Head of English
Harris Academy Orpington, Kent, BR5 4LG31 days remaining to apply
Start date details
September
Closing date
23 June 2025 at 11:59pm
Date listed
22 May 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
Full-time equivalent salary
- £53,731-£58,893
Pay scale
- Leadership 1-5 (Outer London)
Additional allowances
Pension Scheme (TPS) + Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan + Additional Harris Benefits
What skills and experience we're looking for
Are you an enthusiastic and passionate English teacher looking to step into middle leadership? Could you inspire us to continue to improve and raise students' achievements, have a commitment to sharing expertise and bring the department to the next level?
We are looking for a qualified, experienced English teacher to join Harris Academy Orpington as theHead of English.
This position is for a September 2025 start. The successful candidate will have QTS and strong subject knowledge teaching up to and including KS5.
The successful candidate should be a dedicated and highly motivated practitioner with a proven track record of driving up standards, with excellent interpersonal skills to join our highly committed team, sharing in the school's values, vision and ethos.
Not suitable for ECTs.
We would like to hear from you if you:
- Hold QTS (or equivalent) and a relevant undergraduate degree, and, ideally, management training
- Demonstrate successful teaching of GCSE at good or better level
- Have experience of initiation and effective management of change
- Show evidence of raising achievement in present post and showing good value added for groups
- Have knowledge of current curriculum developments in subject and their implications
- Have good knowledge and understanding of current educational thinking
- Show good understanding of how children learn and how to raise standards of achievement
- Have good communication skills in speech and writing
- Display excellent organisational skills
- Are able to build and sustain professional standards and relationships with students
- Are able to contribute towards creating a safe and protective environment
For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.
What the school offers its staff
Harris Academy Orpington opened in September 2016, joining the highly successful Federation of Harris academies in London. We are on our journey to outstanding and are ambitious and looking forward to an exciting future as we highlight our work as aHealth Science Specialistschool, with students being given access to recognised professional qualifications and careers.
At HarrisAcademy Orpington, we have the most incredible facilities, staff and students and we are very proud of the work that our students do here. We have developed a curriculum that is ambitious and broad. We believe people need to nurture an appreciation of human creativity and achievement and have designed a curriculum that does just that.
We aim to ensure that every student is inspired and supported to achieve his/her personal best and learning comes first. Our motto is “Together We Can” and if you are interested in joining us, we would be very pleased to meet you.
Teacher Development
At Harris, we have curated professional development pathways that will guide you towards achieving your career ambitions. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. With a strong network of passionate educators, expert development initiatives and a multitude of opportunities for career progression, your journey with Harris could be the most rewarding one yet.
We offer a wide range of high quality teacher professional development programmes via the Harris Institute of Teaching and Leadership.
Benefits
In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance (usually £2,000 for Inner London and £1,500 for Outer London), a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Teachers Pension Scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan, Employee Assistance Programme, and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.
Flexible working opportunities
We are 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.
Further details about the role
The purpose of your role will be:
- To be accountable for leading, managing and developing the subject area.
- To raise standards of student attainment and achievement within the whole subject/curriculum area and to monitor and support student progress.
- To ensure the provision of an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum for students studying in the department, in accordance with the aims of the academy and the curricular policies determined by the Governing Body and Principal.
- To teach the relevant subject across the age and ability range.
- To facilitate and encourage a learning experience which provides students with the opportunity to achieve their individual potential.
- To effectively manage and deploy staff, financial and physical resources within the department.
- To share and support the school's responsibility to provide and monitor opportunities for personal and academic growth.
Your main areas of responsibility will fall under the areas of:
- Operational and strategic planning (including 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 are not accepted.
About Harris Academy Orpington
- School type
- Academy, ages 11 to 18
- Education phase
- Secondary
- School size
- 556 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Harris Academy Orpington website
- Email address
- info@harrisorpington.org.uk
- Phone number
- 01689 819219
Harris Academy Orpington opened in September 2016, joining the highly successful Federation of Harris academies in London. We are on our journey to outstanding, we are ambitious and looking forward to an exciting future. We believe that every student can and should achieve their full potential and our commitment is one of ensuring our students develop a love of learning, a passion for enquiry and a dedication to being the best that they can be.We aim to ensure that every student is inspired and supported to achieve his/her personal best and learning comes first. Our motto is “Together We Can” and if you are interested in joining us, we would be very pleased to meet you.
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