Success, Nothing Less!
Teacher of English
Required September 2015
Candidate Information Pack
Dear Applicant
May I extend an extremely warm welcome to you from myself and everyone at the Blackpool Aspire
Academy. This may be your first contact with this new Sponsored Academy and first impressions are
seriously important! Therefore, we wish you to know at the outset that we shall take your application very
seriously indeed. If you prove to be a worthy candidate we want you to feel that our internal processes will
select the most appropriate applicants, be it yourself or others, and make the right decision in the end.
I am Colin Simkins the new Academy’s Principal, who has been employed since 1st September 2014 by FCAT
(the Fylde Coast Academy Trust). I have been tasked to merge 2 predecessor schools and take them from
their previous unsatisfactory Ofsted categories to become one ‘good’ school as quickly as possible. I have
worked in various educational settings for the past 45 years and this is my 6th Headship in secondary schools.
I am passionate about young people achieving their best irrespective of social, economic, ethnic and other
back grounds. In previous times I was Headteacher of Hodgson Academy, an ‘outstanding’ Training School
and founder member of FCAT, which is only 5 miles away in Poulton-le Fylde, Lancashire. I am determined
to prove that students at Aspire Academy, which is located in Blackpool, can do just as well as the students
at Hodgson if the right teachers and leaders are employed here.
So ….. are you brave enough and ‘up for’ this serious professional challenge? We already have a vibrant and
committed extended Leadership Team of 9 leaders, have extensive personalised training on offer using
internal, regional (FCAT and Training School Alliance) and national providers (National College) and provide
real opportunities for further promotion internally and across the growing FCAT number of schools. We are
looking for teachers and ‘future leaders’ who can make THAT difference!
If you feel the Blackpool Aspire Academy is the right place for you and the next step on your professional
journey then please apply… you will not regret it.
Best wishes
Colin Simkins
Principal
English Department Information
English at Blackpool Aspire Academy is a high profile and popular subject taught by a team of highly qualified
English specialists. However, we are fairly unique in that Mathematics, English & Science share some of the
same areas and facilities since we feel they are so important that a fully integrated approach will deliver the
best outcomes. Therefore the overall leadership of these Faculties is in the very capable hands of Mr Ryan
Hughes, an inspirational and aspirational young leader who is determined to take these core subjects to the
next level. The Academy is at an exciting time in its development. Opened in September 2014 as a new
Sponsored Academy on the former Bispham High School Performing Arts College site it will move into a £14
million new building with state of the art facilities ready for September 2015. Mathematics, English &
Science will occupy a new suite of rooms with a significant range of the most modern and up to date
IT/technological equipment to enrich the learning of our students.
We wish to appoint well qualified, capable, resilient and forward looking professionals who are able to make
that difference to the lives of our students.
The Faculty
Mr R Hughes
Mrs S Johnson
Miss J Patton
Ms M Brown
Miss R Collins
Miss L Cowgill
Miss E McGovern
Miss K Taylor
Miss L Turnbull
VACANCY
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Assistant Principal: Core Subjects
Lead Teacher of English
Progress Leader of English
Teacher of English
Teacher of English (Part Time)
Teacher of English
Teacher of English
Teacher of English
Teacher of English
Teacher of English
All students in all years will receive at least 5 hours of English per week, and students are set immediately
on entry based on their Key Stage 2 prior performance. This setting is reviewed regularly throughout the
year to ensure all students are in the most appropriate group to ensure they make the best progress possible.
For students who have been identified as not as competent in English a comprehensive intervention program
is in place, including additional lesson time offered during the school week. Our intention is to proactively
intervene before students face difficulties which may then become barriers to success. We are solution
focused and have an ‘in it to win it’ philosophy.
The curriculum structure for Key Stage 3 follows a clearly differentiated program allowing all students to
access work that is appropriate for their ability. Following each unit of work a short End of Topic Assessment
is completed and recorded on our internal tracking system allowing early identification of students who
would benefit from additional support.
In Key Stage 4 all students currently follow the WJEC GCSE English Literature & GCSE English Language
course, we will be moving to the AQA GCSE English Language & English Literature specification for first
teaching in 2015.
Role:
Remuneration:
Accountable To:
Responsible For:
Liaising With:
Teacher of English
MPS/UPS
Lead Teacher of English
Assistant Principal: Core Subjects
Teachers, Teaching Assistants
SLT, Parents & Carers, Caseworkers
Part 1:
You are required to carry out the duties of a school teacher as set out in the School Teacher’s Pay and
Conditions Document 2013
Part 2: General Duties:
• The education and welfare of designated classes/groups of pupils in accordance with the requirements
of Conditions of Employment of School teachers, having due regard to the National Curriculum, Every
Child Matters, the Aims of the school, its objectives and schemes of work and any policies of the
Governing body.
• To share in the corporate responsibility for the well being and discipline of all pupils.
• To be committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
• Maintain high professional standards. Part 3: Specific responsibilities as a Teacher
Teaching staff are expected to:
 Teach challenging, well-organised lessons and sequences of lessons across the age and ability range
they teach.
 Use an appropriate range of teaching strategies and resources, including e-learning, which meet
learners’ needs and take practical account of diversity and promote equality and inclusion.
 Build on the prior knowledge and attainment of those they teach in order that learners meet learning
objectives and make sustained progress.
 Develop concepts and processes which enable learners to apply new knowledge, understanding and
skills.
 Adapt their language to suit the learners they teach, introducing new ideas and concepts clearly, and
using explanations, questions, discussions and plenaries effectively.
 Manage the learning of individuals, groups and whole classes effectively, modifying their teaching
appropriately to suit the stage of the lesson and the needs of the learners.
 Teach engaging and motivating lessons informed by well-grounded expectations of learners and
designed to raise levels of attainment.
 Design opportunities for learners to develop their literacy, numeracy, ICT and thinking and learning skills
appropriate within their phase and context.
 Plan, set and assess homework to sustain learners’ progress and to extend and consolidate their
learning.
 Participate in arrangements made for the review of your performance.
 Review from time to time your methods of teaching and programmes of work;
 Participate in arrangements for your further training and professional development.
Assessment should:
 Make effective use of an appropriate range of observation, assessment, monitoring and recording
strategies as a basis for setting challenging learning objectives and monitoring learners’ progress and
levels of attainment.
 Provide learners, colleagues, parents and carers with timely, accurate and constructive feedback on
learners’ attainment, progress and areas for development.
 Support and guide learners so that they can reflect on their learning, identify the progress they have
made, set positive targets for improvement and become successful independent learners.
 Be used as part of their teaching to diagnose learners’ needs, set realistic and challenging targets for
improvement and plan future teaching.
 Plan for progression across the age and ability range they teach, designing effective learning sequences
within lessons and across series of lessons informed by secure subject/curriculum knowledge.
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Review the effectiveness of their teaching and its impact on learners’ progress, attainment and wellbeing, refining their approaches where necessary.
Review the impact of the feedback provided to learners and guide learners on how to improve their
attainment.
Establish a purposeful and safe learning environment which complies with current legal requirements,
national policies and guidance on the safeguarding and well being of children and young people so that
learners feel secure and sufficiently confident to make an active contribution to learning and to the
school.
Identify and use opportunities to personalise and extend learning through out-of-school contexts where
possible making links between in-school learning and learning in out-of-school contexts.
Ensure their behaviour management techniques:
 Manage learners’ behaviour constructively by establishing and maintaining a clear and positive
framework for discipline, in line with the school’s behaviour policy.
 Use a range of behaviour management techniques and strategies, adapting them as necessary to
promote the self-control and independence of learners.
 Promote learners’ self-control, independence and cooperation through developing their social,
emotional and behavioural skills.
Work effectively in teams and:
 Work as a team member and identify opportunities for working with colleagues, managing their work
where appropriate and sharing the development of effective practice with them.
 Ensure that colleagues working with them are appropriately involved in supporting learning and
understand the roles they are expected to fulfil.
 Fully support colleagues and implement school policies at all levels
Acknowledge diversity
 Understand how children and young people develop and how the progress, rate of development and
well-being of learners are affected by a range of developmental, social, religious, ethnic, cultural and
linguistic influences.
 Know how to make effective personalised provision for those they teach, including those for whom
English is an additional language or who have special educational needs or disabilities, and how to take
practical account of diversity and promote equality and inclusion in their teaching.
 Understand the roles of colleagues such as those having specific responsibilities for learners with special
educational needs, disabilities and other individual learning needs, and the contributions they can make
to the learning, development and well-being of children and young people.
 Know when to draw on the expertise of colleagues, such as those with responsibility for the
safeguarding of children and young people and special educational needs and disabilities, and to refer
to sources of information, advice and support from external agencies.
 Know the current legal requirements, national policies and guidance on the safeguarding and
promotion of the well-being of children and young people.
 Know the local arrangements concerning the safeguarding of children and young people. Know how to
identify potential child abuse or neglect and follow safeguarding procedures.
 Know how to identify and support children and young people whose progress, development or wellbeing is affected by changes or difficulties in their personal circumstances, and when to refer them to
colleagues for specialist support.
This is not an exhaustive list and does not constitute part of your employment contract.
Signed:_________________________ (Teacher of English)
Date:_________________
Signed:_________________________ (Assistant Principal: Core Subjects)
Date:_________________
Teacher of English
Person Specification
E – Essential
D - Desirable
Professional Competence
Have a high regard for young people and the learning process
Have the ability to articulate and maintain a vision for high quality education
Have the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
Be efficient, highly motivated and able to deal with a heavy workload
Have a high level of ICT skills
Understand and have good knowledge of recent curricular issues
To demonstrate secure knowledge and understanding in their specialist subject area
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
Personal Qualities
Have proven ability to effectively motivate staff and students
Have the ability to establish good working relationships with staff, parents and the
wider community
Show a commitment to school improvement and be able to demonstrate present
involvement
Have personal impact and presence
Show on-going evidence of a commitment to their own personal development and
training
Have energy, dynamism and a sense of humour
E
E
E
E
E
E
Experiences
Show a broad understanding of issues relating to the National Curriculum
Have an appreciation of the potential of enhancing the education of children and
young people
A good degree in a relevant discipline
A recognised teaching qualification
E
E
E
E
Method of Application
If you feel this is the post for you, please complete the enclosed application form and equal opportunities
monitoring form.
In section 6 ‘Statement in Support of Application’ please outline your career to date and how your
experiences have prepared you to take on this exciting and crucial role. Please also use the person
specification to indicate how you meet the essential and desirable criteria. Your statement should be no
longer than 2 pages of A4, in Calibri Font (Size 12). CV’s will not be considered as part of the selection process.
Your application form and equal opportunities monitoring form should be submitted (preferably by email)
to Judy Woolcock ([email protected]), Senior HR & Finance Officer, by 12pm on Friday
3rd July 2015
Interviews are scheduled to take place during Week Commencing 6th July 2015
If you have any questions during the application process please contact Judy Woolcock with any enquiries.
Given the volume of applications we often receive if you have not heard anything by Wednesday 6 th May
please assume your application has been unsuccessful.