Teacher of English Literature & Language

Location: Barking & Dagenham, East/Outer London

School Type: Secondary School & Sixth Form (Co-educational)

Contract: Full-Time, Permanent or Fixed-Term

Start Date: Immediate / ASAP or January Start

A vibrant, forward-thinking secondary school and Sixth Form in the East London Borough of Barking & Dagenham is seeking an articulate, inspiring, and dynamic Teacher of English to join their dedicated English & Communication faculty. Positioned within a rapidly evolving community with deep historical and literary roots, this is an outstanding opportunity for an enthusiastic English specialist—whether an experienced practitioner eager to teach A-Level Literature and Language modules or an ambitious Early Career Teacher (ECT)—to foster critical literacy, analytical thinking, and a lifelong love of reading across a diverse student body.

About the Role

As a Teacher of English, you will transform literary texts, poetry, dramatic works, and complex non-fiction into compelling, high-rigor learning experiences. Joining a highly collaborative and creative department, you will deliver rich lessons across Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 (GCSE English Language & English Literature), and Key Stage 5 (A-Level English Literature / English Language / Media Studies), equipping young minds with the rhetorical power, analytical precision, and written fluency crucial for higher education and future professional success.

• Environment: A progressive Outer London secondary school featuring modern digital learning resources, expansive school library facilities, interactive presentation tools, and strong links to local community arts projects

• Culture: A supportive, scholarly environment dedicated to text-rich curricula, collaborative unit design, structured reading intervention, and high academic aspirations for every learner

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and deliver academically rigorous, engaging English lessons across Key Stages 3, 4, and 5 covering classical and contemporary literature, poetry analysis, creative writing techniques, and linguistic study.

• Prepare GCSE and A-Level candidates thoroughly for national written examinations through explicit modeling of analytical essays, data-driven progress tracking, and targeted revision workshops.

• Foster an inclusive, discussion-led classroom culture where critical inquiry, debate, and textual exploration are encouraged and celebrated.

• Track, evaluate, and monitor pupil progress systematically, executing tailored intervention strategies to stretch high-aspiring literary scholars while scaffolding core literacy skills for developing learners.

• Contribute actively to departmental enrichment, such as creative writing clubs, debate societies, shadow judging for literary prizes, national poetry competitions, and theatre trips.

Requirements

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or an equivalent recognized teaching credential.

• A strong academic degree in English Literature, English Language, Creative Writing, Linguistics, or a closely related discipline.

• Proven track record or demonstrated capability of delivering outstanding English instruction across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 (KS5/A-Level English teaching capability is highly desirable).

• In-depth knowledge of national English examination board specifications (e.g., AQA, Edexcel, OCR) and evidence-informed literacy strategies.

• Outstanding classroom presence, strong analytical and communication skills, and an infectious enthusiasm for literature and the power of language.

Salary & Benefits

• Pay Scale: Outer London Main / Upper Pay Scale (MPS/UPS Outer London, commensurate with experience), with potential TLR opportunities available for Key Stage English Coordination, Literacy Lead, or KS5 English Lead.

• Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), comprehensive continuous professional development (CPD), structured mentoring pathways, and access to staff health and wellbeing programs.

How to Apply

If you are an ambitious English specialist ready to empower the next generation of writers, thinkers, and communicators at a dynamic secondary school in Barking & Dagenham, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your application and CV as soon as possible for consideration.