Teacher of English
The Gryphon School
Dorset
- Expired
- Salary:
- Teachers’ Pay Scales
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Start date:
- 01 September 2021
- Apply by:
- 25 January 2021
Job overview
We are seeking to appoint an ambitious, creative and inspiring teacher with energy, enthusiasm and a love of English. This is a permanent, full-time post for a candidate with an ability to teach English to A level. This role is suitable for an NQT.
This is a great opportunity to join an English Department that is large, creative and dynamic. There is a real passion for literature, language and literacy. Levels of progress are very good and the GCSE Grade 4+ pass rate in best English (Language or Literature) in 2020 was over 90%.The English courses are amongst the most popular at A Level again with excellent results.
The successful candidate will have:
• a strong subject knowledge and passion for all aspects of the written and spoken word
• the ability to embrace and contribute to the vision and direction of the team
• the ability to play a full role in maintaining and enhancing the current high standards in the Department
• the ability to support, challenge and inspire our students, encouraging them to achieve the best they can through the promotion of outstanding teaching and learning
• excellent communication skills and the ability to celebrate and promote high quality teaching and learning
• the ability to be a team player who will go the extra mile to support students and who will enjoy the challenges of this role
Our large team of 13 full time and 3 part time English teachers is dedicated, enthusiastic and inspiring. We like to benefit from each other’s extensive skills at every opportunity and sharing of best practice is a key feature of all of our meetings. Over the years we have established and maintained a high level of success in public examinations, at GCSE and A level. We have consistently attracted large numbers to study at post 16, including a significant proportion of boys. The Department has clear Schemes of Work including a broad range of literature and language resources. We encourage staff to capitalise on their own enthusiasm, skills and knowledge and are keen to support career progression within the Department structure. Film Studies is also an important strand of the Department with several specialist teachers supporting the teaching of the GCSE and A Level courses.
The English Department keeps good stocks of set texts and other resources in our centrally located office as well as in our twelve classrooms. The School has a very well-equipped Learning Resource Centre which is in constant use by English staff. All classrooms are fitted with interactive whiteboards and multi-media facilities. E-learning is a priority and there is Wi-Fi across the site; iPads are used extensively and students are encouraged to use the latest technology to make notes, interact in lessons and access revision resources.
In English the pupils are usually taught in mixed ability groups, although we have some smaller groups in all Key Stages to cater for students with particular needs. Class size is usually between 27 and 30 in KS3, between 20 and 30 at KS4 and between 10 and 25 at KS5. Short intervention schemes are often used by our Nurture & Learning Support Department to ensure that all students are making progress. The Schemes of Work, which are regularly updated, list core activities and assessments alongside other suggestions to allow staff the flexibility of personalised interpretation of lessons. All Schemes follow National Curriculum guidelines where necessary, including a renewed focus on the teaching of spelling, punctuation and grammar. We use a wide range of texts at KS3 and have detailed resources to support their delivery. It is essential that we encourage our students to be adept, independent readers. Assessment in Years 7-9 is currently being re-developed with a focus on core skills like effective written and spoken communication, comprehension and SPAG. We feel that we are centrally placed to provide quality literacy teaching throughout our curriculum.
The person appointed to this position will be an excellent teacher, able to enthuse students and demonstrate a real passion for English. At The Gryphon, a main scale teacher currently teaches 43 out of 50 one-hour periods over a two-week timetable, including five PPA periods.
The Gryphon is a wonderful place to work and has a special atmosphere and feel. It became a founder member of the Sherborne Area Schools’ Trust (SAST) a multi-academy trust established in June 2017. We have been designated as a teaching school since September 2017. In a recent national publication, The Real Schools Guide, The Gryphon was rated as one of only two schools in Dorset as 5 star; based on attainment, teaching, attendance and outcomes. The Good Schools Guide concludes that we are a ‘Super much sought-after school at the very centre of its community taking on the Sherborne independents. Truly a model of comprehensive education at its best – a place for all comers, which children and parents set their heart on, so it bulges at the seams’.
Attached documents
About The Gryphon School
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Situated in a beautiful area of North Dorset, with easy road access to London, Bath, Bristol, Exeter and the glorious Dorset coast, The Gryphon School is a heavily over-subscribed 11-18, inclusive, Church of England school that welcomes those of all faiths and of none. Our students come first and we encourage every student to strive for the highest possible levels of academic achievement alongside developing the personal attributes and qualities to thrive and make a positive contribution throughout life. We work tirelessly to make sure every child wants to come to school – to learn, laugh and take another positive step forward. We also pride ourselves on our support and care for everyone and each other. The Gryphon School is successful in gaining high results for its students at both GCSE and A-level. The large Sixth Form of 430 students is exceptional. Its students have an excellent record of success in gaining university entrance, including to Oxbridge and the Russell Group, and in the most challenging courses. We are a very proud school which attracts students from around North and West Dorset as well as South Somerset. The Gryphon is a wonderful place to work and has a special atmosphere and feel. It became an academy in August 2012 to sustain the quality of our outstanding provision. In a recent national publication, The Real Schools Guide 2016, it was rated as one of only two schools in Dorset to receive a 5 star rating based on attainment, teaching, attendance and outcomes. The Good Schools Guide concludes that we are a ‘Super much sought-after school at the very centre of its community taking on the Sherborne independents. Truly a model of comprehensive education at its best – a place for all comers, which children and parents set their heart on, so it bulges at the seams’. Sherborne was named, in March 2014, by The Sunday Times as one of the best places to live in Britain, being described as ‘one of the most drop-dead-gorgeous towns in the country’ and having the feel of ‘a small cathedral city’. This is boosted, it says, by the quality of its schools, both private and public. Later that month, The Times named it as one of the best places to live in the countryside. It is a great area in which to live, offering something for everyone. We are an outward looking school with excellent community links as well as strong relationships with other good and outstanding schools across the South West and nationally. Teaching is often outstanding, and consistently at least good across all subjects and key stages. Teachers make lessons stimulating and practical and have excellent subject knowledge. They make sure students are very clear about what is demanded of them and how to improve. Students consistently have very good attitudes to learning. They behave extremely courteously to one another, to teachers and other adults and work well whether collaborating in groups taking part in whole-class activities or on their own.’ Ofsted 2014. The School’s very positive entry in the Good School Guide describes pastoral care and discipline as ‘exceptional’. Students are reflective, behave with great courtesy, and are heavily involved in working with staff to improve the school and the welfare of others. We are a comprehensive school serving a diverse community. In summary, there is a great sense of pride in what we collectively achieve, but we will accept the challenge for achievement to be even higher. Our special culture and ethos focuses on high achievement, for students to achieve the best that they can, both personally and academically, supported by the tremendous work and care of all our staff. We continue to strive to be outstanding in all respects. Of course, education is more than just exam results – we place great value on the personal development of each student. We aim for them to leave school as well-rounded young people with a strong sense of what is socially, morally and culturally acceptable, and to feel that they have a contribution to make to the greater community.
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