spent two years working towards new more rigorous A levels. They saw their hard work pay off as they secured university and apprenticeship places of their choice. 31% of all A level grades were A* or A and one in ten students achieved A* or A in all of their subjects.

We are seeking to appoint an exceptional Teacher of English to work alongside our friendly and caring faculty of dedicated teachers and teaching assistants. As an innovative practitioner, you will bring new ideas and enthusiasm to a dynamic faculty whilst learning and developing under our excellent leaders. You will have access to an exceptional Behaviour for Learning system, driving student progress, alongside a truly outstanding, bespoke CPD programme. The successful candidate would have the opportunity to develop his/her practice through teaching some of our dedicated and high-performing A Level students, and to benefit from our Outstanding Sixth Form with its exceptional facilities.

We are committed to offering the staff who work at Ridgewood every opportunity to become the best they can be. Our training packages, for staff at all stages of their careers, are second to none. As well as our Hyperion programme, designed to give teachers one-to-one coaching to develop specific aspects of their classroom practice, we also offer a range of individual and group development opportunities. We employ a dedicated Leadership Coach, whose role is to co-ordinate and deliver CPD for both teaching and associate staff, so we therefore can offer our staff a unique opportunity to develop personally and professionally. NQTs and RQTs are supported through their early years of teaching as they embed excellent classroom practice, developing and experienced teachers are prepared for positions of leadership and responsibility, and senior staff are trained to reflect on and evaluate their practice whilst simultaneously developing others. We can match training and development to everyone’s needs and wishes.

Are you a seeking an energetic, vibrant working environment, working alongside supportive colleagues who share your passion for teaching, and a dedicated team of senior leaders committed to whole school development? If so, Ridgewood School is for you.

For full details, to discuss the role or to request an application pack, please contact Frances Hamlet, the Head’s PA, either by email to hamlet_f@ridgewoodschool.co.uk or by phoning 01302 800482. We welcome visits from potential candidates - please contact Frances to arrange this.  Application forms are available either via the TES, the Vacancies link on the school website, by email appls@ridgewoodschool.co.uk.

The closing date for this post is Monday 22 October 2018. Interviews will take place during that week. Please return your application form as soon as possible as earlier interviews may be available.

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check. The school operates a no smoking policy.