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English Teacher (Maternity Cover)

Job details
Posting date: 16 September 2025
Hours: Part time
Closing date: 29 September 2025
Location: Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 4QD
Company: Teaching Vacancies
Job type: Contract
Job reference: bc470eed-9e4d-48ba-b02e-25903e23ab8b

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Summary

What skills and experience we're looking for

We are seeking an outstanding classroom teacher to join this successful subject area to cover a maternity vacancy. The post would suit an ECT or a more experienced colleague. Experience of teaching at KS5 is desirable.

We are looking for a colleague with a degree in English who loves working in a team and has experience of delivering creative, inspiring lessons and engaging students of all levels of ability.

What the school offers its staff

The department is led by a Subject Leader and is composed of fifteen members of teaching staff. The English Department is mainly situated in a suite of rooms in the front of the main school building. All classrooms are equipped with data projectors, a visualiser, and every teacher is provided with a laptop connected to the School Network and the Internet. The Libraryis situated on the English corridor, managed by a full time Librarian and consisting of a lending library of some 10,000 books, computers and other resources for students and staff to use. The Library is a popular place and busy with activities and readers most of the day.

The English Curriculum

At Key Stage 3, all students have eight lessons of English per two-week cycle. The curriculum is designed to cultivate skills and knowledge for GCSE studies. Literature and Language are co-taught across years 7-9, with clear links to the GCSE Assessment Objectives. Within a framework of assessed units, teachers are encouraged to develop their own approaches and utilise their personal subject interests to deliver challenging and stimulating lessons alongside the core priorities. The department takes a formal approach to end of unit assessments, implementing GCSE-style expectations from the beginning. At Key Stage 4, students study the AQA specifications for English and English Literature for eight lessons per cycle: this is split in to two subjects, and students spend five lessons on Literature and three lessons on Language. The current Year 10 students study the following texts for English Literature: ‘A Christmas Carol’ OR ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, ‘An Inspector Calls’, ‘Romeo & Juliet’ OR ‘Macbeth’ OR ‘Julius Caesar’ and the ‘Power and Conflict’ section of the Poetry Anthology. There is opportunity for teachers to tailor the choice of Literature texts to best support their class, and exploit teacher knowledge and expertise. Students complete regular end of unit exam-style assessments, to monitor progress and provide tailored support throughout their GCSE studies. GCSE Media Studies is also taught within the department.

At Key Stage 5, courses offered currently include Edexcel English Literature, Edexcel English Language and Literature, Eduqas (WJEC) Media Studies and Eduqas (WJEC) Film Studies. Students receive nine lessons per cycle, shared between two teachers.

Curriculum Enrichment

The English Curriculum Area is enriched by a range of additional activities. In the past year these have included: • Weekly ‘booster’ classes for students in Key Stage 4 throughout the year. • ‘Bookies’ Book Club – a student reading group that meets once a cycle. • Theatre, poetry and debating trips. • Two creative writing clubs: one by invitation only. • Sixth Form study days. • Visiting authors • Cinema visits

Ofsted Report

In the 2023 Ofsted inspection, the English Department received a very positive report, described as having a curriculum design that enables pupils to “know more, remember more, and can do more over time.” The Faculty is extremely well managed, a close team of individuals, aspirational and very professional. Staff at all career stages working in it speak extremely highly of their experience. English Language GCSE is one of the highest performing subjects, with outcomes consistently well above national average and positive value-added scores. The A Level suite of subjects linked to English are popular choices and every year we successfully recruit an A Level group in Literature, Lit/Lang, Media Studies and Film Studies.

Commitment to safeguarding

HISP MAT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share in the commitment. This appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS check, social media check and positive references.

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