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Curriculum Leader for English/Head of English
Oasis Academy Lord's Hill, Southampton, Hampshire, SO16 8FA9 days remaining to apply
Job start date
1 September 2026
Closing date
18 May 2026 at 3pm
Date listed
7 May 2026
Job details
Job role
- Head of department or curriculum
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 3, Key stage 4
Subject
- English
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- MPS/UPS plus TLR1A
Curriculum Leader for English/Head of English job summary
We are looking for an ambitious, inspirational Head of English to lead a committed team and drive rapid improvement in curriculum, teaching and outcomes. This is a pivotal leadership role in a school that places character, high expectations and community at the heart of everything we do. As an academy on a strong improvement journey, we know that outcomes in English are central to our students’ life chances and we want to support you to deliver exceptional results.
Our school is moving forward with pace and purpose. We are building a culture where students are proud, kind and determined, and where staff are supported to deliver the very best for every child. As Head of English, you will play a central role in shaping this culture and securing excellence across the department.
You will lead the strategic direction of English across Key Stages 3 and 4, implementing a knowledge‑rich, well‑sequenced curriculum that enables every student to achieve highly. You will oversee curriculum, assessment, teaching quality and the professional development of your team, modelling excellent practice and ensuring consistently strong classroom delivery.
You will also champion reading, writing and oracy across the school, ensuring literacy is a powerful driver of equity and aspiration. The English department is already one of the strongest in the academy; you will build on this foundation to secure exceptional outcomes at GCSE. For the right candidate, there is also the opportunity to lead whole‑school literacy.
As a leader, you will shape your team’s professional development. Each week, you and the team have a timetabled co‑preparation slot, a protected space for co‑planning, scripting and CPD that supports rapid improvement and shared excellence.
As part of Oasis Community Learning, you will benefit from trust‑wide networks, high‑quality professional development and the support of experienced national and regional leaders. This is an exciting opportunity for a leader who is proud, kind and determined — and who wants to make a transformational difference to the life chances of young people.
About the Role
The Head of English will provide strategic leadership across Key Stages 3 and 4, ensuring a curriculum and teaching approach that is:
- Knowledge‑rich and academically ambitious
- Logically sequenced, building powerful knowledge over time
- Consistently delivered, with high‑quality teaching in every classroom
- Driven by assessment, enabling teachers to respond to gaps and misconceptions
- Focused on literacy, ensuring all students can read, write and communicate with confidence
You will lead a committed team of teachers and be responsible for:
- Curriculum design and development
- Quality assurance and teaching standards
- Assessment, data analysis and intervention
- Line management and professional development
- Championing reading, writing and oracy across the school
- Securing strong outcomes at GCSE
This is a role for a leader ready to make a significant, lasting impact.
Our English Department
The English department is a hardworking, collaborative team with a strong commitment to improving outcomes for students. We teach a curriculum that values:
- Rich, challenging texts
- Excellent expositions from subject experts
- Explicit instruction of Tier 2 vocabulary
- Precise writing instruction based on the Hochman method
- Oracy and structured talk
- Rigorous assessment and responsive teaching
We are looking for a leader who can build on this strong foundation, strengthen consistency and drive excellence across the department.
Our Students
Our students are energetic, diverse and full of potential. They deserve a curriculum that challenges them, inspires them and prepares them for the world beyond school. We are committed to ensuring every student leaves us with the literacy, confidence and cultural capital they need to thrive.
As Head of English, you will play a central role in shaping this experience.
Why Join Us?
A School with Purpose
We place character, community and high expectations at the heart of everything we do. We believe in the power of education to transform lives, and we are building a culture where staff and students can flourish.
A Trust That Invests in People
As part of Oasis Community Learning, you will benefit from:
- Trust‑wide curriculum networks
- High‑quality professional development
- Leadership coaching and support
- Opportunities to collaborate with experienced national and regional leaders
- A strong ethos rooted in inclusion, equity and community transformation
A Leadership Role with Real Influence
Your leadership will directly shape:
- Outcomes for every student
- Curriculum intent and implementation
- Teaching quality across the department
- GCSE outcomes for hundreds of students
- Whole‑school literacy strategy
- The professional growth of your team
If you want to make a difference, this is the place to do it.
Who We Are Looking For
We are seeking a leader who is:
- An excellent classroom practitioner with a strong track record of impact
- Passionate about curriculum, pedagogy and subject knowledge
- Skilled at developing others and building strong teams
- Committed to inclusion and high expectations for every student
- Motivated by school improvement and the challenge of raising standards
- Able to inspire confidence, trust and ambition in staff and students
You may already be a middle leader, or you may be an aspiring leader ready for your first step into curriculum leadership. What matters most is your drive, expertise and belief in what young people can achieve.
The Offer
We provide:
- A leadership role with genuine scope to shape the future of English
- A supportive senior leadership team including English specialists
- Access to trust‑wide training, networks and expertise
- Opportunities for career progression within a large national trust
- A culture that values staff wellbeing, collaboration and professional growth
We look forward to receiving your application and learning more about what you can bring to our school. For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Sam Genovese, Vice Principal.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview, including a teaching task and leadership discussion.
Interview date: Thursday 21 May 2026
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applying for the job
This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on external website (opens in new tab)About Oasis Academy Lord's Hill
- School type
- Academies, ages 11 to 16
- Education phase
- Secondary school
- School size
- 762 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Oasis Academy Lord's Hill website
Secondary School
School location
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