Director of Learning for English

Do you have what it takes to nurture today's young people and inspire tomorrow's leaders? Do you have the drive, passion and commitment to lead and deliver outstanding learning and teaching to young people in a disadvantaged community? If so, becoming a Star leader might just be the best career move you ever make.

About Star Radcliffe Academy

Star Radcliffe Academyis a new and ambitious secondary school at the heart of Radcliffe. We are a five-form entry, 750-place academy for 1116 year olds, which opened its doors in September 2024 with our founding Year 7 cohort. Each year we will grow, welcoming a new intake of Year 7 pupils, and by September 2028 we will be at full capacity, serving every year group.

Our academy exists to provide Radcliffe with a truly outstanding school one that raises aspirations, strengthens community pride, and transforms the life chances of every young person we serve. As a free school built from the ground up, we have the rare privilege of creating our culture, curriculum, and systems with clarity and purpose, shaping excellence one year group at a time.

Like all Star schools, we have a distinctive leadership specialism. This means we deliver a rigorous, knowledge-rich academic curriculum alongside a character-forming leadership programme. Pupils are not only equipped with the qualifications and skills they need to succeed but are also inspired to serve others, contribute positively to society, and become leaders in their communities and beyond.

Our belief is simple but profound: every child in Radcliffe has the capacity to succeed at the highest level. By combining high expectations, exceptional teaching, and a culture built on Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect, we are determined to ensure that our pupils leave us as confident, compassionate, and capable young leaders who ready to make their mark on the world.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for a Director of Learning for English with a proven track record of success in improving standards and raising pupil outcomes. We want to hear from talented middle leaders looking to extend their experience, and outstanding, ambitious teachers seeking their first middle leadership post.

As an experienced teacher, you will develop an exciting curriculum that suits every type of learner and have the resolve to make a real difference to the lives of our young people. The successful candidate will be a committed team player with excellent organisational and motivational skills.

You will be able to demonstrate the ability to lead a successful faculty drawing on your extensive teaching and leadership experience. As a Star middle leader, you'll join the Star Academies family, a high-performing and supportive network of primary and secondary schools with some of the best leaders in education.

You will have:

• A degree-level qualification and Qualified Teacher Status.
• The ability to teach to GCSE standard.
• The ability to coach and motivate colleagues to achieve individual and collective targets.
• Experience of sustained delivery of outstanding attainment and achievement.
• Experience of innovation and creativity to engage, enthuse and progress learners.

About Star Academies

Star Academies is a high-performing multi-academy trust that runs more than 30 primary and secondary schools. We are a values-based organisation that works to improve the life chances of young people in areas of social and economic deprivation to help them succeed at the highest levels of education, employment and the professions. Every single day you'll be rewarded with the opportunity to shape a young person's future - our STAR values embody what we believe is needed to succeed.

Professional development is key to our ongoing success, so we continually invest in our employees through our professional development hub, Star Talent Academy. With a wealth of training, mentoring and progression opportunities across a large, growing group of academies, joining our team of leading education experts could propel your career to the next level.

We can also offer you a range of rewards and benefits, including competitive salaries and pension schemes, generous holiday entitlements and healthcare cash plans.

Find out more

Please download the job description and person specification below for further information about the role. For an informal and confidential discussion about the role please call us on

Key Dates

Closing Date: Sunday, 30 November 2025 at midnight.

Interview Date: To be confirmed.

Proposed Start Date: Tuesday, 21 April 2026.

Our Commitment

Star Academies is committed to safeguarding, safer recruitment and promoting the welfare of pupils. Our comprehensive recruitment and selection processes aim to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants. Successful candidates are subject to rigorous pre-employment checks.

We are equally committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity. We aim for our workforce to be representative of society and that each employee feels respected and able to give their best. We are committed to providing equality and fairness in our recruitment and employment practices and not to discriminate on any grounds. We oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination.