English Teacher (maternity) with optional Citizenship
What skills and experience we're looking for
Applications are invited from charismatic, enthusiastic and suitably qualified teachers for this exciting, and rewarding post within our English department. We particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups, as we seek to ensure our staff body reflects the diversity of our student population.The postholder will be expected to teach KS3, KS4 and KS5. We welcome applications from newly qualified and experienced teachers.Bristol Cathedral Choir School is an academy that specialises in Music. The academy became part of the Cathedral Schools Trust (a Multi Academy Trust) in 2016.
It serves students from all over Bristol and welcomes those of all faiths and none. We are proud of our diverse, tolerant and respectful community, which reflects Bristol’s demographic.
With a comprehensive intake, students present with a large range of additional educational needs. The proportion of students with an EHCP is well above the national average. Similarly the school welcomes a significant number of children who are looked after or previously looked after.
The Sixth Form has approximately 425 students, many of whom join in Year 12 from other schools. Levels of attainment are high. The majority of students progress to university, including Russell group institutions and Oxbridge.
The school is amongst the most oversubscribed schools in Bristol, with a trend of strong results in public examinations at both GCSE and A level.
As part of Cathedral Schools Trust, we are able to offer a coherent and high quality provision of continuing professional development.
BCCS is a special place, dedicated to meeting the needs and aspirations of all our students. We are rich in history, but forward looking. Academic and committed to educating the whole child. Unashamedly values driven, with passionate, talented and enthusiastic staff and governors, united by our mission to be ‘Gathered together, that all may thrive’.A school in the heart of Bristol, for all of Bristol. For those who share our values and beliefs, this is an exciting time to join us in our journey to transform lives through education.
The English Department
The English Department at BCCS is an ambitious and extremely successful department within the school. There are twelve teachers delivering the subject, comprising both full-time and part-time colleagues. The team is well established and extremely supportive of one another.All teachers are capable, independent and resourceful. There is a strong culture of sharing, co-planning and an equally strong culture of personalised adaptation of shared resources. The team is committed to nurturing the success of each and every student in their care.
Lessons are typically reflective, calm and creative spaces, in which students are encouraged to explore their thoughts and respond to texts and concepts in meaningful and mature ways.
We are keen to ensure that the English curriculum at BCCS reflects the diverse intake of our school and have spent a significant amount of time reflecting as to how this can be best achieved. As a result, we study a range of diverse texts in Key Stage Three.Students in Years 7, 8 and 9 will study a wide range of thought provoking novels, Somali poetry, Bristol poetry, topical non-fiction and essays on big ideas. They also encounter a wide range of authors such as: Maya Angelou, George Orwell, Robert Swindells, Vanessa Kisuule, William Shakespeare, Mary Shelley and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, to name but a few.
In all lessons, it is a crucial part of the process of planning to consider the make-up of the class and ensure the resources are representative and challenging. For this reason, teachers are encouraged to experiment and try out new materials and approaches.
At GCSE level, we follow the AQA specifications for English Language and English Literature. The texts selected for Literature are ‘An Inspector Calls’, ‘A Christmas Carol', ‘Macbeth’ and AQA's Power and Conflict Anthology. However work is underway to diversify our GCSE text choices and we will start to teach the new AQA text ‘Princess and the Hustler’ to Year 10 this year.
Uptake of English Literature A Level is high and we run two classes each year. We follow the OCR specification H472. Currently, we teach Hamlet, The Merchant's Tale, A Doll's House, 1984, The Handmaid's Tale, Jerusalem and Mr Loverman. We also run a popular course in English Language A Level, following the AQA syllabus.
The Citizenship Department
The Citizenship department is highly successful and one of the most popular choices for GCSE students. It follows the AQA specification and is supported with excellent resources.
What the school offers its staff
Our mission at Bristol Cathedral Choir School is to harness the power of our community, so that we all learn, grow and develop into the best versions of ourselves. This is because at BCCS we are: Gathered together, that all may thrive. We do this by living out our three core values in all that we say and do.These are: Kindness, Courage and Hope.
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.