Director of Learning - English
Leigh Academy Tonbridge, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 2PH16 days remaining to apply
Start date details
September 2025
Closing date
11 March 2025 at 11:59pm
Date listed
13 February 2025
Job details
Job role
- Head of department or curriculum
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5
Subject
- English
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Pay scale
- Leadership Scale, commensurate with experience
What skills and experience we're looking for
Are you an inspiring and innovative English specialist ready to take the next step in your career?Leigh Academy Tonbridge is seeking aDirector of Learning – Englishto lead and drive excellence across our English department. This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious educator to make a real impact in a thriving and dynamic academy.
This is your chance to be part of an exciting journey as we continue to grow and develop. With an expanding academy, a forward-thinking curriculum, and a strong focus on high-quality teaching, we’re looking for a passionate leader who is eager to inspire, innovate, and make a lasting difference in the lives of our students.
What we offer:✔ A leadership role with real influence, shaping the English curriculum and driving improvements across the department.✔ Outstanding professional development and career progression opportunities.✔ A collaborative and forward-thinking team, dedicated to student success.✔ Modern, well-equipped facilities to enhance teaching and learning.
What we’re looking for:✔ A passionate and experienced English teacher with a proven track record of success.✔ A strong leader, ready to inspire and develop colleagues to reach their full potential.✔ A commitment to innovative and engaging teaching strategies.✔ A drive to raise student achievement and foster a love for English.
If you’re ready to take the next step and shape the future of English at Leigh Academy Tonbridge, we’d love to hear from you!
This is a permanent, full time opportunity which offers Leadership Scale commensurate with experience.
Leigh Academy Tonbridge is a very special place to work and pre-application visits or phone calls are both encouraged and welcomed. If you would like to arrange to discuss the role with a member of the team, please contactBecky Green, Office Manager, atbecky.green@latonbridge.org.uk
Do you know a great teacher who would like to hear about opportunities with Leigh Academies Trust? If so, make a referral today for the chance to receive£100as a 'thank you'. Simply complete the referral form byclicking here.T&C's apply.
What the school offers its staff
Working with us at Leigh Academy Tonbridge
‘Behaviour and attitudes are exceptional’Ofsted, 2022.
‘Staff are proud to work at the school. There is a strong culture of collaboration and sharing.’
The school’s small size means that all pupils are known, valued and nurtured.’
'Senior Leaders have a passionate and ambitious vision about providing high-quality education for all pupils at the school…senior leaders are relentless about raising standards and maintaining high expectations by keeping a high profile around the school.’
Joining us at Leigh Academy Tonbridge:Building on the strengths of our legacy school, Hayesbrook Academy, Leigh Academy Tonbridge will open our doors to the first cohort of year 7 students, including boys and girls, for September 2023.
Hayesbrook Academy first opened in 1964. Having always been an all-boys school, our history before then is closely linked to the old Sussex Road Boys School, where records go back to the early 1900’s, and so we have a strong tradition of education provision in Tonbridge. The modern day academy has always been an 11-18 comprehensive school with a mixed sixth form, serving the local community.
Since being the first school in West Kent to gain Academy Status in 2010, the academy led the way in achieving excellent standards and in creating a multi-academy Trust. We were graded ‘Excellent’ by Ofsted in 2005, 2008 and 2009. The academic success and high standards have continued and inspections in 2013, 2017 and most recently in December 2022, found the school to be ‘good’ overall but recognised students’ behaviour and attitudes as ‘exceptional’ (graded as ‘outstanding’). Furthermore, the inspection recognised strengths in reading and literacy; careers provision; teachers’ subject knowledge; the support provided by the trust and the governing body; as well as identifying the ‘meticulous’ arrangements for safeguarding. The report also recognised“Senior leaders are relentless about raising standards and maintaining high expectations…”.. Our press release and the full Ofsted report can be accessedhere.
The Academy grows, adapts and thrives with each new cohort of students that are welcomed here every September and our recent move to Leigh Academies Trust has strengthened the academy’s ability to deliver the very best for our pupils.
Being part of Leigh Academies Trust
As of 1st September 2024, our Trust comprises 33 geographically organised academies (17 secondaries, 14 primaries and 2 special) educating more than 24,000 students and employing 4,000 talented staff. Currently, 16 of our academies are considered to be “Outstanding” which is 53% of those which have been inspected whilst part of the Trust. The Trust is establishing three ‘clusters’ of academies: LAT Central; LAT West; LAT North. In addition, the Trust is responsible for one of the region’s biggest initial teaching training organisations, a large teaching school hub and is an accredited apprenticeship provider.Our future plans are found in our Vision 2030 document available on our website.
As part of Leigh Academies Trust, you will have ample opportunity to collaborate with your peers both within the academy and across the whole Trust. This is an important part of our vision as we know through experience that we perform better when we work together. You are supported to undertake regular self-development to continue your professional development and hopefully progress further within the organisation.
Click here to view the benefits available to all LAT employees from day one.
Our commitment to safeguarding: Leigh Academies Trust and all of our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust and consistent recruitment process across all academies and business units which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates - you can read more about this in our Recruitment Guidance. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.
Our commitment to equality and diversity: As a Trust, we are passionate about diversity and recognise that as individuals, we all bring something unique to the role regardless of any protected characteristics which is why we treat all of our people equally, without compromise. We are committed to providing equality and fairness throughout our recruitment and employment practices and not discriminating on any grounds.
Based on the quality and quantity of applications received, Leigh Academies Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy sooner than the specified closing date. Applicants will be notified of this where possible. Therefore, early applications are encouraged.Not quite the opportunity for you, but would like to stay in touch? Join our Talent Network byclicking here.
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
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs are not accepted.
Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Leigh Academy Tonbridge
- School type
- Academy, ages 11 to 18
- Education phase
- Secondary
- School size
- 585 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report (opens in new tab)
- School website
- Leigh Academy Tonbridge website (opens in new tab)
- Email address
- isabelle.cochrane@latrust.org.uk
- Phone number
- 01634 412 258
Arranging a visit to Leigh Academy Tonbridge
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email isabelle.cochrane@latrust.org.uk.
School location
Similar jobs nearby
Deputy Curriculum Leader English
Warden Park Secondary Academy
Broad Street, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 5DP
Get a job alert when similar jobs are listed
Find more school jobs in Kent and Medway