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English Teacher

English Teacher

Didcot Girls' School

Oxfordshire

  • £28,000 - £43,685 per year
  • Expired
Salary:
MPS or UPS
Job type:
Full Time, Permanent
Start date:
1st September 2023
Apply by:
30 January 2023

Job overview

English Teacher

Didcot Girls’ School & Didcot Sixth Form

Role commences: 1st September 2023

Salary/allowances: MPS/UPS scale point.

Thank you for your interest in this exciting position. Application forms, other recruitment material and a copy of the school’s prospectus are available on the school website under the ‘Join Us’ tab.

­_________________________________________________________________________

Didcot Girls’ School is a dynamic school. In November 2022, the school was judged to be Outstanding. As Ofsted recognised, we invest in all of our staff:

“Leaders support staff very well. They have established a collaborative and respectful working environment. With the trust, they provide highly valued training and leadership programmes. Staff are exceptionally proud to work at the school.”

Ofsted also noted the high standards within the school and commented that “Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary”

We are a values-driven school, committed to high quality teaching and learning and respectful relationships within an inclusive learning community. Developing stimulating and student-centred teaching and learning is at the centre of our school development work. We work hard to ensure that all girls’ education enables our students to develop confidence, leadership skills and high levels of aspiration.

Summer 2022 GCSE results were superb with 88% of all students achieving 4+ in English and Maths, and 72% doing the same at 5+. Results at A level in the mixed sixth form shared with our partner school, St Birinus School, are also extremely strong with 44% of grades awarded as A* or A and 68% achieving Grades A*-B. These results place us as one of the highest performing schools in the county.


DGS English Department

The English Department is staffed by a dynamic, talented and extremely supportive group of 15 teaching staff. The department is accommodated in specialist rooms with whiteboards, projectors and visualizers as well as a team room and work area.

Curriculum

As of September 2018, the English Department introduced a KS3 ‘mastery’ curriculum, which has been developed to provide the foundations from which to develop excellent students of English. This curriculum includes a highly coherent model for skills progression, explicit first teaching of key English concepts, and a rigorous model for assessment. It has been conceived to prepare students for the challenges of GCSEs, whilst maintaining a balanced, culturally rich experience of English. Most importantly, it has been created by a team of practising teachers who are committed to a process of iterative refinement. 

In Years 10 and 11, students follow the AQA specifications for English Language and English Literature. English Literature is a very popular option in the joint Sixth Form; we offer AQA’s Specification A for Literature. In September 2017, we introduced the AQA Specification A Language and Literature course, which has quickly become a popular and successful A level option.

The English Department has a close working relationship with the vibrant and growing Media department. There are two Media units in the KS3 curriculum and there are currently two Media groups per cohort at GCSE. We also introduced Media at A-Level in September 2018, which has proved a popular choice.

Outcomes

Results at all levels are very strong. In 2022, 96% of students achieved at least one grade 4 or above in English Language or Literature, 87% of students achieved at least one grade 5 or above and 56% achieved at least one grade 7 or above. In comparison to national statistics for girls’ achievement, students at DGS achieve, on average, at least 10% better nationally, from a truly comprehensive intake. A level English Literature, and Language and Literature, is very popular. Results are strong, with many students opting to study English at university and a significant proportion of students receiving top grades (58% in English Literature, 25% in English Language and Literature).

Extra-Curricular Activities

The school has a strong culture of Reading for Pleasure. There are fortnightly Reading for Pleasure lessons in the Library for Years 7 and 8, regular visits from authors, a strong team of Reading Ambassadors, engagement with local and national book awards. The school is fortunate in having author Mary Stevens as Patron of Reading. There are regular theatre trips across all year groups, and regular university visits for KS5 students. The department runs successful catch-up provision for KS3 and KS4 students, which includes reading mentoring programmes, run by older students, for struggling or reluctant readers at KS3.


The Post

This is a key post in a dynamic and strong department. We are looking for someone with a genuine and infectious passion for their subject, who will enthuse and engage the students they teach; someone with high expectations for all students whatever their prior attainment.

We welcome applications from experienced teachers as well as those new to the profession and currently in training.

Didcot Girls’ School is a lead teaching school within the Oxfordshire Teaching Schools Alliance with a significant track record for successful fast-track career progression, leadership development and excellent CPD. The school is also part of Ridgeway Education Trust, a growing multi-academy trust, which provides the opportunity for school improvement and leadership work across schools in the future.

For further information about the department, please email Julia Durie, Acting Head of English: jdurie@didcotgirls.oxon.sch.uk

Application Process

Please download and complete an application form from the school website (under ‘Join us’) and send it with a response to the following task to Frances Adley at vacancy@didcotgirls.oxon.sch.uk

·        A response of no more than 2 sides of A4 (11 point) explaining what excellent teaching, learning and curriculum looks like in English.

The deadline for applications is 9am on Monday 30th January. Suitable candidates may be interviewed before the closing date and the school reserves the right to withdraw the position if an early appointment is made.

Please be aware that you will be required to bring your original degree certificate, proof of residence and your Disclosure and Barring Service or CRB certificate, if applicable, to your interview. 

_________________________________________________________________________

I thank you for your interest in this exciting post and wish you well with your application. 

 Georgina Littler

Headteacher

 

Didcot Girls School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects staff working in all its schools to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be subject to an enhanced DBS check along with standard pre-employment safeguarding checks.

Please be aware that you will be required to bring your original qualification certificate(s), proof of residence and photographic ID to interview.

Didcot Girls School is an equal opportunities employer.

 

Attached documents

About Didcot Girls' School

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+44 1235 812092

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Visit employer website

Didcot Girls’ School is a dynamic school. In November 2022, the school was judged to be Outstanding. As Ofsted recognised, we invest in all of our staff:

‘Leaders support staff very well. They have established a collaborative and respectful working environment. With the trust, they provide highly valued training and leadership programmes. Staff are exceptionally proud to work at the school.’

Ofsted also noted the high standards within the school and commented that ‘Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary’.

We are a values-driven school, committed to high quality teaching and learning and respectful relationships within an inclusive learning community. Developing stimulating and student-centred teaching and learning is at the centre of our school development work. We work hard to ensure that all girls’ education enables our students to develop confidence, leadership skills and high levels of aspiration.

Summer 2023 GCSE results were superb with 85% of all students achieving 4+ in English and Maths, and 71% doing the same at 5+.  Results at A level in the mixed sixth form shared with our partner school, St Birinus School, are also extremely strong with 34% of grades awarded as A* or A and 66% achieving Grades A*-B. These results place us as one of the highest performing schools in the county. Didcot Girls’ School is also in the top 3% of state schools in the country based on National Performance Tables data.

Didcot Girls’ School is heavily committed to recognising and maximising the potential of all of its students, and so operated a strong curriculum based around high-quality teaching in core subjects. The school also encouraged students to be outgoing and strong-willed, with a number of opportunities available for them to test their leadership skills, through things such as the School Council and Leadership Ladder. The personal growth of pupils is considered to be a crucial part of their ability to function well in further education or employment when they leave school post-16.

Please find more details of the school on our website at:

http://www.didcotgirls.oxon.sch.uk/


Didcot Girls' School is part of Ridgeway Education Trust (RET), a Trust dedicated to high quality education for 3-19 year olds with powerful collaboration at its heart. 

Please find more details about the Trust here: 

https://www.ridgewayeducationtrust.co.uk/


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Applications closed