Head of English

Wey Valley Academy, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 5AN

25 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  September 2026

• Closing date

  17 April 2026 at 10am

• Date listed

  20 March 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teacher
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Subject: English
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £32,916.00 - £51,048.00 Annually (Actual) M1 - UP3 + TLR 1.2

Head of English job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to develop an already high-performing English department within an Academy rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted, with aspirations to become the best school in the region. Staff at Wey Valley have a strong moral purpose to provide an outstanding education for all students; we are an inclusive academy at the heart of the community. Staff are absolutely committed to changing the lives of all young people; we are seeking new colleagues who will share our inclusive and positive ethos as our pupil numbers continue to rise and we become the school of choice in Weymouth and the surrounding area. Currently, our Trust is in the process of merging with United Learning, the largest Trust in the UK. United Learning believe in ‘the best in everyone’ and have a strong track record of improving educational outcomes.

Who are we looking for?

Unconditional positive regard for young people and high expectations of what they can achieve

A record of positive impact in English teaching, as a result of good teaching over time

An experienced head of department or someone looking to take their first steps into middle leadership. The successful candidate will be line managed by the Vice Principal for Standards

A positive and proactive classroom practitioner with a clear sense of “what good learning looks like”

Excellent subject knowledge and a belief that all teachers are lifelong learners

Excellent organisational and motivational skills to support pupils of all abilities and needs

Good teamwork and communication skills to enable effective leadership of a department

What We have to Offer:

A visible and approachable senior leadership team and an enthusiastic and committed team of teachers and support staff

Outstanding staff support within the school and wider trust support from United Learning, as part of a national network of 130 schools

All staff are part of a professional learning community in which evidence-informed CPD is designed to meet individual needs. We run a successful coaching programme to make sure teaching and learning continues to improve at every level

Strong potential for career progression and a tailored CPD programme for middle leaders, including expertise and coaching from United Learning

A culture that respects work-life balance and an ongoing commitment to wellbeing

An Employee Assistance Programme including ‘in the moment’ support and counselling sessions with an external provider

A competitive pension through Teachers’ Pensions.

Should you wish to arrange a visit or an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Victoria Simmonds; HR Academy Lead at victoria.simmonds@wva.weareauthentic.education.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

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.

About Wey Valley Academy

• School type: Academy, ages 11 to 16
• Education phase: Secondary school
• School size: 996 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 16
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Wey Valley Academy website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/wey-valley-academy-weymouth

School location

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