Director of Learning - English

About the role:  The Leigh Academy have a rare and exciting opportunity to appoint a Director of Learning for English to join and lead their highly successful faculty; the Academy achieved their best results for English in Summer 2016 in the history of the school so our successful candidate will be able to build on that with us. Being the founding Academy of the Leigh Academies Trust, we provide candidates with excellent career opportunities for those who have ambition and drive. We are seeking to appoint an individual who can build a rapport with our students and engage them in the subject as well as leading and inspiring an established and collaborative team.

Whilst our successful candidate will join us for September 2017, we are able to offer an earlier start of May/June if this suits the postholder, enabling you to fully embed within the team and Academy prior to breaking up for Summer.  This opportunity has arisen due to internal promotion of the predecessor.  We welcome interested candidates to consult the Job Description. 

About the role:  The Leigh Academy are looking to appoint a Teacher of English to join their highly successful faculty; the Academy achieved their best results for English this year in the history of the school so our successful candidate will be able to build on that with us. Being the founding Academy of the Leigh Academies Trust, we provide candidates with excellent career opportunities for those who have ambition and drive. We are seeking to appoint an individual who can build a rapport with our students and engage them in the subject.

The English Learning Area at the Leigh Academy has been identified by Ofsted as ‘outstanding’ and is committed to the sharing of best practice between colleagues.  It is a supportive and enthusiastic team, the members of which always go the extra mile to support students.  Key Stage Three lessons are team taught, GCSE Medias Studies is a popular option choice in Key Stage Four, and all Year 11 students are entered for GCSE English Literature and iGCSE English Language.  The Learning Area delivers very popular post-16 courses in English Literature, Film Studies and Media Studies.  The approach taken ensures very good outcomes for students across the ability range and guarantees a supportive, friendly and developmental team.

What we expect of you:  We will expect you to successfully plan and deliver outstanding English lessons on a daily basis that both challenge our students and significantly advance their learning.  We anticipate you will achieve this by being passionate about your subject and transferring your knowledge in a creative and efficient way in the classroom.  We also expect our successful applicant to have prior management/leadership experience. 

As part of Leigh Academies Trust you will also be expected to collaborate with your peers both within the academy and across the whole Trust.  This is an important part of our vision as we know through experience that we perform better when we work together.  You will also be expected to undertake regular self development to continue your professional development and hopefully progress further within the organisation.

We want you to be relentless in your pursuit of progress for each and every one of your students so that they can achieve the outcomes they deserve and grow into young adults that will positively contribute to their communities.  Part of this is instilling pride in the work they do and encouraging their individuality and personality whilst respecting others.

Working for the Academy:  The Leigh Academy is a secondary school at the heart of the community and our small school model ensures that each and every student gets the personal support and challenge they need to reach their full potential. The Academy is divided into four colleges: Brunel, Chaucer, Darwin and Da Vinci and each has their own personality and specialisms that make them unique.  Overall the academy is a dynamic and exciting place to work and the fantastic leadership team are committed to making it a great place to work for staff at all stages of their career.  Our award winning building and facilities are modern, light and airy and the open learning terraces and classrooms built around a daylit wintergarden give the academy a unique and special character.  It is also an academy that is conscious of its environment as it is brimming with sustainable innovations such as passive cooling, earth tubes and passive ventilation.

The academy is committed to safeguarding children and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check.  Our commitment to safeguarding is underpinned by robust processes and checks which are in place across the Trust.