Teacher of English

This is an exciting opportunity for an innovative and dynamic teacher to join a thriving Department. The English Department comprises 8 full-time and part-time staff. At GCSE and A Level, we have introduced the reformed AQA specifications and English is a popular choice at A Level. The Department also plays an important role in the extra-curricular life of the School.

ACCOMMODATION AND FACILITIES

The Department has a wide range of high-quality resources, texts and text books. The School also boasts a well-stocked library where students engage in a comprehensive wider reading program that focuses on breadth of reading and inter-disciplinary research skills.

CURRICULUM

The new Year 7-9 syllabus has been produced by the English Department at WHSB to secure the skills of reading for meaning, reading for enjoyment, writing for a variety of purposes, and technical accuracy. In each year, pupils study a wide range of texts including a prose from the literary timeline, modern and Renaissance dramas, and a contemporary novel; a variety of further topics including genre work, poetry clusters, creative and non-fiction writing.

We aim to engender a lasting enjoyment and appreciation of the study of English, embedding the skills required to make a confident start to the GCSE curriculum. The Department employs a range of assessment tasks, which have recently been re-written to reflect some of the expectations and structure of our GCSE assessment framework. However, in recognition of the greater maturity and sophistication required for GCSE success, we choose not to begin GCSE study until the start of Year 10.

The AQA GCSE 9-1 curriculum follows on from the work that has been completed in Years 7-9, incorporating more work on unseen texts in preparation for students' final examinations. We also seek to bridge the step between GCSE and A-Level study by introducing, in particular cases, introduction to low level critical theory such as semiotics, post-colonialism, feminism and psychoanalysis.

In the Sixth Form, students can choose to study English Literature if they attained a Level 7, 8 or 9 in both GCSE qualifications.

WHSB English follows the AQA Specification. Students study a unit on Modern Times exploring modern prose from 1945 onwards: a novel, and a post-2000 collection of poetry for cross-comparison with a drama text. Their other genre focus is Love through the Ages, for which the students study a Shakespeare play; a collection of pre-1900 poetry, and a post-1900 novel. The course teaches a historicist approach to literary study which has proved popular with students and yielded very positive outcomes in A-Level. This knowledge is supplemented with a wider reading course of both fiction texts and critical theory, which seeks to develop and apply more closely the theories introduced at GCSE.

The course also has a coursework component worth 20% of the final marks awarded. Coursework tasks are formulated, researched and completed by the students with viva-style feedback and a strong emphasis on the importance of independent study.

Salary

The standard teacher pay scales would apply although financial incentives are available for well qualified and/or experienced teachers.

This post would be suitable for graduates who are seeking to train to be teachers, Early Careers Teachers and more experienced teachers. There is also an opportunity to take up a Pastoral Lead (Head of Year) position.

Job Purpose:

The teacher is required to carry out the general professional duties of a school teacher under the reasonable direction of the Head of Department and Headmaster and to perform such particular duties that from time to time which may reasonably be assigned him/her by the Headmaster. Teachers on the Upper Pay Scale (UPS) will be expected to make broader contribution to the School as a normal part of their work.