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Head of English

Head of English

Harris Academy Purley

Croydon

  • Expired
Salary:
MPS (Outer London) + £1,500 Harris Allowance + TLR + up to £5,000 R&R Allowance
Job type:
Full Time, Permanent
Start date:
September
Apply by:
15 June 2023

Job overview

Are you a passionate teacher looking for your next step? We are looking for a qualified, experienced teacher to join Harris Academy Purley as Head of English.

We are happy to consider existing middle leaders and those wishing to take on their first leadership post.

About Us

Working at Harris Academy Purley, you will make a real difference to the lives of young people and their families in South London who value the learning and school environment we offer. Our school is oversubscribed; we have families, from a number of boroughs, who choose us for the high standard of education we provide, and staff come from across London as well as Sussex and Surrey to come and work with us.

You will be given ample opportunities to develop and progress your career, and all staff are encouraged to develop their interests and areas of expertise. Our professional development is tailored to ensure all staff are able to continue learning regardless of their role or stage of career.

We strive for excellence and have high ambitions for the future whilst ensuring we maintain a clear focus on staff wellbeing and work-life balance. Our motto: To Learn, To Think, To Act is as true for our staff as it is for our students, and we are committed to investing in your experience with us.

Main Areas of Responsibility

The purpose of your role will be:

  • To be accountable for leading, managing and developing the subject area.
  • To raise standards of student attainment and achievement within the whole subject/curriculum area and to monitor and support student progress.
  • To ensure the provision of an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum for students studying in the department, in accordance with the aims of the academy and the curricular policies determined by the Governing Body and Principal.
  • To teach the relevant subject across the age and ability range.
  • To facilitate and encourage a learning experience which provides students with the opportunity to achieve their individual potential.
  • To effectively manage and deploy staff, financial and physical resources within the department.
  • To share and support the school's responsibility to provide and monitor opportunities for personal and academic growth.

Your main areas of responsibility will fall under the areas of:

  • Operational and strategic planning (including formulating the subject and faculty improvement plans, and leading the development of appropriate syllabuses, resources, schemes of work, marking policies, assessment and teaching strategies)
  • Ensuring the delivery of an appropriate, comprehensive, high quality and cost effective curriculum and leading development of the subject and its delivery
  • Staff development (including recruiting, building and managing an effective team of motivated staff)
  • Student outcomes (including ensuring the effective operation of target setting, monitoring and evaluation systems and the input and maintenance of accurate student data)
  • Pastoral system (including being a form tutor to a selected group of students)
  • Teaching, including acting as an outstanding role model

Qualifications & Experience

The successful candidate will:

  • Hold QTS (or equivalent) and a relevant undergraduate degree, and, ideally, management training
  • Demonstrate successful teaching of GCSE at good or better level
  • Have experience of initiation and effective management of change
  • Show evidence of raising achievement in present post and showing good value added for groups
  • Have knowledge of current curriculum developments in subject and their implications
  • Have good knowledge and understanding of current educational thinking
  • Show good understanding of how children learn and how to raise standards of achievement
  • Have good communication skills in speech and writing
  • Display excellent organisational skills
  • Be able to build and sustain professional standards and relationships with students
  • Be able to contribute towards creating a safe and protective environment

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be helpful for you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.

Professional Development & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.


In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance for teachers on MPS/UPS, a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan including access to a virtual GP, electric car scheme, and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefitson our website.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

Attached documents

About Harris Academy Purley

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+44 20 86811141

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Harris Academy Purley is a co-educational 11-18 Academy for 1,100 students which opened in September 2009, with a £20 million new building opening in September 2012. Harris Purley offers specialisms in Enterprise and Sport using its extensive playing fields. The academy was judged to be Outstanding by Ofsted in December 2011 and student progress is in the top 10% nationally.

The Academy is a happy, hard-working and highly ambitious community in which students and staff treat one another with care and respect. It combines traditional values of discipline and good-manners with contemporary best practice in teaching and technology.

Academy Ethos

Harris Academy Purley is a school where students are given the opportunity and encouragement to achieve their personal best. By the time they leave the academy, we want our young people to be happy and educated with the desire and drive to succeed. This means:

• Each student gets the individual care and attention they need to thrive and achieve their personal best.

• Teachers bring learning alive and class sizes are kept as small as possible.

• Students participate in a broad range of after-school activities.

• All students contribute to Academy life by taking on positions of responsibility. This may, for example, be through directing an Academy play, captaining a sports team or playing in a band.

• Everyone works together to maintain a happy, safe and orderly environment. We instil mutual respect between students and staff and have zero tolerance of bullying in any form.

• We promote high expectations and set standards of excellence. Staying on for Sixth Form is encouraged so that it becomes the norm, not the exception. Our Sixth Form is being run in conjunction with the Harris Sixth Form.

Academy Specialisms

Enterprise and Sport

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Applications closed