TEACHER OF ENGLISH Required up to 0.8 FTE over 4 days Ref: 17/5

TEACHER OF ENGLISH Required up to 0.8 FTE over 4 days Ref: 17/5 Fixed term contract from January 2018 Closing Date: 9.00am on MONDAY 20 th NOVEMBER Completed application form to be emailed to: applications@balshaws.org.uk

TEACHER OF ENGLISH Required up to 0.8 FTE over 4 days on a fixed term contract until 20 th July, 2018 Grade: MPS/UPS (as agreed by appointing governing panel) Balshaw's CE High School is an outstanding Voluntary Controlled Church of England High School in Leyland. It is the school of choice for parents in the area with a very proud history stretching back over 235 years and is heavily oversubscribed with 921 students on roll. As well as outstanding outcomes in D&T and STEM subjects Balshaw s also has pride in its sporting and arts achievements boasting a number of successful and famous alumni. The school has long standing links with the Diocese and has a strong Christian ethos. The school is looking to appoint a well-qualified English graduate who is a committed and enthusiastic teacher with energy and vision for our successful English department. This position would suit a teacher who wishes to return to teaching or a newly qualified teacher. Further information about the school and the department can be found following the Person Specification in this application pack. The closing date is 9.00am on Monday 20 th November, 2017 Please note that the school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure. October 2017 2 Teacher of English Balshaw s C.E. High School

Role Description POST TITLE: Teacher of English (fixed term contract) GRADE: MPS/UPS CAR USER: LOCATION: Balshaw s CE High School RESPONSIBLE TO: Head of school overall, Curriculum Leader and Head of House STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR: Teaching classes and tutor group PURPOSE OF THE POST: Teaching, pastoral and administrative responsibilities as indicated in post description. GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES: Please note that all staff Job Descriptions must be read in conjunction with the following: 1. To be in sympathy and uphold the Christian aims and ethos of the school. 2. The general duties and responsibilities contained in the 2015 School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD). 3. The L.A. policies relating to the employment of Schoolteachers. 4. The Governors' staffing policy. 5. The Job Description of the Headteacher, Senior Staff, Head of House and Curriculum Leaders, and Role of House Tutor. 6. It is the role of all staff to ensure that students are safeguarded within the school. SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES * Under the direction of the Curriculum Leader to contribute to the teaching of English. * To participate in the development of appropriate teaching materials, sessions of work and methods of assessment. * Under the direction of a Head of House to be a Tutor of an assigned Tutor Group and to carry out duties in accordance with the Job Description of Group Tutor. * To participate in appropriate meetings with colleagues and parents. * To carry out a share of supervisory duties in accordance with the duty rota schedules. * To participate in performance appraisal arrangements. * To have a share in developing and maintaining the good reputation of the school and to be fully involved in the whole life of the school. QUALITY ASSURANCE * To establish the process for setting targets within the learning area and to work towards achieving positive value added. * To establish common standards of practice within the learning area to develop the effective teaching and learning within the learning area. * To contribute to the school procedures for lesson observation. * To monitor and evaluate the learning area in line with agreed School procedures including evaluation against quality standards and performance criteria. * To implement improvement where required. * To ensure that the Learning area s quality procedures meet the requirements of Self Evaluation Form and the Strategic Plan. In addition, other duties at no higher a responsibility level may be interchanged with/added to this list at any time. 3 Teacher of English Balshaw s C.E. High School

This Job Description will be reviewed at least once every two years and it may be subject to modification or amendment at any time after consultation between the post holder and Headteacher. Equal opportunities We are committed to achieving equal opportunities in the way we deliver services to the community and in our employment arrangements. We expect all employees to understand and promote this policy in their work. Health and safety All employees have a responsibility for their own health and safety and that of others when carrying out their duties and must help us to apply our general statement of health and safety policy. Safeguarding Commitment This school is committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. 4 Teacher of English Balshaw s C.E. High School

PERSON SPECIFICATION Person Specification Characteristic Source Has QTS E A Has Degree qualification in appropriate area E A Excellent classroom practitioner with potential to be E A, I, R outstanding In sympathy with the Christian ethos of the school E I Able to motivate and inspire pupils E L, I Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with a team of E L, R, I colleagues Aware of recent developments in English education E L, I Ability to plan effectively for a variety of learning styles and E L, R, I abilities Ability to identify and use assessment information effectively to E L, R, I plan next steps in pupils learning Effective interpersonal and communication skills E I Commitment to further professional development E I Competent in the use of ICT for learning, teaching and administration E L, I It is important that this specification is addressed as fully as possible by candidates. The successful candidate will show evidence of some, many or all of these skills depending upon their strengths. Key: E = Essential D = Desirable A = Application Form I = Interview L = Letter R = References 5 Teacher of English Balshaw s C.E. High School

SCHOOL AND DEPARTMENT INFORMATION Balshaw's enjoys the privilege of being one of the most successful schools in the county and the most over-subscribed school in South Ribble. We believe that this is deservedly so. As a school rooted firmly in the Christian ethos, each student in our care matters deeply to us. However, as an authority controlled school we do not operate any entry criteria and the school is available to students of all abilities, interests and aptitudes. Nevertheless, in following the school motto: (non sibi sed aliis) not for self, but for others we aim to create, nurture and develop students whose actions reflect the love of Christ as we develop them into full and well-rounded young adults ready to make valuable contributions to our society. Balshaw s has a proud 235 year history of academic excellence for students and has more students achieving the EBacc suite of qualifications than most other schools in the County. Many will go on to study at Runshaw College which was originally the Sixth Form of Balshaw s and others will take up apprenticeships or employment. What is equally important to us is the richness of opportunity available to students at Balshaw s. Set in 21 acres of beautiful land, Balshaw s staff provide extra-curricular opportunities that other schools could only hope for. The huge range of clubs and activities have taken many of our students on to careers in sport and media with a number of well-known alumni. Those who come to work at Balshaw s will have fantastic opportunities to progress in their careers and gain a wealth of experience. That said, Balshaw s also enjoys an incredibly stable workforce and when you hear the phrase Once a Balshavian, always a Balshavian you will realise it to be a truth. The school is only on its 14 th headteacher in its 235 year history! Balshaw s is more than a school it is a family. This post offers you the opportunity to become part of the Balshaw s family where you will be able to make a difference to the lives of the young people who are our future. OFSTED September 2013 This is an outstanding school Students make outstanding progress from their starting points. Students say how safe they feel and are particularly appreciative of the exceptionally personal support which the school gives them Students feel very safe and talk freely about the sense of community the school engenders Much of the teaching is outstanding and across the school it is consistently good Students, parents and staff are fulsome in their praise of the school 6 Teacher of English Balshaw s C.E. High School

Departmental Information The English Department consists of a team of committed specialist teachers who are supported by a team of experienced and highly effective teaching Assistants. Currently all years have four 60 minute periods of English each week. One period a week is dedicated to literacy. All groups are set by ability. The department follows the National Strategy Framework for Teaching at Key Stage 3 and follows the WJEC syllabus for English Language and Literature for KS4. Skills in the three Attainment Targets - Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing - are taught in an integrated way. In planning Schemes of Work our aim is to retain an element of teacher choice and professionalism whilst at the same time ensuring that all pupils receive a similar diet and their full entitlement in English. We achieve this by relying on the professionalism of department members, close cooperation, the development of shared resources and careful and thorough assessment and recording procedures. The department also offers Media Studies at Key Stage 4 and is also involved in supporting students taking EPQ level 2. Considerable effort has been put into the development of materials and Schemes of Work and all staff are encouraged to contribute new ideas. Our on-going aim is to add to and develop existing schemes to take account of developments and changes in the future. The requirements of the framework for teaching English have been built into the Programme of Study for Years 7, 8 & 9. Assessment on a regular basis is well-established, with pupils building up portfolios of work across Key Stage 3. We have developed our framework for assessment without levels and have created and standardised new criteria on a regular basis. Pupils are given the opportunity to develop their Speaking and Listening skills by means of a wide range of activities. Assessment is seen as an integral part of the teaching and learning process and an integrated assessment and recording system is in place for Key Stage 3. This incorporates both teacher and pupil assessment and target setting. A programme of common assignments is in place and crossmarking and standardisation procedures are well established. At GCSE level the majority of students reach or exceed their FFT 20 aspirational target. English is a strong department within the school. 70.8% of students gained grades 9 4 in English Language in 2017 and a Progress 8 score of -0.04 was achieved (this figure was +0.11 in 2016 before the new specification and grading system). The department regularly trains ITTs and the Curriculum Leader for English is an SLE (Specialist Leader in Education). We believe that the success of the department is due to a number of factors, which include an effective marking policy, high expectations of all pupils, positive pupil/teacher relationships and the creation of attractive learning environments. The quality of marking and assessment for learning opportunities provided within the department was praised by Ofsted and has been presented at Curriculum Leaders meetings as a model of good practice. This reflects the professional attitude of all teachers of English and goes some way to explaining both the success and the popularity of this subject at Balshaw s. 7 Teacher of English Balshaw s C.E. High School

All specialist English teachers have their own classrooms which are all equipped with their own interactive whiteboard, DVD, and projectors. The successful candidate would be expected to contribute towards the ongoing evaluation of teaching and contribute to the development of programmes of study and add resources. The department is also keen to provide enrichment opportunities for students through a range of extra-curricular clubs and activities such as poetry club, young writers and book and film club. Activities students have participated in within English are many and varied, including: Runshaw College AGT days, the Rotary Youth Speaks competition (with a notable success in the National competition), visits from leading authors and projects such as designing and building theme parks. The department also organises trips to the theatre. The department works closely with the school s Learning Resources Centre to provide a culture of reading, reinforced by independent reading in Key Stage 3 classes. This is a department which prides itself on its success. The successful applicant will join a team of professional and highly motivated teachers accustomed to achieving excellent results. HOW TO APPLY All applications should be on the Lancashire County Council application form and can be obtained from the school website www.balshaws.org.uk. Completed forms should also be accompanied by a letter of application which should be no more than two sides of A4. In the letter you should indicate the reasons for your interest in the post, together with a brief outline of how your previous training and/or experience has prepared you for this position. Applications should be marked for the attention of Mr S C Haycocks, Headteacher and emailed to applications@balshaws.org.uk by 9.00am on MONDAY 20 th NOVEMBER. Applications sent to other email addresses will not be accepted. Due to limited resources it is not our policy to write to the unsuccessful candidates so please assume your application has been unsuccessful if you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date. Thank you for your interest. 8 Teacher of English Balshaw s C.E. High School