Deputy Head of English

The School

“Hoe Valley School is an inspiring environment at the heart of its community where every student’s experience is personalised. Our students will learn to think independently, pursue their ambitions and achieve to their highest potential.”

Hoe Valley School is:

• An oversubscribed secondary school that opened in September 2015 to serve the local community of South Woking
• Rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in March 2024
• Delivering innovative and exciting lessons to years 7-13
• Committed to ensuring our students leave us with excellent academic outcomes, the skills to be ‘work-ready’ and the traits of excellent global citizens
• Following the National Curriculum, where Maths and English are taught every day
• A Google School with ICT fully embedded in all curriculum areas
• Continuing to build a STEAM-focussed academic Sixth Form, which opened September 2023
• Committed to learning which is relevant with links to the ‘real world’ of business, higher education and the local community
• In a state of the art, new School completed in September 2018 on Egley Road, Woking
• Committed to supporting our staff to have a good work / life balance by offering longer school holidays, bespoke CPD programmes, minimising paperwork and meetings, and ultimately by trusting our staff to deliver excellent outcomes
• A Cognitive-Science centric hub for Teaching and Learning

The Role

We are looking for a passionate, talented and rigorous practitioner to join our dedicated team. The successful Deputy Head of English will have the exciting and unique opportunity to work with a KS3, KS4 and KS5 curriculum, which is bespoke, challenging and fit for the needs of 21st Century life.  

Our Deputy Head of English will be an inspirational teacher with a proven track record of leading students to achieve outstanding results, who embraces creativity, innovation and is always looking for the very best practice in teaching. They will share the School's vision and the belief that all young people can achieve at high levels. 

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES (IN ADDITION TO TEACHERS’ STANDARDS)

Leading Teaching and Learning

• To monitor the quality of teaching and learning of teachers within the Faculty in partnership with the Head of department
• To teach English at any level within the School (within the age range 11-18)
• To design and monitor the delivery of the KS3 curriculum for English in the School, in terms of long, medium and short term planning
• In partnership with the Head of department, ensure all students are making good or outstanding progress in English and literacy, and that teaching and learning of these subjects across the School is of a high quality
• To contribute to CPD across the School and share best practice via coaching, sharing planning and resources, and following an 'open door' teaching policy
• To ensure English and Literacy has a high profile across the School through offering vibrant and exciting learning opportunities
• To ensure that resources are organised and available to promote a purposeful environment for teaching and learning to take place, through a mix of traditional teaching techniques, integrating ICT where appropriate, and via project based learning
• Where appropriate, to extend the curriculum via Innovation Days and relevant trips, organising exciting visits from relevant speakers and visitors and leading enrichment programmes, including the management of peripatetic teachers 
• To lead aspects of project led learning that links to the world of work, further and higher education, primary school liaison or the local community
• To deploy other adults effectively within the faculty and in the classroom, involving them, where appropriate, in the planning and management of student learning

Leading Progress and Attainment

• To ensure assessment, feedback and monitoring is SMART, accurate and clearly moves students’ learning on across all teachers within the faculty
• To standardise marking with colleagues both within the School and with partner schools
• If appropriate, to hold the team to account via line management meetings, department meetings and by following the School’s Performance Management policy
• To rigorously analyse student data to inform planning and intervention programmes
• To lead and attend internal and external meetings as required
• To feedback to students and parents / carers in line with the School policy

Leading Behaviour and Safety

• To collaborate closely with parents to ensure that they are aware of their child's progress, engaged in their development and in supporting them in their vision for the future
• To ensure the absolute safety of all students on and off site
• To model and enforce excellent standards of behaviour within and beyond the faculty 
• To monitor students’ achievement, attendance, uniform, punctuality and behaviour and to respond promptly to issues in line with the school’s policies

Leading School Improvement

• To support the School’s marketing and recruitment plan through attending events, contributing to marketing materials and via frequent high quality interactions with feeder primary schools
• To embody the School’s values both on and off site
• To contribute to the School’s Development Plan (SDP) and to write specific action plans for relevant aspects of the SDP
• To monitor allocated budgets and ensure value for money at all times
• To coach and mentor colleagues as appropriate

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree at a 2.1 or higher in a related discipline
• English Language or Literature at A-level standard or equivalent
• Excellent current ability to answer questions to the level of A-level English Language or Literature
• Qualified teacher status through a PGCE, GTP or other international equivalent

Experience

• Experience of managing and leading groups of students/young people
• Experience of designing a curriculum at KS3 and producing high quality and inspiring schemes of learning and teaching materials
• Evidence of continually improving outcomes for students
• Evidence of leading others effectively