ENGLISH

DEPARTMENT

“Challenging all to succeed”

Two Teachers of English (from September 2013)

Permanent Positions

Come and join one of the best English departments in Gloucestershire!

We are a highly successful team and are proud of our achievements. We enable nearly 90% of our students to make at least 3 levels of progress, achieving A* - C rates that regularly place us in the top 10% of English departments nationally in terms of value added.

Innovative and highly respected, our English teachers work with a wide range of other schools, both locally and nationally, supporting developments in practice, as well as working with the University of Gloucestershire as part of the GITEP scheme.

Applications are invited for the posts above with the successful candidates being required to join a highly successful and well-resourced department. We encourage applications from NQTs.

Candidates for this post should have:

  • experience of teaching English successfully as a qualified or trainee teacher
  • dedication to the teaching and learning of the subject
  • an inspirational and creative approach
  • excellent subject knowledge
  • a passion for literature
  • proven classroom management skills
  • an appreciation of current developments in raising student attainment
  • a capacity for hard work and influence by example
  • the ability to be a strong team member
  • an excellent attendance record
  • excellent organisational skills and the ability to meet deadlines
  • high expectations of all students and work to secure high standards in all respects
  • the ability to work independently
  • a positive and determined outlook
  • a strong ability to communicate with colleagues, parents and students
  • the ability to contribute actively to the English curriculum
  • the commitment to lead an initiative, enrichment activity or events

The two people appointed will teach across the KS3 and KS4 age and ability range. There may be a possibility of teaching GCSE Media Studies and/or some GCSE Drama if desired. We would like candidates who are reflective, committed to their own professional development and keen to develop and grow as teachers of English.

Why choose us?

Severn Vale has a particularly friendly, professional body of teachers and support staff and the successful applicants are guaranteed to be well supported within and beyond the English Team. They will receive both a comprehensive department and whole-staff handbook, be part of the thorough (NQT) induction process that is overseen by our Assistant Head (Staff Development Tutor) and be part of the school’s teaching and learning programme.

Our strengths, as a departmental team, are numerous. We are forward-thinking, proactive and respond well to a good pace of change. Having extremely high expectations of both ourselves and our pupils, we effectively use assessment information for improvement planning. Planning is effective at all levels and we are reflective and flexible practitioners. We work as a supportive and collegiate team; although responsibilities are clearly defined, developmental tasks are performed collaboratively involving all colleagues. We have an excellent range of skills, styles, strategies and expertise and we are keen on continuing our own professional development; several are GCSE examiners, some are on MA Education programmes, many are involved with leading or supporting ITT and we all actively participate in the school’s teaching and learning development programme as well as continuously share good practice within the team, both formally and informally.

Department results at both key stages have been very good and are now consistently outstanding:

GCSE A* - C / 2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2010 / 2011 / 2012 / 2013
English / 74% / 69% / 68% / 78% / 84% / 86% / 84% / 75%*
English Literature / 72% / 74% / 74% / 79% / 73% / 79% / 77%
Drama / 37% / 77% / 72% / 48% / 82% / 94% / 62%
Media Studies / 60% / 66% / 75% / 64% / 76% / 81% / 65%

* to date

Who are we?

The Team consists of nine, soon to be ten, teachers whose current responsibilities are:

Julie Higgins
Sarah Cooksley
Angela Pearce
Julie Williamson
Michell Littlegray
Katie Phelps
Emily Sloman
Meggie O’Neill
Vacant Post
Vacant Post / Subject Leader, i/c KS4, Subject Leader for English PGCE University of Gloucestershire
Second in Department and i/c KS3
i/c Learning Resource Centre
Quedgeley Learning Community Coordinator and i/c Media Studies
NQT
(maternity leave teacher not returning)
(expansion of the department)
Other teachers also work part-time in the English department:
Jill Evans
Wendy Blair
Peter Rowland
Jen Hillsley / Assistant Head Staff Development i/c GCSE Drama and GITEP Drama
Second in SEN/Inclusion department
Headteacher
Valerie Box / English Department Technician (part-time)

Key Features of Our Department:

  • English is taught in setted group
  • Years 7-8, units of learning are generally thematic and skills based. Each unit covers a range of content: fiction; media and non-fiction; poetry; prose; writing fiction and non-fiction; speaking and listening skills
  • Year 9 is a ‘mock’ GCSE year with units mirroring the requirements of GCSE English Language and Literature
  • At KS3, there is a strong emphasis on skills-based learning, Assessment for Learning and Assessing Pupil Progress, reading and literacy
  • Drama is an integral element of KS3 English
  • At KS4, we follow AQA English Language and English Literature
  • All students sit GCSE English Language a year early in Year 10
  • All students sit GCSE English Literature in Year 11
  • All students leave our department with two GCSE qualifications
  • Teaching and learning resources are shared on the school network
  • We are incredibly well-resourced with a large amount of texts, DVDs, ICT programmes and teachers’ resources as well as access to best practice and resources nationwide through PiXL
  • Each classroom has an interactive whiteboard
  • Most classrooms are suited together in high quality accommodation in B block with a department office. New members to the team will have their own room in B block
  • We have a purpose-built Drama studio

Our priorities for 2013 are:

  • Maintaining outstanding pupil levels of progress and GCSE results
  • Ensuring consistency of good and creative teaching and learning across all English lessons
  • Developing a reading culture
  • Improving accuracy of student writing

Thank you for your interest in us and reading about our department; we are excited by the opportunity to welcome two new, energetic colleagues to our team.

Julie Higgins

Subject Leader