Head of English (16-18 & Adult Provision)


Company:	Teaching Vacancies
Salary:	Not specified
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Romford, RM7 0XU
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	5 Oct 2026
Closing date:	19 Oct 2026

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Summary

What skills and experience we're looking for

Our ideal Head of English should have the following qualifications, skills and experience:

• A genuine passion for English education and the ability to lead impactful improvement through innovation and effective curriculum leadership.

• A strong track record of improving learner outcomes, achievement and progression from a range of starting points.

• Proven success in leading curriculum improvement through evidence-informed practice, effective intervention and strong use of data.

• A strong understanding of current FE priorities, Ofsted expectations, awarding body requirements and quality assurance processes.

• Demonstrable experience of successful leadership and management within Further Education.

• Proven ability to develop and inspire high-performing teams, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

• Experience of working effectively with internal and external stakeholders to secure positive outcomes for learners.

• Excellent communication, organisational and leadership skills.

Essential criteria:

• CertEd/PGCE or relevant teaching/training qualification

• Degree or equivalent qualification

• Managing in either the Adult Education or Further Education sector

• Working to frameworks and external requirements, including Ofsted and awarding bodies, and how they relate to the role.

• Planning provision to meet local and external needs

• Demonstrable experience in leading change that has resulted in performance improvements and improvements in teaching and learning

• Performance management of individuals and teams

• The ability to influence and motivate teams and individuals to support positive change

• Strong analytical skills (of both quantitative and qualitative data) and a proven ability to interpret and critique policy influencing teaching and learning and skills

• Effective team working with partners and colleagues

What the college offers its staff

We offer a competitive salary of £57,788 - £72,348 per annum (dependent on experience) alongside an excellent benefits package, including:

• Generous pension scheme

• 35 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays

• Two-week Christmas closure

• Wellbeing days

• Free on-site gym and parking

• Subsidised hair and beauty treatments

• A wide range of staff benefits and development opportunities

Ready to make an impact? If you're excited by the opportunity to lead a high-profile curriculum area and drive outstanding outcomes for learners, we'd love to hear from you.

Barking & Dagenham College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All appointments are subject to appropriate safeguarding checks in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance.

We are proud to be an inclusive employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Further details about the role

The Head of English role:

The Head of Department (HoD) is responsible for the growth and performance of designated department(s) including teaching, learning and assessment practices and business planning.

Key Responsibilities of our Head of English:

You will lead the College's 16–18 English, Adult English and Community Learning provision, taking ownership of a high-profile curriculum area with genuine scope to influence learner achievement, attendance, progression, teaching quality and the overall learner experience.

You will:

• Work closely with the Vice Principal Curriculum & Quality to drive strategic development and continuous improvement across the College's English provision.

• Shape and develop a responsive, innovative and future-focused curriculum that meets learner needs, reflects learners' starting points and supports ambitious progression outcomes.

• Lead strategies that improve learner attendance, engagement, achievement and progression, ensuring English is recognised as a key contributor to learner success across the College.

• Be creative, forward-thinking and ambitious in developing innovative and technology-enabled approaches that enhance learner engagement, improve outcomes and support high-quality teaching and learning.

• Use performance, quality and learner voice data to identify priorities, implement interventions and secure sustained improvements in outcomes.

• Identify barriers to success, address performance gaps and take decisive action to improve the learner experience and achievement.

• Lead outstanding teaching, learning and assessment practices, embedding a culture of high expectations, accountability and continuous professional development.

• Work collaboratively with vocational curriculum teams and support services to embed literacy, aspiration and learner success across the wider curriculum.

• Deliver and oversee all aspects of the College's quality cycle, including observations, standardisation, performance monitoring, RARPA, verification processes, staff development and Ofsted readiness.

• Drive curriculum performance to achieve ambitious targets for attendance, achievement, progression and income.

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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