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location_on Location Sawston Village College
work_outline Basis Full Time Term Time Only
Job details
Contractual hours 32.5
Location: Sawston Village College
We are now seeking to appoint an outstanding and ambitious teacher and leader as Head of English to join our successful team at Sawston Village College in September 2025. This is a key appointment for the College and the successful candidate will be an influential leader, building on the current strong performance, setting out an exciting vision for the future, developing colleagues to reach their full potential and ensuring the department is recognised locally and regionally for the quality of its provision and the achievement of pupils. The successful candidate will bring warmth, compassion and kindness as a leader, making ethical decisions for the benefit of all. He or she will also bring rigour, forensic insight and a highly developed understanding of what makes an outstanding department.
The English Faculty
The English Faculty at Sawston Village College is a successful, hardworking and friendly team; we work together to share resources and teaching ideas and are committed to developing pupils’ English skills and their enjoyment of the subject. The Faculty enjoys a long history of outstanding performance at GCSE which extends back beyond the pandemic. On all key measures, GCSE achievement has been significantly above national averages in each of the past five years. In 2024, 38% of pupils achieved a grade 7 or above in English Language and 40% in Literature. 80% achieved a grade 5 or above in English Language and 88% secured a grade 4 or above. The equivalent figures for English Literature were 79% and 89% respectively.
Reasons to join us:
High Standards
The attainment of pupils is well above the national average and the English team work hard to support pupils in achieving their target grades. Our record of exceptional performance at key stage 4 is testament to the commitment, professionalism and excellent teaching of the Faculty. As a faculty, we are keen to ensure all groups including pupils in receipt of PP and those with SEND achieve strongly.
Pupils in KS3 follow a syllabus compatible with the National Curriculum and English framework with the opportunity for pupils to develop their reading, writing and speaking and listening skills through exposure to a wide range of texts (both fiction and non-fiction). The English Department has recently collaboratively overhauled their KS3 units to make sure pupils are exposed to diverse, exciting and challenging texts and ideas. The Y7 schemes consider the overarching question of ‘what makes us human?’, the Y8 schemes consider ‘what makes us belong?’ and the Y9 schemes, ‘what does it mean to be powerful?’ Long term plans outline half-termly programmes of study, key assessment activities and success criteria, and schemes of learning are well-resourced with accompanying resources for use with IWBs. Progression of skills, knowledge and understanding lie at the heart of our schemes of learning.
Years 7-9 have seven hours of English lessons per fortnight and one of these hours is a library lesson to ensure our pupils read for pleasure. KS3 are currently taught in mixed-ability groups but setting continues throughout KS4; careful consideration is given to grouping depending on the characteristics of the cohort. Year 7 pupils who enter the College at well below the expected level also follow an intensive Literacy course, taught by our Literacy Co-ordinator, in place of a foreign language. We also withdraw selected pupils from the Y7 English lessons using Direct Instruction to help those less able readers with their reading. Literacy teaching is embedded within our Key Stage 3 curriculum to consolidate pupils’ language skills.
At KS4 we follow AQA GCSE specifications. Almost all pupils are entered for both English Language and Literature GCSEs. All classes follow a carefully designed programme of study with regular internal assessments and external exams at the end of the GCSE course.
Collaboration and Support
Members of the department work very closely and share a staffroom. Teachers are extremely well supported and are expected to contribute, develop and share ideas and resources. This collaborative approach has led to the development of new schemes and accompanying resources. There is a rich dialogue about pedagogy and practice.
Good Facilities and Resources
The Faculty is based in purpose-built accommodation that it shares with several other Humanities subjects. English has seven well-equipped rooms containing plasma screens with integrated audio/visual equipment, large displays and ample storage. Each teacher has their own laptop and there is access to several bookable computer rooms and Chromebooks. There is an excellent College library with its own set of Chromebooks, projector facilities and an extensive range of fiction and non-fiction texts. Each year group has a reading list of twenty books (of which we have multiple copies in the library) to work their way through over the year.
The library is a very well used facility at break and lunch time and is available for lesson bookings to promote private and group reading and support research skills. The department works hard to promote the benefits and enjoyment that can be gained from reading.
We celebrate National Poetry and World Book Days, organise theatre trips and enter national and local writing competitions. We have also achieved great success performing in the Rotary Club ‘Youth Speaks’ debating competition in the past. Other extra-curricular activities have included a Carnegie book shadowing group and Creative Writing club.
Partnerships
We enjoy very strong links with the Cambridge University Faculty of Education’s Initial Teacher Training partnership and support trainees each term on both this and the CTSN SCITT course. We also work in partnership with local primary schools to support pupil transition, curriculum development and reciprocal professional learning opportunities.
To apply for this vacancy please complete the application process via our website at https://sawstonvc.org/vacancies/, outlining how your skills and experience will enable you to be successful in this role. Please note that CVs will not be accepted.
We also invite you to submit a separate cover letter, in letter format, addressed to the principal. Please kindly send it to our recruitment inbox at recruitment@sawstonvc.org to support your application and provide additional information that will assist the recruiting panel in making an informed decision.
If for any reason you need to apply via an alternative accessible format, please contact us by emailing recruitment@sawstonvc.org.
Interview date: Friday 9 May 2025
* Please note that we reserve the right to interview prior to the advertised date.
Employee Benefits
Anglian Learning offers the following benefits to staff.
* Career Average Revalued Earnings Pension Scheme (CARE)
* Free membership to all Anglian Leisure Sports Centres – Bassingbourn, Bottisham, Sawston, Joyce Frankland, Linton and Netherhall
* 20% discount on Adult Education classes run by Anglian Learning schools
* Employee assistance programme via Health Assured
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