Head of Literacy

Wembley High Technology College, North Wembley, Middlesex, HA0 3NT

23 days remaining to apply

• Closing date

  13 February 2026 at 8am

• Date listed

  21 January 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: Inner London MPS / UPS + Competitive TLR
• Additional allowances:

  Inner London MPS / UPS + Competitive TLR

Head of Literacy job summary

About Us

Wembley High Technology College is one of the highest performing schools in the country. Nationally, the achievement of our pupils is exceptional; in 2024, our Progress 8 score of +1.43 meant that our students on average achieved nearly one and a half grades higher than their peers nationally. This progress from Key Stage 2 to GCSE has a transformative impact on our pupils’ life chances and last year, over 60% of pupils leaving us went on to Russell Group universities to study a range of academic subjects.

The English Department

‘Achievement for All’ is the ethos that underpins everything we do across the WMAT, and English sits at the heart of the intellectual and cultural life at Wembley High Technology College. The English Department is exceptionally experienced, highly collaborative and intellectually vibrant, united by a shared commitment to academic excellence and the transformative power of language and literature.

The department enables students to become confident, critical and enthusiastic readers of a rich and diverse range of texts. Our curriculum balances the literary canon with voices that reflect the breadth and diversity of writing in the English language, ensuring ambition, challenge and inclusivity for all learners.

English is part of a dynamic learning community that values outstanding teaching, innovative practice and meaningful co-curricular enrichment. The department is based in four newly refurbished, state-of-the-art classrooms and benefits from excellent resourcing, including a well-stocked Learning Resource Centre. Reading for pleasure is a core departmental priority, and deliberate space is built into the curriculum to nurture both academic rigour and a lifelong love of reading.

The Role

We are seeking an inspiring and strategic Head of Literacy to lead the development and implementation of a coherent, high-impact whole-school literacy strategy. This role is ideal for an outstanding practitioner with a deep understanding of literacy pedagogy and the ability to influence teaching and learning beyond their own classroom or subject area.

The successful candidate will lead on the development of consistent approaches to reading, writing and oracy across the curriculum, supporting subject teams to embed disciplinary literacy in ways that are meaningful and sustainable. They will work closely with leaders and teachers to refine practice, develop shared resources and ensure that literacy strategies are well understood, well implemented and evidence-informed.

A key element of the role will be coaching and professional development, including modelling effective practice, supporting early-career and trainee teachers, and contributing to whole-school CPD. The Head of Literacy will also help to strengthen the school’s wider literacy offer, including reading for pleasure, enrichment opportunities and targeted support for students who require additional intervention.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape teaching and learning at scale, working across departments in a highly collaborative school that values expertise, reflection and continuous improvement, and where literacy is recognised as a powerful driver of equity and achievement for all.

Professional Development

Through the Training School Hub, leaders at all levels of the Trust benefit from exceptional professional development, including fully-funded, DfE-accredited NPQ programmes. These gold-standard qualifications empower our leaders to grow, drive change and make a meaningful impact within their departments and across the Trust. If you are excited by the prospect of shaping the next generation of digital thinkers and innovators, and you enjoy working within a culture of high aspiration and shared best practice, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Why Join Us

We welcome applications from qualified teachers. All teachers at Wembley High receive a comprehensive, structured training programme, delivered by highly trained mentors and bespoke to the individual’s needs. If you are keen to develop into an outstanding teacher, enjoy sharing best practice with a community of dedicated peers and believe that all pupils can and should succeed, we would love to hear from you.

For further information about the school, please see the new teacher information pack below or visit our website at www.whtc.co.uk If you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us at jobs@whtc.co.uk.

The deadline for applications is Friday 13th February at 9am - early applications are welcome.

Wembley Multi-Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The post will be subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure. We are an equal opportunities employer and we welcome all applicants. Early applications are encouraged and the Trust reserves the right to withdraw this post should an appointment be made early.

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 Wembley High Technology College

• School type: Academy, ages 11 to 19
• Education phase: Secondary school
• School size: 1553 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 19
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Wembley High Technology College website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/wembley-high-technology-college-north-wembley

Wembley High is an outstanding school and has consistently been one of the highest achieving schools in in the country for many year.

School location

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