Teacher of Business Studies

Inspire, transform, teach! We are currently looking to appoint a dedicated and inspiring Teacher of Business Studies.

At Harris Academy Ockendon, you will join a dedicated team of teachers and staff supporting our vibrant students. If you are looking for an opportunity to grow, inspire and develop, this may be the role for you.

About Us

This is a very special time for our academy. In September 2019 we joined the Harris Federation which runs over 50 successful primary and secondary academies in London and Essex. The vast majority of Harris academies inspected by Ofsted have been rated ‘outstanding’.

We always tell our students to ‘enjoy being the best you can be’. At Harris Academy Ockendon, ‘being the best’ is neither a destination nor a moment in time, but it is a journey towards a consistent pattern of behaviour and attitudes which result in constant progress and achievement. We approach each day with determination and are relentless in our pursuit of excellence for our students and staff. We believe we have the power to transform our students’ lives regardless of their ability, background, social status and life opportunities.

We have huge ambition and aspiration for every student, and our commitment to their success is combined with exceptional support. We strive to develop resilience in our students and the ability to be tenacious in their quest to ‘Enjoy being the best they can be’. We draw out their individual talents and celebrate their personal achievements at every opportunity. We enable our students to explore interests beyond the classroom, develop a social conscience and create opportunities to allow them to have a broad understanding of the world.

Our values are deeply rooted in a belief that all students can succeed. To achieve this, learning and teaching, is at the heart of everything we do. Our staff are experts and focus on how students can be challenged and supported to achieve the very best they can academically, and to help them develop the transferable skills needed to build successful futures.

When you visit Harris Academy Ockendon you will notice that it is a welcoming, ambitious and creative place to learn, where students feel secure and happy. Harris Academy Ockendon is a place of high expectations. We create a culture and ethos that facilitates success. We aim for excellence and expect our students and their families to do the same.

Main Areas of Responsibility

The purpose of your role will be: 

• To implement and deliver an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum for students and to support a designated curriculum area as appropriate. 
• To monitor and support the overall progress and development of students as a teacher/form tutor 
• To facilitate and encourage a learning experience which provides students with the opportunity to achieve their individual potential 
• To contribute to raising standards of student attainment 
• To share and support the academy’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 lesson planning, developing resources and syllabuses, and contributing to the departmental plan) 
• Curriculum planning 
• Staff development (including continuing professional development and engaging fully in the Performance Management Review process) 
• Quality assurance (including contributing to the process of monitoring and evaluating the subject area) 
• Management of information (including maintaining appropriate records and tracking student progress) 
• Communications with students, parents and other stakeholders 
• Pastoral system (including being a form tutor to a selected group of students) 
• Teaching, ensuring a high quality learning experience for students

Qualifications & Experience

The successful candidate will: 

• Hold QTS (or equivalent) and a relevant undergraduate degree 
• Have successful teaching experience at secondary level (can be teaching practice), ideally including experience in multi-ethnic urban schools and of working in an 11-18 school 
• Understand the theory and practice of effective teaching and learning 
• Understand the importance of high expectations and equality of access for all students, and of being a tutor 
• Have knowledge of National Curriculum requirements at KS3 and KS4, and of writing lesson plans, developing resources and assessing students' work 
• Be able to work as part of a team and to develop and maintain positive relationships with all staff 
• Have a good level of ICT skills, ideally including innovative use of interactive white boards 
• Be able to create a motivating and safe learning environment for all students 
• Be able to communicate positively with parents, carers and other external agencies where necessary 
• Have good written and spoken communication skills 
• Be able to lead and manage their own work effectively 
• Have excellent time management skills 
• Be able to motivate students and raise their aspirations through a range of strategies

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 to senior leadership.

We look for talented individuals who share our vision for creating exceptional places of learning, and are committed to ensuring that every child in London has access to the best possible education.

In addition to the opportunities for career progression, training and development, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance, a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan and many other benefits.

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 we expect all our staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants. Before applying, please review our Policy Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders.

Equal Opportunities

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

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.