Subject Leader for English in Sittingbourne

Full Time

Start Date: September 2026

Close Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2026

The Sittingbourne School is seeking to appoint an exceptional and inspiring Subject Leader for English to join and lead our fantastic English department and be part of a team dedicated to delivering first-class learning for every student. You will join a talented and dedicated department, with a strong teamwork ethic and passionate commitment to improving attainment. This post offers an excellent opportunity to be part of the school’s exciting upward journey.

Applicants will show enthusiasm for joining our dynamic and supportive team, and will be able to demonstrate the highest standards of delivery in order to raise attainment at Key Stages 3, 4 and 5. The successful candidate will be an outstanding classroom practitioner with a proven track record of securing excellent student outcomes, particularly at GCSE and A-Level. You will possess the vision and leadership skills necessary to inspire a large department, using data-driven insights to monitor progress and implement effective interventions.

We are looking for a leader who stays at the forefront of pedagogical developments in English, with the ability to coach and mentor colleagues to reach their full potential. Above all, you must demonstrate resilience, emotional intelligence and a relentless drive to ensure that every student, regardless of their starting point, develops a lifelong love for language and literature.

The Sittingbourne School is a large, oversubscribed school built on a strong sense of community, making us a warm and very special place to be part of. Our staff work tirelessly to ensure the wellbeing and happiness of every child. However, we are not a school where we allow ourselves to be defined or limited by the pastoral care we offer. We are ambitious for all of our students to achieve as highly as possible and we never forget that teaching and learning is our core business. Our motto is “Empowered through learning” because we believe that through excellent teaching and a fantastic curriculum, every child can succeed, be happy and change their lives. Therefore, we are driving to ensure every child consistently receives high quality teaching and learning in every lesson and engages in a challenging and relevant curriculum.

This was reflected in our March 2023 Ofsted inspection report that states how, “Staff have high aspirations for what all pupils can learn and achieve. This level of ambition is evident throughout the school”. They also commented on how, “Pupils are proud of how tolerant and supportive their school is” and that, “The vast majority of pupils behave well in school”. The school was graded as “Good” for the third successive inspection.

The successful candidate will join a school with a strong and supportive senior leadership team for whom staff wellbeing is a priority. We appreciate the challenges teachers face and we do all we can to reduce unnecessary workload and cut down on bureaucracy. We take a zero tolerance approach to rudeness and defiance to staff and we make sure that no teacher feels alone when things are tough. Staff also benefit from a wide ranging programme of ongoing staff development.

Please note that we reserve the right to bring forward the application deadline if we feel we have a strong field of applicants early on. Therefore, early application is advised.

The successful candidate will be:

• An excellent classroom practitioner.
• Passionate about teaching English across all key stages.
• A team player who will fit in well with our existing department.
• Able and willing to make a full contribution to the life of the school.

Full details of the requirements of the post can be found in the accompanying recruitment pack. This is an exciting opportunity to join our school. In return, we offer a stimulating, supporting, and rewarding working environment, where all staff are valued and where you will have the opportunity to access a range of excellent professional opportunities to support your progression. We understand the importance of work-life balance and will give due consideration to requests for flexible working. We are proud to be an inclusive employer and encourage applications from all qualified individuals.

Join us to benefit from:

• Enhanced Maternity Pay
• Teachers Pension Scheme – with a generous employer contribution
• Employee Referral Recruitment Incentive
• Discounts with local and national retailers, cinemas and restaurants
• Access to training and development
• Employee Assistance Programme – Wellbeing and advice
• Cycle to Work scheme
• On-site Parking

Ready to join us?