Teacher of English


Company:	Teaching Vacancies
Salary:	Not specified
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Rochester, ME1 2FA
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	24 Sept 2026
Closing date:	8 Oct 2026

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Summary

What skills and experience we're looking for

The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic and suitably qualified teacher of English who is keen to play a proactive, collaborative role in developing the faculty further in the school. This role is primarily for teaching English at Key Stages 3 and 4; however, the department does deliver A Level English Literature and A Level Media, and the successful candidate may be asked to help teach these in future.

The successful candidate will model at least good teaching practice and will be able to engage and inspire students of all abilities both in and out of lessons. They will also be keen to contribute to the school’s extra-curricular life to enhance the opportunities available to our students. A bespoke CPD programme will be tailored to meet their needs.

What the school offers its staff

At SJF, we are committed to excellence in a sustainable way. This means we value our staff, devise policies with workload in mind and believe that everyone working in education should have the opportunity to enjoy the highest possible standard of wellbeing and mental health. We recognise that working in a deprived area is never going to be easy, but we are committed to ensuring it’s not any harder than it needs to be. Our approach to staff wellbeing and workload is underpinned by research and best practice.

Further details about the role

The Communications Faculty brings together English, Media and Literacy, with a shared commitment to developing confident readers, writers and communicators.

English is currently taught across Key Stages 3-5, with English Literature and Media being taught at A Level. The faculty also offers GCSE retake English and Functional Skills in English for any post-16 student who has not achieved a grade 4 at Level 2. English Language and Literature are core subjects at GCSE, and we typically have one A Level class each of English Literature and Media in both Years 12 and 13, although we would like to increase our class sizes here.

English is integral to our curriculum offer and to our Catholic values. As well as the skills of information retrieval, memory, analysis and clarity of communication which it teaches, it is valuable because reading is students’ gateway to the world: through it they are exposed to other cultures, ideas and ways of thinking. Our curriculum aims to give students access to a broad range of texts and ideas while developing the knowledge, vocabulary and analytical skills they need to communicate effectively.

All students in Years 7-9 have three lessons a week for English. In Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11), students have four lessons per week. Sixth form A Level classes have five lessons per week, which are usually shared between two teachers.

Having moved to a new build on City Way in February 2023, the department now has world-class facilities in which to deliver the curriculum. All staff, with the exception of those teaching a part-time timetable, have their own dedicated classroom, each fully equipped with new furniture and facilities. Co-located with the classrooms is a workroom with fridge, microwave and sink where colleagues can collaborate effectively and relax. Adjacent to the classrooms is our beautiful library, which has a balcony looking out over the playground and which is staffed full-time by our chartered librarian, an additional member of the Communications team.

The English department has capacity for seven teachers, including the holder of this post. We are a collaborative team and value consistency, clarity and high expectations in the classroom.

The successful candidate will join the faculty at an exciting point in its development and will have the opportunity to contribute their own ideas and expertise while being supported by colleagues. We welcome applications from experienced teachers and those earlier in their careers.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

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