Head of English
Harris Academy Riverside, Purfleet, Essex, RM19 1QY10 days remaining to apply
Start date details
April
Closing date
5 February 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
26 January 2026
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
- £53,198-£66,121
Pay scale
- Leadership Scale (London Fringe)
Additional allowances
Performance and Loyalty Bonus + Pension Scheme (TPS) + Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan + Additional Harris Benefits
What skills and experience we're looking for
Are you a passionate teacher looking for your next step? We are looking for a qualified, experienced teacher to join Harris Academy Riverside as Head of English.
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 Riverside is a very popular non-selective and highly oversubscribed academy which opened as part of the Harris Federation and the regeneration of the Purfleet on Thames area in 2017. We serve our local community of Purfleet on Thames and West Thurrock and have 900 on roll in the secondary academy and around 200 students in the 6th form.
Vision
Harris Academy Riverside seeks to develop students who are successful, confident and happy, who inspire their community and who act with kindness and compassion towards others.
Ethos
In our procedures and daily routines, our broad and varied curriculum, our pedagogical model and through our commitment to providing experience of the wider world we aim to promote a strong sense of community and belonging, to provide a blend of high challenge and high support and to encourage the development of
- Outstanding habits of behaviour such as self-awareness, kindness, appreciation, humility, politeness, confident self-expression and self-presentation and
- Outstanding habits of learning such as determination, resilience, organisation, reading, studying and practice
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 information about the job
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 will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on school website (opens in new tab)Upload additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Harris Academy Riverside
- School type
- Free School, ages 11 to 18
- Education phase
- Secondary school
- School size
- 1117 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Harris Academy Riverside website
- Email address
- careers@harrisfederation.org.uk
- Phone number
- 01375 802060
Harris Academy Riverside is a very popular non-selective and highly oversubscribed academy which opened as part of the Harris Federation and the regeneration of the Purfleet on Thames area in 2017. We serve our local community of Purfleet on Thames and West Thurrock and have 900 on roll in the secondary academy and around 200 students in the 6th form.
Vision
Harris Academy Riverside seeks to develop students who are successful, confident and happy, who inspire their community and who act with kindness and compassion towards others.
Ethos
In our procedures and daily routines, our broad and varied curriculum, our pedagogical model and through our commitment to providing experience of the wider world we aim to promote a strong sense of community and belonging, to provide a blend of high challenge and high support and to encourage the development of
Outstanding habits of behaviour such as self-awareness, kindness, appreciation, humility, politeness, confident self-expression and self-presentation and
Outstanding habits of learning such as determination, resilience, organisation, reading, studying and practice
School location
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