ENGLISH FACULTY OVERVIEW
The English faculty at Harlington School is committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to experience, explore and succeed in our subject. Our teachers share their passion for English through well-planned, challenging and engaging lessons.
Our priority is to provide a safe, welcoming and stimulating environment where students can develop their knowledge and skills and be ambitious in their goals. We want them not only to be risk-takers, embracing challenge, but resourceful and tenacious students who are enthusiastic learners. Students are encouraged to be creative and develop independence, this is achieved through our dedication to embracing new ideas and ensuring that our curriculum and teaching styles are constantly developed and grounded in up-to-date research.
We seek to instil in students a culture of achieving beyond expectations through the challenge built into lessons and the feedback we give to help them improve.
Faculty Organisation & Facilities
There are currently ten full time teachers in the English faculty and two specialist EAL teachers, all of whom are supportive and professional. There are nine classrooms, all equipped with interactive whiteboards. The department is well-resourced and we take pride in planning, sharing and developing new resources which challenge and inspire students of all abilities. Together we develop independent learning and thinking whilst also ensuring that our students are able to articulate their learning journey and reflect on their progress.
We are an innovative and creative team of teachers, keen to try out new ideas and develop our teaching practice. If you join our team then you will be welcomed into a supportive group who have high expectations of themselves and their students.
Teaching Groups
We have a 3-year Key Stage 3 with students in years 7 and 8 in mixed ability classes. Years 7 and 8 have four 100-minute lessons across a two-week timetable, Year 9 has five. Key Stage 4 begins in Year 10 where the classes are set and have five 100-minute lessons across a two-week timetable. In Key Stage 5 there are two A Level classes in Year 12 and one in Year 13. We also offer GCSE retake classes for years 12 and 13.
Curriculum
The faculty takes a long-term approach to the GCSE course to develop the skills students require to pass AQA GCSEs in both English Language and Literature. These skills are carefully embedded in each unit. We also believe that developing deep knowledge beyond the GCSE course is vital and a new, diverse, and exciting curriculum, built around the themes of Journeys, Diversity and Challenging Ideas, is currently being rolled out.
- At Key Stage 3, our learning begins with the History of English Language. We explore literature through the ages – including the classics, Shakespeare and 19th Century writers, as well as the modern novel, and the evolution of poetry. We develop students’ critical reading of science fiction, gothic, and dystopian genres, as well as diverse short stories and poetry from around the world. We evaluate the impact of the media and technology, and help our students find their voice through creative and transactional writing.
- We begin Key Stage 4 and the GCSE course content in Year 10. We continue to promote oracy skills through our participation in the national Jack Petchey ‘Speak Out’ Challenge.
- At Key Stage 5 we follow the OCR English Literature Syllabus. It is a two-year linear course that follows the AS specification in Year 12 and the A2 specification in Year 13. Year 12 is assessed internally.
Enrichment and Intervention
Post COVID, we understand the importance of getting back to normal and providing for all the missed opportunities over the last two years. Our teachers generously share their interests in reading, creative writing and debate as part of our lunchtime and after-school enrichment programme and we have access to a range of exciting resources that provide our students with access to top university lectures and award-winning national theatre productions. We look forward to once again enjoying the many off-site theatre and museum trips that so enrich the study of English Literature across all key stages.
APPLY:
Applications are to be made electronically using the school application form available below. All enquiries and applications via email only to: recruitment@harlingtonschool.org. If you require any further information or wish to discuss this role in more detail please contact the Director of HR and Admin, Vanessa Chettiar via the recruitment email.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and to equality of opportunity. Enhanced DBS clearance will be required. No agency enquiries. CVs alone will not be accepted.