Classroom Teacher - Job Share Head of English 0.2

We recognise the importance of balancing work and home life. We consider flexible and family‑friendly working opportunities wherever possible, including part‑time, term‑time and job‑share arrangements. At Mulberry Academy St Leonards we also design timetables to support staff wellbeing. All teachers receive a weekly PPA session scheduled and also a morning or afternoon well‑being time offsite. Supporting your health and wellbeing, balancing everyday life with the requirements of work can create pressures for all of us. Work is a significant part of our lives, and we are committed to creating a healthy and supportive working environment. All employees have free access to a 24‑hour confidential counselling and wellbeing service, designed to support staff with a range of personal and professional challenges. Recognising that the autumn term is the longest and most demanding, we restructured our calendar to better support staff wellbeing with a two‑week break in October.

Actively promoting equality and diversity, Mulberry Academy St Leonards is committed to building an equal, diverse and inclusive community. We want the very best people to work in our school regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy, family status or marital status. We are particularly keen to receive applications from candidates from historically under‑represented and minority groups, helping ensure our workforce reflects the diverse communities we serve.

Responsibilities

• Lead the department in terms of curriculum, staffing, outcomes and quality of teaching learning.
• Put into practice raising standards, curriculum, T and L strategy that has been developed with Mulberry.
• Exact duties worked out with job share partner.
• Attend SL meetings and external trust meetings where required – including raising standards meetings.
• Plan, prepare, and deliver high‑quality English lessons across all abilities, ensuring students make excellent progress.
• Assess, monitor, and record student progress, providing timely feedback to support learning and achievement.
• Develop students’ thinking, analytical skills, and curiosity, fostering a deep understanding of key concepts.
• Create an engaging, inclusive, and ambitious learning environment where all students are encouraged to achieve their best.
• Collaborate with colleagues to develop and refine the English curriculum, share effective teaching practice, and contribute to departmental initiatives.
• Maintain high standards of classroom management, promoting a positive and productive learning atmosphere.
• Participate in ongoing professional development, reflecting on practice to continually improve teaching and learning outcomes.
• Build positive relationships with students and promote high expectations for behaviour, effort and engagement in learning.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues within the English department to share ideas, resources and effective practice.
• Contribute to wider school life, including supporting enrichment activities, science clubs, and events that promote a love of English and of literature.

Qualifications

• A good honours degree in English or a related subject.
• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and eligibility to work in the UK.
• A commitment to ongoing professional development and reflective practice to continually improve teaching and learning.

Experience

• Experience of English departmental leadership with impact.
• Experience of teaching young people in a school setting, with a proven ability to engage and inspire students of all abilities.
• Experience of planning, delivering, and assessing lessons across the English curriculum.
• Experience of contributing to departmental initiatives, curriculum development, or extracurricular activities.
• Strong classroom management and the ability to create a positive, inclusive, and stimulating learning environment.
• An understanding of how to support students of different abilities to access learning and make progress.
• An awareness of the importance of assessment and feedback in supporting student progress.
• A commitment to developing effective strategies to raise achievement and support positive learning behaviours.

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong subject knowledge in English.
• An awareness of the National Curriculum and GCSE English requirements.
• A commitment to high expectations and inclusive teaching, ensuring all students can access the curriculum.
• The ability to motivate and engage students of all abilities, encouraging curiosity, scientific thinking, and active participation in English.
• Strong organisational and communication skills.
• The ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and contribute positively to the department and wider school community.
• An understanding of the importance of positive behaviour management and strong classroom routines.

Personal Qualities

• A clear passion and drive to be an excellent teacher, inspiring and supporting young people to succeed.
• A genuine enthusiasm for English and education.
• An effective communicator who works positively with students, colleagues and parents.
• A commitment to high professional standards and continuous improvement.
• Resilience, enthusiasm and energy, with a willingness to learn and develop.

We are looking to appoint a motivated leader of English to join our dynamic and forward‑thinking English department. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with strong subject knowledge and a passion for English to inspire students and make a real impact within a supportive and ambitious school. You will need a track record of leadership and impact. This is an exciting time for the Academy and a time of rapid change. We have joined a new Trust in March 2026 and with your co‑head of department you will put into practice approaches to curriculum, teaching, assessment and GCSE outcomes. You will join a highly collaborative department committed to delivering engaging, high‑quality lessons. English is a valued and popular subject at the school, and the department works closely together to continually refine the curriculum and share effective teaching practice. The successful candidate will take responsibility for planning and delivering lessons, assessing student progress, and supporting students to achieve their full potential. We are looking for someone who can engage learners of all abilities, inspire a love of science, and bring enthusiasm and energy to the classroom. The role also offers the opportunity to contribute to the wider life of the school through enrichment activities and literacy initiatives. The successful candidate will hold a relevant degree and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and will demonstrate a clear commitment to high‑quality teaching and learning. You will be joining a school with a strong culture of collaboration, coaching, and professional development, where staff are supported to develop their practice to the highest level. We're proud of our people. At Mulberry Academy St Leonards, we are building a culture where pupils, parents, teachers and staff work together in the service of our community. When you join our school, you will find a place where you belong and where your work truly makes a difference to the lives of young people. Working in education is not always easy. We recognise the effort, creativity and commitment our staff bring every day. We value this deeply and show our appreciation by creating a culture where staff are supported to grow, develop and thrive. Providing talent development opportunities – We want ambitious and talented people to join Mulberry Academy St Leonards because they want to make a real difference to the lives of children and young people. Professional development is central to our culture. All teaching staff benefit from weekly professional development, and each year we dedicate a two‑week professional development programme in October. During this time teachers deepen their practice and collaborate on improving teaching and learning, while colleagues in support roles have structured time designed specifically for their own professional development. We also build coaching into teachers' timetables, ensuring every teacher benefits from regular professional dialogue, reflection and support to continually develop their practice. As part of the Mulberry Schools Trust, staff benefit from Trust‑wide expertise, strong collaboration, and opportunities to grow professionally. The East London Teaching School Hub further enhances this offer, delivering nationally recognised programmes and enabling staff to engage in and contribute to training across all career stages. Providing a good pension – When you join the Mulberry Schools Trust, you will have access to an excellent pension scheme – either the Teachers' Pension Scheme or the Local Government Pension Scheme, depending on your role. Offering flexible working.