Director of English
Harris Academy Merton, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 1BP7 days remaining to apply
Start date details
January or Easter 2026
Closing date
13 October 2025 at 11:59pm
Date listed
6 October 2025
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
- £59,132 - £63,996 + TLR
Pay scale
- UPS (Inner London) + £1,500 Harris Allowance + TLR
Additional allowances
Performance and Loyalty Bonus + Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan + Pension Scheme (TPS) + Additional Harris Benefits
What skills and experience we're looking for
We are seeking to appoint an experienced leader to further enhance the consistently outstanding outcomes from our exceptional English Department.
We would like to hear from you if you:
- Hold QTS (or equivalent) and a good, relevant undergraduate degree.
- Are an excellent teacher with a minimum of two years' teaching experience.
- Have proven success in raising achievement.
- Have experience of leading others, ensuring high quality performance.
- Have successful experience in implementation of monitoring, evaluation and review process to improve the quality of teaching and learning.
- Demonstrate a high level of ICT skills and experience of how new technologies can be used to raise achievement.
- Have recent experience of involvement in innovative curriculum development.
- Have experience of presenting to a wide audience including teachers, other managers, students and parents.
- Understand creative whole school strategies for improving literacy and numeracy and the importance of this in raising achievement.
- Have some successful experience of leading on cross subject initiatives that have contributed to raising achievement.
- Have experience of embedding innovative strategies for Assessment for Learning and Learning to Learn.
- Have recent and relevant experience of managing and implementing change successfully at subject leader level.
- Are willing to use coaching as a model for ensuring on-going professional development.
For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.
What the school offers its staff
At Harris Academy Merton we promote the ethos ‘'Achievement is Success'' and believe every student has the right to the highest standard of education so that they can accomplish their aspirations. Our aim is to give every student an educational experience that is enjoyable and holistic so that they develop into responsible, articulate and successful young people.
We combine the traditional values of strong discipline, good manners, respect and pride in appearance with contemporary best practice in teaching and technology. With these core values embedded, we develop our students into confident and capable individuals that have a desire to excel academically and personally now and in the future.
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 and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.
Flexible working opportunities
Harris Federation is committed to fostering a positive and supportive working environment for our staff, recognising that achieving a balance between professional and personal responsibilities is essential. We understand that each individual’s circumstances are unique, which is why we offer flexible working options that can be adapted to meet the needs of both the academy and our employees.
Our approach to flexibility includes a range of solutions, from tailored working hours to part-time arrangements, where appropriate, ensuring that we maintain our high standards of education while supporting the wellbeing of our staff. Whether you are a classroom teacher, support staffor part of our senior leadership team, we work together to find solutions that align with both the operational needs of the academy and your professional development.
Harris Federation and our academies are dedicated to creating an inclusive and collaborative environment, where every member of staff can thrive and feel valued in their role.
Further information about the job
The purpose of your role will be:
- To be accountable for student progress and development in the subject area across KS3, KS4 and post 16, including meeting student achievement targets for subject areas which are agreed by the Principal and the Governing Body.
- To ensure high standards of teaching and learning across the subject area through continuously, developing and enhancing the quality of teaching and learning.
- To ensure the provision of an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum for students in the subject area, in accordance with the academy aims and policies, as determined by the Principal and Governing Body.
- To ensure that all school policies and procedures are implemented and applied consistently by all staff in the subject area.
- To ensure agreed tutor programme is implemented and that tutors are effective in their role.
- To ensure effective behaviour for learning is evident throughout faculty
- To effectively and efficiently manage and deploy teaching/support staff, financial and physical resources across the subject area.
- To lead development for literacy, through the WORD strategy, within subject areas, to raise standards of Literacy across the Academy
Your main areas of responsibility will fall under the areas of:
- Operational and strategic planning (including rigorous self-evaluation and review of subject area performance, 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
Commitment to safeguarding
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.
Applying for the job
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on school website (opens in new tab)About Harris Academy Merton
- School type
- Academy, ages 11 to 18
- Education phase
- Secondary
- School size
- 1341 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Harris Academy Merton website
- Email address
- info@harrismerton.org.uk
- Phone number
- 020 8623 1000
About Harris Academy Merton
Harris Academy Merton serves students from Year 7 to Sixth Form, and has twice been judged Outstanding by Ofsted. The current student roll is 1200, with a planned increase in our Year 7 intake over the next two years taking our numbers from 180 to 240 students. Applications for places greatly exceed the places available. The academy is set in seven acres of land, containing five teaching blocks, a sports hall, a full size floodlit all weather pitch plus four full size floodlit tennis courts and our own playing fields as well as an administration building containing the assembly hall and dining hall. We are favourably located for public transport with good local access to bus, mainline train and underground links, as well as on-site parking for vehicles and bicycles.
Come and see us in action: visits to Harris Academy Merton are strongly encouraged and very welcome. Please call 0208 623 1000 or info@harrismerton.org.uk to arrange a time to come in or an informal conversation with the Principal.
Arranging a visit to Harris Academy Merton
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email info@harrismerton.org.uk.
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