We are seeking an ambitious and dedicated KS4 English Lead to join our thriving English department. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced teacher to take on a key leadership role, driving high standards of teaching and learning at Key Stage 4 and ensuring excellent outcomes for all students.
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide strategic leadership for KS4 English, taking clear responsibility for outcomes and driving rapid and sustained improvement in student progress and attainment
- Design, implement and refine a well-sequenced KS4 curriculum, ensuring coherence with KS3, clear cumulative knowledge, and strong alignment with GCSE specifications
- Ensure high levels of challenge and ambition across KS4, so that all students—particularly disadvantaged and high-attaining pupils—achieve their potential
- Quality assure teaching and learning at KS4, including lesson visits, learning walks and professional dialogue, to secure consistently strong practice
- Quality assure students’ work in books to ensure it reflects curriculum intent, ambitious standards, accurate assessment and high-quality feedback
- Lead the development of KS4 English teachers, providing coaching, modelling, CPD and bespoke support where needed to improve classroom practice
- Analyse KS4 performance data (including assessment, mock exams and external data) to identify strengths, gaps and priorities for improvement
- Produce and implement robust, evidence-informed action plans focused on closing gaps and raising examination outcomes
- Plan, oversee and evaluate intervention strategies for KS4 students, ensuring interventions are targeted, timely and effective
- Take responsibility for GCSE exam preparation, including revision programmes, exam skills teaching and the use of assessment to inform teaching
- Work closely with senior leaders and the English subject leader to ensure accountability, consistency and high expectations across the key stage
- Contribute to the wider leadership of the English department, supporting whole-school priorities and a culture of professional growth
Our ethos is ‘Aspiring and Achieving Together’. Whilst we are committed to ensuring that every student makes excellent progress, this concept stretches well beyond academic performance. We firmly believe that every aspect of school should equip learners to be successful in all areas of their lives, both now and for their future. Indeed, every single decision or action taken improves the life chances of all our learners. This is underpinned by ensuring The Westleigh school is a safe, nurturing and happy environment: put simply, The Westleigh School is a great place to learn and a great place to work.
Uniting with The Shaw Education Trust brings with it new opportunities and a wealth of resources to supplement our mission to improve outcomes for all our students. Colleagues will have access to a large range of well-established training opportunities, such as a fully funded L5 Instructional Coaching qualification or Accelerated Leadership training, for those aspiring to Middle Leadership. Outstanding teachers will also achieve Trust Professional Advocate designation, which provides exciting opportunities to support colleagues within both The Westleigh School and across other SET schools to share best practice. With this brings the opportunity to engage in the cross-trust peer review and Trust CPD programme.
All candidates are required to provide a supporting statement on the formal application forms which states clearly your reasons for applying, skills and experience for this position.
Join Shaw Education Trust – Support, Teach, Lead… Make the Remarkable Happen.
At Shaw Education Trust, we believe every role holds the power to transform a life. Whether you're supporting behind the scenes, inspiring in the classroom, or leading with vision, you’ll be part of something extraordinary.
We are a dynamic and growing family of Primary, Secondary, and Special Schools, proudly serving communities from Birmingham to Bury. Our mission is to unlock opportunity for every young person—whatever their background, ability, or starting point.
Our people are our greatest asset, and we are deeply committed to their growth. Through high-quality training, apprenticeships, talent acceleration, and research opportunities, we empower our staff to thrive as skilled, confident professionals and we champion wellbeing, value every voice, and create a culture where you feel supported, motivated, and inspired to make a real difference.
You will join a collaborative network of schools where shared expertise and professional community fuel success. Every academy in our Trust has an equal voice, and every colleague plays a vital part in shaping tailored learning experiences that raise aspirations and build brighter futures.
At the heart of our work is a deep respect for the children and young adults we serve—our “precious cargo.” We are proud to "exactly like nothing else” and bridge the gap between education and the wider world, preparing every student for further education, employment, or training in inclusive environments where integrity, equality, and opportunity thrive.
If you have the heart, passion, and drive to help shape lives and create futures filled with promise, we would love you to join our incredible team.
Support. Teach. Lead. Belong. Thrive.
Together, let’s make the remarkable happen.
In our secondary schools, we pride ourselves on our innovative approach to curriculum design, to ensure all our schools have breadth and ambition for all students, regardless of their starting points and barriers. Standard curriculum models don’t always engage all students, so we constantly seek to innovate and provide better opportunities to develop both knowledge and skills for life.
Shaw Education Trust offer the following employee benefits with your Teaching or Support Staff employment:
- An excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (Support Staff) / Teachers Pension (Teaching Staff)
- Support Staff only based on working full time, all year - Generous holiday entitlement from your first day of employment (37 days holiday rising to 39 days after 5 years’ service including Bank Holidays)
- Access to Medicash Health & Wellbeing Plan: Enjoy health services designed to support your well-being.
- Free DiscountForTeachers Scheme for all staff (Support and Teaching), Exclusive discounts to save money with a wide selection of discounts and exclusive offers from hundreds of the biggest brands.
- Free Eye Tests
- Cycle to work scheme
- Access to our Institute of Education and fantastic opportunities to help you grow, contribute and flourish in your role and in the Trust.
We know our people are the key to our success and so we’re committed to ensuring the employment experience at Shaw Education Trust is a rewarding one.
Colleagues within the Trust benefit from: Access to a full range of courses both in-house and professionally accredited. These courses include a variety of the National Professional Qualifications and the Early Carer Teacher Programme delivered by Shaw Education Trust as a delivery partner for Ambition Institute.
- Experienced leadership and subject-specific support.
- Guidance from former HMIs and serving Ofsted Inspectors within the Trust.
- Access to the Trust’s Institute of Education and SCITT.
- Opportunities to work with different schools within the Trust as a Professional Advocate.
- Participating in peer reviews.
- Access to a suite of online courses.
- Placement projects within our family of schools.
The Westleigh School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment, click here to review Safeguarding and Pupil Protection Policy https://www.shaw-education.org.uk/our-trust/key-information
This position is subject to robust vetting procedures, including an online search for all shortlisted candidates, in line with our Trust’s commitment to safer recruitment.
An enhanced criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), formerly known as the CRB, is required. You will be asked to disclose all relevant unspent and, where applicable, unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions, and convictions.
Shaw Education Trust is an Equal Opportunities employer. We are fully committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection processes promote equality, diversity, and inclusion at every stage.
In accordance with our safer recruitment policy CVs alone will not be accepted.
We reserve the right to appoint before the closing date as we review applications on an on-going basis and interviews may be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, therefore, we encourage early applications.
Successful candidates will be subject to a fully Enhanced DBS check along with other relevant employment checks.