Reporting to: Head of English
Salary: MPS/UPS
Start date: September 2025

Job purpose

• To provide high-quality teaching and learning that supports students to make as much progress as possible

• To work as part of a team and participate in activities that support the improvement priorities of the school

• To maintain consistently the Teacher Standards

Main accountabilities

The duties outlined in this job description are in addition to those covered by the latest School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document.

Key accountabilities

• To plan and teach high quality lessons to support students in making good or outstanding progress

• To set clear targets for students’ learning, building on prior attainment and considering each student as an individual

• To assess student work and progress giving regular feedback in line with school policy

• To follow and contribute to schemes of work

• To report on student progress in line with school policy and to ensure that students are thoroughly prepared for examinations

• To maintain a stimulating, engaging and safe learning environment

• To attend parent / information evenings as required

• To respond to parental concerns / requests for information in line with school policy

• To contribute to the wider life of the school, including whole-school routines and duties

• To take responsibility for your own professional development and engage with performance management activity

Subject specific information

The English and Media Faculty at Three Rivers is a team of dedicated and enthusiastic teachers who deliver the English curriculum at all three Key Stages and Media Studies at Key stage 4 and 5. Retention is excellent, with some members of the team boasting a tenure stretching over 10 years, whilst others have re-joined after short periods elsewhere. As a faculty, we work well collaboratively and are open to innovative approaches and strategies. The school itself has recently moved into brand new purpose-built premises, where students benefit from ten dedicated English classrooms over two floors, as well as small rooms for group work and intervention, an Apple Mac suite and computer suite for Media students. We are an extremely well-resourced department, with all classrooms housing interactive HD TV screens.

All students are taught in mixed ability groups, with detailed, objective-driven schemes of work. These are regularly reviewed and revised to incorporate changing specifications, cross-curricular links and different cohort needs. All classes are assessed half-termly, with regular moderation and marking meetings to ensure departmental assessment consistency. Schemes of work are centrally developed to ensure that students read a wide range of challenging texts, write engaging and compelling pieces and discuss a variety of topical as well as philosophical issues. At Key Stage 4, we follow the AQA Specification for English Language and English Literature. We are proud of our truly comprehensive policy, where all students are entered for both English Language as well as English Literature, with both courses taught concurrently. The texts that we study for Literature are: “Macbeth”; “The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde” or “A Christmas Carol”; “An Inspector Calls” and the Power and Conflict cluster of poems from the AQA Anthology.

Media Studies is a popular option at Key Stage 4 and students learn from the Eduqas specification with opportunities for pursuing their creative interests using a range of technical equipment and software. Students get the opportunity to explore a variety of media forms including Film, Television, Radio, Magazines, Video Games and Newspapers. Key Stage 5

English Literature is a popular and successful choice at Key Stage 5. We are keen to support teachers in developing professionally by teaching A Level. Students within the sixth form are entered for the AQA English Literature A specification. The texts that we study at A Level are: “Othello”; “The Great Gatsby”; “The Handmaid’s Tale”; “The Color Purple”; “All My Sons”; “Feminine Gospels” among others. Students also study texts independently for the non-examination assessed part of the course.

A Level Media is also a popular choice, where we follow the Eduqas specification. Students develop skills of enquiry, critical thinking, decision-making and analysis as well as a critical approach media issues both historically and currently.

We are committed to bringing out the best in our students and welcome ideas from new staff in further developing the department. It is an exciting time to be part of this evolving department in a school with many opportunities for professional development.

Additional information

• Please see our website http://www.thomasknyvett.org/ for more information about our school.

• ECTs will have a reduced timetable

• The majority of staff will be form tutors

• For more information about The Howard Partnership Trust

Person specification - subject teacher

Qualifications & training

Essential

• Qualified teacher status

• Relevant specialist qualifications in your subject

• Commitment to CPD and improving practice through reflection

• Thorough knowledge and understanding of curriculum requirements and developments within your own subject specialism

Desirable

• Experience as a form tutor and / or pastoral work

Skills and abilities

Essential

• To be able to teach lessons which consistently meet the Teacher Standards

• To use a variety of strategies to engage students and promote a stimulating environment

• To work well in a team, contributing ideas and supporting faculty/department procedures

• To be a confident user of IT as a teaching tool

• To contribute to the wider life of the faculty / department and whole-school, supporting extra-curricular and intervention initiatives

Personal attributes

Essential

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to relate well to students and adults

• Ability to make effective use of data and develop timely and relevant intervention strategies to promote student progress

• Energy, enthusiasm, determination and an insistence on high standards

• Be able to work under pressure, prioritise and manage time effectively

Values

We are a values-based organisation and seek to recruit individuals who can demonstrate our values.

Our values will be assessed through the selection process, so we ask all applicants when providing their supporting statement to also incorporate not only how they meet the essential criteria for the role but to also demonstrate our values.

Our values are:

• Integrity - displaying honesty and having strong moral principles

• Partnership - working together and taking collective ownership to achieve the same goals

• Advocacy - working hard on behalf of others to maximise their success

• Resilience - finding success again after something difficult or negative has happened

• Compassion - displaying empathy towards and a desire to help others

• Aspiration - aiming high to achieve success

Safeguarding and further information

The successful candidate will be subject to a satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

The Howard Partnership Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Due to the nature of this role, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of criminal record disclosureto be undertaken. In making your application, it is essential you disclose whether you have any pending charges, convictions, bind-overs or cautions and, if so, for which offences. This post will be exempt from the provisions of Section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Therefore, applicants are not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are ‘spent’ under the provision of theAct,and,intheeventoftheemploymentbeingtakenup; any failure to disclose such convictions will result in dismissal or disciplinary action. The fact that a pending charge, conviction, bind-over or caution has been recorded against you will not necessarily debar you from consideration for this appointment.