Head of English

HEAD OF ENGLISH

We are looking for a highly motivated teacher of English to join a team committed to raising standards and expectations.  

This is a unique opportunity to be involved in and help shape our Academy, at an exciting stage in its development.  The post reflects the continued expansion of the Academy, is a key leadership position, and offers significant scope for professional and career development as the Academy continues to grow in size.

The successful candidate should be an ambitious colleague who combines excellent organisational skills with the ability to inspire and motivate both staff and students. They should be a hardworking, creative, energetic, and excellent classroom practitioner.  They will have the capacity to help us establish a vibrant learning environment, and a culture of enthusiasm for learning.  Their professionalism and dedication will enable our students to achieve more than they believe possible.

Within the English department there are colleagues with a wide range of teaching and life experience; some beginning their careers and others have worked in a range of different schools, locally, in other parts of the UK and overseas.

In Years 7, 8 and 9 our curriculum is inspired by the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP), combining the study of language and literature in themed termly units. Our aim is to promote reading and to develop comprehension, analysis, writing and speaking skills through varied and engaging texts and activities. Our students are assessed against the four MYP criterion for Language and Literature; Analysing, Organising, Producing text and Using language.

In Years 9 and 10 we prepare our students for the WJEC (EDUCAS) GCSE in English Literature. This includes the study of a Shakespeare Play, a nineteenth century novel, a post 1914 novel or play, an anthology of poetry and unseen poetry. At present, the GCSE Literature examination is taken at the end of Year 10. In Year 11 students are taught and practise the understanding and skills for the WJEC English Language GCSE.

From September 2021, English Literature and Language will be taught simultaneously across both Year 10 and 11, with both examinations being sat at the end of Year 11.

In the Sixth Form students follow the IB English Language and Literature course. Within the parameters of the IB Learner Profile, the IB approach to teaching and the subject brief we are able to create our own course, and students have the opportunity to investigate their individual interests in the subject.

In Year 7 to 11 the cohort are divided into two bands, within each band there are four sets. In the Sixth Form there is one Language and Literature group in Year 12 and one in Year 13.

Teachers in the department each have their own teaching room. There is a departmental work room in which each teacher has a desk facilitating opportunities for sharing good practice and pedagogical discussion. The department is well resourced, with all English teaching and assessment resources shared folder on the Academy network.

Frequent visits, theatre trips and events form part of the enhanced curriculum of the English department including our annual Book Week.

The English department is proud of playing a large part in developing our students’ cultural capital and understanding the role English has in developing a lifelong love of learning

We offer:

• An exciting and vibrant place of work
• Gym Facilities
• High Quality Continued Professional Development