Director of English
Atlantic Academy Portland
Dorset
- Quick apply
- Expired
- Salary:
- L4-L8
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Start date:
- Easter or September 2019
- Apply by:
- 28 January 2019
Job overview
Director of English
Salary: L4-L8
Our Academy
The Academy became Atlantic Academy in September 2017, joining Aspirations Academies Trust. We are quite unique in that we are a truly ‘all through’ Academy, with all years housed within the same school building. This allows for many opportunities and shared planning chances.
At Atlantic we are passionate about excellence in all aspects of a child’s life, giving students the very best start possible. We have high aspirations, and believe students should:
Believe in themselves
Be actively engaged in their learning
See the connection in what they want to become and what they are doing
Have disruption free learning
Have access to a challenging academic curriculum offer
Not dwell on barriers but seek solutions
We positively encourage you to come and visit, we love showing people around the Academy!
Our success so far
We have witnessed a remarkable turnaround in all aspects of the Academy, with the expectations having immediately raised outcomes. The calm and purposeful atmosphere supports all aspects of learning, the mantra of Work Hard, Be Kind permeates throughout the buildings and into the community. The success and recognition has created growing numbers on roll, and next year we expect both reception and Year 7 to be at capacity. We have year groups of 60 in Primary and 120 in Secondary which helps promote the unique and supportive atmosphere at the Academy.
In 2018, after one year as an Academy:
Top 13 most improved (based on P8) Secondary schools in the country
2nd most improved (based on P8) Secondary school in Dorset
Best performing school in Weymouth and Portland
Top 1 % of Primary schools (based on combined KS2) in Dorset
Top 8% Nationally for Reading
Most progress, and top performing in reading in all Weymouth and Portland schools, 3rd highest performing school in Dorset.
Moderated progress in Writing,TOP performing school in Weymouth and Portland, 3rd in whole of Dorset.Top 10% of schools nationally
Top 20% of schools nationally for Maths - Primary
We have several further mantras that support our vision:
‘100% Every day. No Shortcuts’
‘Excellence is a habit’
‘Climbing the mountain to university’
Feedback from Visitors
‘There is now an air of calm, order and discipline, which was so badly needed, my congratulations for instilling it’ Richard Drax MP
‘Just been on an action tour of Atlantic Academy wow, what a difference to this time last year! Feeling positive.’ Parent
‘The happiness of my children and the progress they are all making is brilliant. This is purely down to excellent teachers who bring out the best in them as little individuals.’ Secondary Parent.
‘I felt the students growing sense of ambition as I toured the school. The work that you and your staff are doing to raise aspirations and expectations of behaviour are obviously having affect’ Bradley Simmons HMI, Regional Director South West
Work life balance – not burnout
We believe in creating a lifelong career and supporting teachers to achieve this and their own personal ambitions.
For example:
Feedback policy NOT marking policy, allowing for whole class feedback, using a visualiser. Saving hours from NOT having to write personalised comments in every exercise book
Collaborative planning, centralised shared units of work – carved out planning time
No written end of year reports – data report 3 times per year
Homework is standardised to Knowledge Organiser – Practice books, and reading. Removing any marking expectations and detentions set and run centrally by SLT
Expectation of disruption free learning, high SLT visibility ALL day, focus on students. Allowing staff to teach without low level disruption
Visualiser (mini iPad) in every classroom – allowing for booklets, feedback, student work etc to be projected – as the teacher decides
Full equipment and perfect uniform. Checked every morning, students will not attend lessons if full equipment is not present. You will never have to lend a pen, or look for a calculator again!
Highly visible and supportive SLT, supporting you to keep high expectations
Very clear and transparent sanctions – all detentions centralised and run by SLT each day. Allowing staff to focus on what really matters – the classroom
No graded lessons, no high stakes observations. We believe in a coaching approach and ‘leverage leadership’ approach
No work emails in the evening, weekends, or holidays
Teaching and Learning
We have weekly, short, CPD sessions, focussing on classroom excellence. Heavily influenced by Doug Lemov’s – Teach like a champion, as well as Making Every Lesson Count, amongst many other blogs and research pieces.
We believe the curriculum should include:
A. Development of knowledge: Progress in knowing more and remembering more. The future requires the acquisition and application of a wide range of knowledge.
B. The ability to apply knowledge: Progress in knowledge being applied in more challenging, relevant and more engaging ways.
C. The acquisition of 21st century skills to translate knowledge into actions for success.
If you believe that this may sound like the school for you would thrive in, are ambitious for all students, then here is information specifically about the vacancy:
Director of English
This is an exciting post that has become available due to a change in responsibility areas of the current post holder, who has transformed the department in a very short space of time.
You will oversee the delivery of English and Literacy from R to Year 11, with a main focus within Secondary, the teaching requirement of the post will reflect this commitment. You will be a member of the extended leadership team, with opportunities for further promotion. The department has a 2nd i/c and English in the Primary phase is lead by a member of SLT.
You will also oversee the Literacy Strands, each with a strand lead allowing you strategic lead for the whole Academy, of
Oracy and Debate
Accelerated Reading programme and library
Vocabulary gap
Thinking Reading
The department is fully staffed with excellent and supportive team members, all fully qualified English teachers, and each teacher has their own dedicated classroom within the department. English is well resourced and we encourage best practice through CPD and visits to high performing schools and departments. Students have a genuine love of reading, reflecting on the results achieved last year, and expected this year.
How to Apply:
https://www.tes.com/jobs/employer/atlantic-academy-portland-1083353
Your application for any teaching vacancy should be made via the TES site only. Please click on the TES link above to see this advertisement on the TES site. Once on the TES site, please click on the 'Quick Apply' button to submit an online application. We very much look forward to hearing from you.
Please contact Zoe Fowler zfowler@atlantic-aspirations.org or 01305 820262
Attached documents
About Atlantic Academy Portland
- Atlantic Academy Portland
- Maritime House, Southwell Business Park, Portland
- Dorset
- DT5 2NA
- United Kingdom
Our Academy
Atlantic Academy is an all-through school based in Portland, and has already made great waves in transforming the education of students in Portland in the last 5 years, leading the way in the highest standards of education as well as disruption free learning. Atlantic Academy is gaining a local and national reputation for rapid sustained improvement.
At Atlantic we are passionate about excellence in all aspects of a child’s life, giving students the very best start possible. We have high aspirations, and believe students should:
- Believe in themselves
- Be actively engaged in their learning
- See the connection in what they want to become and what they are doing
- Have disruption free learning
- Have access to a challenging academic curriculum offer
- Not dwell on barriers but seek solutions
Our success so far
We have witnessed a remarkable turnaround in all aspects of the Academy, with the expectations having immediately raised outcomes. The calm and purposeful atmosphere supports all aspects of learning, the mantra of Work Hard, Be Kind permeates throughout the buildings and into the community. The success and recognition has created growing numbers on roll. We have year groups of 60 in Primary and 120 in Secondary which helps promote the unique and supportive atmosphere at the Academy.
We have several further mantras that support our vision:
‘100% Every day. No Shortcuts’
‘Excellence is a habit’
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