Salary:
Highly competitive, School's own scale
Job type:
Full Time, Permanent
Start date:
September 2025
Apply by:
25 November 2024
Job overview
The Governors of Tonbridge School would like to appoint a Head of Department: English commencing September 2025. The post may be attractive to an energetic teacher at any stage of their career. The ideal candidate will have studied English at degree level or beyond. The candidate will demonstrate a commitment to academic excellence and a passion for teaching the subject to a very high standard across the entire 13-18 age range, as well as taking part in the wider life of the department and school. The English Department traditionally has a high profile within Tonbridge School and proactively commits to its unique context, its ethos, and its holistic, inclusive culture.
A highly attractive package is offered, including salary on the school’s own scale.
The School is fully committed to the principles of equal opportunity, diversity and inclusion. We are committed to attracting and retaining the very best staff.
All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010 the School may employ positive action where diverse candidates can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.
Applications should be received by: Noon on Monday 25 November.
Full details and an application pack may be found at: www.tonbridge-school.co.uk/jobs
An application form should be accompanied by a letter of application, a current curriculum vitae, and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three referees.
Apply via our online application form, or, send your completed application form and accompanying documents to:
Email: hrdept@tonbridge-school.org
Tel: 01732 365555
We reserve the right to interview and appoint before the closing date, therefore early applications are encouraged.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. A DBS Disclosure is required to Enhanced Level.
About Tonbridge School
* Tonbridge School
* High Street, Tonbridge
* Kent
* TN9 1JP
* United Kingdom
+44 1732 365555
Tonbridge is one of the leading boys’ boarding and day schools in the UK and is highly respected, both here and internationally, for providing a world-class education. It occupies an extensive site of 150 acres in Kent – just a 40-minute train journey from London Charing Cross. There are some 800 boys in seven Boarding Houses and five Day Houses. One of the key strengths of Tonbridge is that it blends tradition and innovation successfully, with high achieving boys wearing their gifts lightly.
The School is renowned for its excellent teaching and for academic achievement. Each year exam results at GCSE and A-level are outstanding, with boys progressing to leading universities including Oxford, Cambridge and Russell Group institutions: the large majority securing their first-choice destination. Tonbridge leavers have also recently gained places (and scholarships) at top US institutions including Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Dartmouth, Northeastern and UC Berkeley and, worldwide, at universities in Austria, Australia, Canada, China and Hong Kong.
In the latest Sunday Times ‘Parent Power’ league table, published in December 2022, Tonbridge was the 8th highest ranking independent school in the country, and the top boys boarding school.
Pastoral care is based around an outstanding House system. Strong and positive relationships between boys, staff and parents are central to its success, and the School strives to ensure that each pupil, whether a boarder or a day boy, feels fully at home and well supported. Tonbridge was the first school in the UK to put mindfulness on the curriculum for all Year 10 pupils. There is also a vibrant programme of Co-Curricular breadth and depth, with a wide range of societies covering everything from Beekeeping to Ultimate Frisbee. The School has a strong commitment to widening access and is striving towards doubling the number of boys who receive means-tested fee assistance to be 80 to 100 boys by 2028.
Tonbridge encourages its students to make connections – connections between academic subjects, between different sports and activities, between people, between cultures: with the aim of producing fine minds and good hearts. The School’s ethos is summed up in just two words: ‘Only Connect’.
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