Teacher of English - September 2020

This is an excellent opportunity for a first rate Teacher of English to join a highly successful and collaborative department. An interest in Drama would be advantageous. We welcome applications from NQTs and experienced teachers. 

Situated in Tunbridge Wells, with excellent transport links to London, Bennett is a popular and over-subscribed academy with an enviable record of outstanding academic achievement over many years. 

• A Church of England co-educational school with independent academy status

• 1713 on roll including 376 in the Sixth Form

• Judged Outstanding in every area by Ofsted in 2012   

• World Class School Quality Mark in 2017    

• Outstanding GCSE and A Level results

• Excellent reputation; oversubscribed

Bennett students are highly motivated and enthusiastic about learning and taking part in the huge range of enrichment activities that we offer.  

As the lead school in the Altius Teaching School partnership, we are committed to providing strong and sustained professional development for all colleagues who work with us.  

Priority places at the school are available for children of staff.

Further details including how to apply are available on the school website www.bennettmemorial.co.uk.  

Completed Application Forms should be emailed to recruitment@bennett.kent.sch.uk or posted to the school by the closing date. Applications should be submitted on the correct Application Form, CVs will not be accepted.

The closing date for applications is 12pm on Thursday 6 February 2020

Bennett Memorial Diocesan School is part of the Tenax Schools Trust 

This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  All posts are subject to a satisfactory DBS enhanced check.

English Curriculum Area

English is a highly successful subject area at Bennett and our outstanding results are a testimony to the enthusiasm students bring to lessons and the close collaboration we have within the team to encourage everyone to do their very best. Fostering a delight in literature and empowering young people with a mastery of language, we strive as a department to enrich students’ experience of reading, writing and oracy. As a curriculum team which includes drama and media studies, we are well placed to use our range of knowledge and experience to provide a creative and challenging curriculum; we believe there is no limit to the progress students can make.

The curriculum team, led by Mr Pete Town, comprises fourteen teachers offering English, drama and media studies. We have a suite of English classrooms within our own block. Media studies also has a dedicated computer room. Every classroom has an IWB and ample storage. Colleagues make full use of the Learning Resources Centre where KS3 classes have a library lesson once a fortnight. Students from all years can use the Drama Theatre for practical work.  The VLE, BSpace, also provides opportunities for students to extend their learning.  The English office provides workspace and a photocopier for colleagues. 

We have a fantastic range of teaching resources which we share regularly. There are detailed schemes of work for each year group with a variety of linked resources, engaging texts and lesson suggestions. Assessment is carefully embedded into all our units.

There is a strong focus on developing further students’ knowledge of the English language and their capacity to use it both expressively and analytically, building upon the foundations laid in KS2. GCSE classes follow the AQA GCSE English language and English literature specification. Significant numbers of students opt to take GCSE drama and media studies. In the 6th form we offer A levels in English literature, English language, theatre studies and media studies; uptake is high and we are relentless in promoting the intrinsic value of the study of English and related subjects beyond A level. Many students pursue their studies in these fields at university.

Beyond the classroom the English department has started to establish links with primary schools. We have a thriving creative writing club, a drama club and a very successful senior debating society, all of which are led by English team colleagues. There are opportunities to be involved with school productions; most recently the department has staged productions of Antigone, The Seagull, Much Ado About Nothing and The Thirty-Nine Steps, with Julius Caesar in the pipeline.   Visits to theatres are arranged regularly as part of the co-curricular programme. 

Bennett is strongly committed to developing teachers professionally and believes that all staff have an active and positive role to play in the development of policy and practice. As a designated Teaching School we can offer a wide range of professional development opportunities within Bennett and our network of secondary schools. These include the outstanding teacher programme and leadership development programmes. 

Bennett is a Church of England school and it is expected that staff support the school’s distinctive ethos in their role.