ASSISTANT CURRICULUM LEADER OF ENGLISH

Smeaton, SK
On-site
Posted Oct 9, 2026
1 position

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Employment type: Internship / apprenticeship
Experience level: Senior · 5+ years
Posting language: English
Working hours: 40 hours per week
Seniority: Mid-Senior level

Job summary

Help lead the English department by shaping and delivering a rich, engaging, ambitious curriculum that supports academic achievement and students’ personal development. Support colleagues to provide excellent teaching and inspire students to think critically, develop a love of literature, and become proficient writers.

Job details

Required for January 2027 Are you an ambitious professional with a passion for the teaching of English? Do you believe in the power of education to develop knowledgeable, thoughtful and responsible young people, helping them secure the gift of choice? If so, we would love to hear from you. We are seeking to appoint an exceptional teacher of English to contribute to the leadership of our increasingly powerful English department. This is a great opportunity to join a school on a journey of rapid improvement, where standards are rising, outcomes are improving and expectations are high. As an Assistant Leader of English, you will provide important leadership for the subject, ensuring that students experience a rich, engaging and ambitious curriculum that promotes both academic achievement and personal development. You will play a key role in shaping the vision of the department, supporting colleagues to deliver excellent teaching and inspiring students to think critically, develop a love of literature and become proficient in their writing. Our school is driven to be a beacon for our local community. We are ambitious for every student and member of staff, committed to working diligently to secure the very best outcomes and believe that kindness should underpin everything we do. We are looking for a leader who shares these values and can model them through their daily practice. The Successful Candidate Will Be an excellent teacher of English. Have the vision and leadership skills to drive continued improvement. Have high expectations of achievement, behaviour and attendance. Be committed to fostering a culture of excellence, inclusion and continuous improvement. Inspire both students and colleagues through enthusiasm, expertise and integrity. In Return, We Offer The opportunity to develop leadership skills. A supportive and collaborative leadership team. High-quality professional development and leadership opportunities. Enthusiastic students who are eager to learn. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced middle leader or an ambitious teacher ready to take the next step in their career. If you are passionate about making a difference and want to be part of a school that is determined to provide the best possible education for its community, we encourage you to apply. Potential Applicants Are Likely To Be An ambitious teacher, with experience of securing excellent outcomes, ready to take the next step in their career. Applicants Should Also Have A detailed knowledge of current developments in education including the effective use of the Pupil Premium. The ability to put vision into practice. What We Offer You As a trust, we have a great responsibility to ensure that professionals, at every stage in their career, have the opportunity to enjoy expert support and training. In addition to the essential training and support provided by the Early Career Framework and National Professional Qualifications suite delivered through Leeds Teaching School Hub, we are pleased to offer a generous benefits package to our team – as we work together to create a rewarding future for all including: Membership of a teacher or local government pension scheme, depending on the role. A commitment to continued investment in our professionals, supporting every member of staff throughout their career in the trust. Access to an Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential professional advice and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. £2k Cycle to work scheme. About Us On 1 September 2021 John Smeaton Academy joined The GORSE Academies Trust, an organisation renowned for excellence in education. The trust has a nationally recognised track record of transforming inadequate schools and making them great again, or for the first time in their history. Consequently, this role represents an incredibly exciting opportunity for any candidate who is eager to be a part of an organisation that seeks to secure the very highest educational standard for every student. We are determined to ensure students at John Smeaton Academy are inspired to ‘Secure the Gift of Choice’ and we expect any successful candidate to be passionate and tenacious in their quest for all round academic and pastoral excellence. As part of our exceptional work to date, Ofsted recognised that our academy is ‘Good’ in all areas in April/May 2024. Under the inspirational leadership of our Interim Principal, Sir John Townsley, we are now embarking upon the next stage of our journey towards exceptional. If you would like to know more about John Smeaton Academy, please visit our website at John Smeaton Academy. How To Apply If you are as excited about this role as we are, you can download the Job Description, Person Specification, and Application Form from The GORSE Academies Trust website (www.tgat.org.uk/jobs), request them by email at enquiries@johnsmeatonacademy.org.uk or call us on 0113 8313900. Please note if you submit an electronic application, we will not require a hard copy. CVs are not accepted.

What you’ll do

Requirements

The successful candidate will be an excellent English teacher with leadership potential, high expectations, and a commitment to excellence, inclusion, and continuous improvement. They should have experience securing strong outcomes, knowledge of current educational developments including effective use of the Pupil Premium, and the ability to turn vision into practice.