Tadcaster Grammar School

TADCASTER GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Toulston, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. LS24 9NB

ENGLISH FACULTY

January 2014 AIA AIM Welcome to the English Faculty. Our aim is to create a friendly and stimulating environment in which all our students are enabled to develop fully their spoken and written language skills and so reach their potential. We want our students to feel empowered in their ability to communicate with confidence and for them to cultivate a personal enthusiasm for the world of literature and language.

We seek to achieve this by treating all our students as individuals, by having a caring and supportive approach to our teaching and by expecting the highest standards.

AIA STAFFING The English Faculty comprises fourteen specialist teachers including:

Head of Faculty - Charlotte Carson Key Stage 3 Leader - James Watson Key Stage 4 Leader - Helen Gabriel/Jude Kay Key Stage 5 Leader - Helen Brydon AST: English - Jude Kay Teacher of English/Leader of Literacy - Jo Alderson Teacher of English - Helen Cooney Teacher of English/Leader of Literacy - Adam Dawson Teacher of English/Lead Tutor - Sarah Gregg Teacher of English - Brona Levins Teacher of English - Tom Watson Teacher of English - Maurice White Head of Faculty: Learning Support - Melanie Carroll (maternity leave) Deputy Headteacher: Care and Guidance - Cayte Mulhern

Curriculum Support - Caroline Tobin

The Faculty is a friendly and dynamic one with a tradition of working together and being mutually supportive, while sharing a variety of teaching styles. We hold regular Faculty meetings where we seek to share experience and good practice, aiming to use our time together effectively for training and development purposes. We hold a weekly break-time briefing to discuss administrative information.

AIA GOVERNOR LINK John Settle

AIA LEADERSHIP LINK Wendy Fraser ACCOMMODATION AND RESOURCES English is taught in two areas of the school. The Faculty has the use of ten classrooms: most staff have their own teaching base. Four members of the Faculty and the Learning Support Faculty teach in Toulston Lodge which is where the English Office and stockrooms are located; the other six are around the Year 7 playground.

The Faculty has an extensive range of fiction and non-fiction texts and strives to continually update and develop resources.

We possess a considerable stock of audio visual resources, which are kept centrally. The Faculty has access to an ICT suite in Toulston Lodge and a set of laptops. Four classrooms have an interactive whiteboard and all have projectors. The Faculty has wireless provision in each classroom and benefits from the support of a Curriculum Support Assistant.

AIA ORGANISATION & EXAMINATIONS

There is a strong culture of collaboration within the Faculty. All key stages have clearly defined programmes of study with schemes of learning that the Faculty have worked together to create and resource, custom-made for students at Tadcaster Grammar School. APP is fully embedded across KS3. We follow AQA specifications at KS4 and KS5.

Key Stage 3 Year 7 Students are taught in mixed ability groups with smaller groups for students requiring additional support in their first year. Year 8/9 Students are taught in ability groups and have six lessons over a two week timetable. Key Stage 4 Years 10/11 Students are taught in ability groups and have seven lessons over a two week timetable in Year 10 which increases to eight lessons in Year 11. The majority of our students are entered for GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature, with opportunity for the Entry Level Certificate. Key Stage 5 We offer two A Levels in English Literature (AQA B Specification) and English Language (AQA A Specification). We also offer a GCSE re-sit course for Sixth Form students. Year 12/13 Students have eight lessons over a two week timetable, taught by two members of the Faculty.

Our students perform well at Advanced Level, achieving better than the National average. Groups in the Sixth Form are smaller and the atmosphere is pleasant, friendly and hard working. AIA ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Faculty is keen to seek and develop initiatives and explore ways in which we can enrich our students’ experience. We run a number of extra curricular activities such as theatre and film visits, Sixth Form conferences, visits from examiners and Drama Workshops. We also participate in the annual BBC School Report. The Faculty uses Inset time to work collaboratively on schemes of learning and developing our approaches to teaching and learning.

We would welcome a candidate who wishes to join and actively contribute to this successful and supportive team, who have a commitment to the welfare of all our students and who constantly strive to improve the quality of our curriculum.

QUALITIES OF THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE

 A well qualified teacher of English.

 An aim to deliver a curriculum that is exciting and stimulating for our students.

 A desire to develop knowledge and expertise within a supportive team of experienced teachers.

 An understanding of the importance of a variety of Teaching and Learning approaches.

 Enthusiasm, dedication and energy.

 A professional approach.

 And, most importantly, a good sense of humour!

THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT CAN EXPECT

 Excellent opportunities for professional development.

 Comprehensive support from experienced colleagues with a high level of expertise.

 A friendly and progressive working environment.

 A forward thinking Faculty, which is constantly evolving and developing.

 The opportunity to become actively involved in developing the English curriculum and exploring the impact of Teaching and Learning.

 The opportunity to teach English from Year 7 to Year 11 and possibly English Language and/or English Literature at Key Stage 5.

 The opportunity to teach enthusiastic and motivated students of all abilities in a pleasant learning environment.