Head of Subject - English

Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School is a vibrant, thriving and leading school in the local area. (1333 on roll with a Sixth Form of 173) and our long history and excellent community links provide our students with exceptional opportunities.

As a school, we are immensely proud of our September 2021 Ofsted report which describes our school as ‘Good’ with many ‘Outstanding’ features . Inspectors said that “Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School is a learning community where pupils have great respect for each other. Teachers support pupils to become highly articulate young people who can express their views well on a wide range of issues.” They also commented that “Pupils benefit from studying a wide range of subjects. Leaders have put in place an ambitious curriculum. Leaders and teachers have high expectations of all pupils.” Similarly, our November 2023 CSI report states how “Students, staff and parents speak very highly of the “sense of family” that is inherent in this school.”

We have an exciting opportunity to join our English Department as a Subject Leader. This key role will lead the English department providing class teachers with expert subject knowledge and leadership.

This post will involve leading and teaching English at KS3, 4 and 5. The successful candidate will have a strong passion and firm commitment to securing exceptional outcomes in GCSE English Language and Literature, alongside recruiting students and enabling students to realise their full potential in A ‘level English Language and Literature. In addition, they will have a firm commitment to raising whole-school achievement; have a professional approach to staff development, high expectations and a determination to succeed and develop as a leader in education.

The successful candidate will:

• Be a well-qualified English teacher with a record of delivering high quality lessons

• Able to teach English at KS3, KS4 & 5 and have excellent curriculum knowledge

• Have a solid understanding of current educational research

• Have the ability to lead and motivate pupils and staff

• Have a resilient character and a strong personal drive

• Be an enthusiastic and passionate individual who can provide first class teaching

We offer you:

· A vibrant school with outstanding facilities.

· A welcoming staff culture, where we focus on supporting each other to grow and develop as teachers and aspiring leaders.

· An environment where pupils have an excellent attitude to learning where they can grow academically and personally. Pupils’ behaviour and safety was judged by Ofsted as ‘Outstanding’.

· Pupils who, through the wide and diverse academic and extra-curricular opportunities they are offered, grow as individuals and happily contribute to the school community.

· Regular opportunities for staff to collaborate and share best practice.

· Opportunities to regularly develop your own professional practice through in-house CPD.

The English Department is passionate about English language and literature. We aim to cultivate pupils who are keen readers, articulate writers and analytical thinkers. We are ambitious for all of our pupils and always strive for further improvement.

All members of the department work collaboratively to continue to improve both teaching and learning within the department. Pupils in Year 10 and 11 follow the AQA GCSE course and the A’ level students follow the AQA A’ level course.

How to apply:

This role is full time and permanent. If this advert incorporates your strengths and interests, and you wish to be part of our extremely successful and constantly evolving team, then please see the , person specification, application form, child protection policy, code of conduct – Safer working practice guidance, Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 form, consent to obtain reference form and model reasonable adjustments statement via website Email application forms and covering letters to Lynn Lewington ([email protected]) by midday, Monday 13th April 2026, with interviews to take place Friday, 17th April 2026.

Applicants who have lived or worked overseas should obtain an overseas criminal check before applying for a visit as the post is in the education sector.

Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment to keeping children safe. Any offer of employment will be subject to statutory pre-employment checks, including satisfactory references and Enhanced DBS and Barred-List checks. This post is exempt from the provision of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (as amended in 2013 & 2020) and shortlisted candidates will be required to disclose any relevant criminal history prior to interview.

The amendments to the ROA 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975, (amended 2013 and 2020)) provide that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. The MOJ’s guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide: