Faculty Leader - English

Salary: Leadership Scale L9-L12 (£63,070–£67,898)
Contract: Full-time, permanent
Start Date: September 2026

We are seeking an exceptional leader to join Whickham School and lead our thriving English & Media Faculty. This is your opportunity to shape the literacy and learning of 1,700 pupils while working with a talented team of 15 English specialists.

About the role:

• Lead and inspire the English & Media Faculty, driving continuous improvement in teaching and learning
• Work alongside a Deputy Faculty Leader, 2 Assistant Faculty Leaders and a Lead Practitioner to deliver an outstanding curriculum
• Champion our school values whilst supporting whole‑school improvement priorities
• Ensure every student achieves their potential in English

Whilst we are a high‑performing school (
Progress 8 of +0.26 in 2024 and 85% achieving grade 4+ in English in 2025
), we are about much more than our academic performance. We are a community that values all of our stakeholders, recognising that our staff make the difference for our pupils. We therefore invest in our staff in a number of ways.

We support work‑life balance in the following ways

• Reduced teaching hours to support planning and professional development
• Dedicated collaborative planning time – at least one hour every fortnight for each teacher to meet with their subject team to talk through upcoming learning episodes
• Flexible approach to work‑life balance considerations
• Access to fitness facilities outside school hours

We invest in your growth

• Join our established Faculty Leadership Group to shape whole‑school practice
• Meaningful leadership development opportunities, including an annual opportunity to be seconded to the Leadership Team as an Associate Assistant Headteacher
• Evidence‑based CPD that makes a real difference to your practice
• Coaching and mentoring support to help you thrive
• Access to a range of internal leadership programmes and external qualifications

The practical benefits:

• Salary sacrifice schemes including bicycle and electric vehicle leasing
• Higher priority for your children's admission to our heavily oversubscribed school
• Modern facilities with the latest display technology in every classroom
• Supportive, collaborative staff community

As Faculty Leader for English, you will:

• Model excellence – demonstrate what outstanding English teaching looks like across KS3–KS5
• Develop others – coach and mentor colleagues using evidence‑based approaches, building leadership capacity across your team
• Drive innovation – ensure our English and Media curriculum is dynamic, relevant and accessible, developing excellent English and literacy skills in every pupil
• Shape practice – plan and deliver regular subject‑specific CPD that supports excellent teaching
• Lead strategically – use the Whickham Learning Model & evidence based teaching strategies to ensure consistency and quality across the faculty
• Make it real – work with engaged pupils in a school where behaviour is strong and aspiration is high

You are an experienced and passionate English teacher with a proven track record of strong pupil outcomes. You have:

Essential:

• Qualified Teacher Status and a degree in English or related subject
• Successful secondary teaching experience with evidence of excellent student progress and outcomes
• Leadership experience (formal or informal) with a commitment to continued growth
• The ability to teach confidently across KS3–KS5
• Strong understanding of curriculum development, assessment and data analysis
• A passion for developing others and seeing them succeed
• Evidence‑based practice grounded in research and reflection

Desirable:

• Experience leading a team or department
• Experience of examination marking
• Understanding of collaborative planning approaches
• Track record of improving departmental performance

Your personal qualities:

• You understand that great teaching is built on relationships, high expectations, and relentless focus on progress
• You're reflective, solution‑focused and committed to continuous improvement
• You can inspire and motivate both students and staff
• You're committed to upholding our school values and…