Subject Lead for English

Are you a passionate teacher looking for your next step? We are looking for a qualified, experienced teacher to join Harris Professional Skills Sixth Form and Aspire Academy as Subject Lead for English. Although this is initially to provide maternity cover, this could lead to a permanent role for the right candidate.

If you are a dedicated and highly motivated practitioner with a proven track record of driving up standards, a flexible team player with excellent interpersonal skills, this is an opportunity join our highly committed team, sharing in the school's values, vision and ethos.

Here at Harris Professional Skills Sixth Form and Aspire Academy, we have worked hard to create an environment where we look after and care for each other. Whilst being incredibly rewarding, working in schools can sometimes be hard. Colleagues at Harris Professional Skills Sixth Form and Aspire Academy know that we work together as a team and we look out for each other; the environment here is one of care, nurture and support along with a bit of challenge!

About Us

Harris Professional Skills Sixth Form is a unique sixth form, established to provide an outstanding vocational education and preparation for skills-based work or transition to university for students in Croydon and the surrounding boroughs.

Part of the Harris Federation, which runs highly successful primary and secondary academies across London, Harris Professional Skills Sixth Form caters for students who may not suit the traditional pathways at post-16. With small class sizes and strong pastoral support, we offer excellent, focused vocational options as well as the opportunity to take or resit GCSEs that students need to progress further – whether they choose to progress into a career or higher education. The academy also has a small Alternative Provision supporting students with a high level of need.

Our academy offers a choice of Construction, Health and Social Care, Business, Media, Science and Art along with resit opportunities in Maths and English Language GCSE for students choosing a vocational pathway, providing a curriculum that will challenge and inspire them to develop the skills and confidence they need to compete successfully for jobs in their chosen vocation.

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

We would like to hear from you if you:

• 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
• Are able to build and sustain professional standards and relationships with students
• Are 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.

Rewards & 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, electric car scheme, and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on 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, an online search, 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.