Job title: Teacher of English

FTE: 0.8

Contract type: Fixed term (maternity cover)

Location: Downend School, BS16 9LH

About the Role

In this role, you will work to support and challenge all students to achieve their full potential and academic success through consistently strong classroom practice. Your primary focus will be to teach English across the full age and ability range delivering engaging, research-based lessons that inspire learners. You’ll maintain thorough, up-to-date knowledge of the National Curriculum to ensure your lessons align with department curriculum plans. To ensure high standards of progress, you will evaluate student learning through assessments, providing clear and constructive feedback that helps students achieve their best possible results.

About You

We are looking for a personable and proactive educator who can build warm, effective relationships with both students and colleagues. You should be an agile professional who can meet the changing needs of the school environment with a "can-do" approach.

You will:

• Hold QTS and have experience teaching across a full age and ability range.
• Possess a clear passion for English and a strong desire to share this with young people.
• Have a detailed working knowledge of the National Curriculum and the ability to translate it into impactful, deep learning.
• Be a role model who sets high standards in all areas of school life and implements school policies with consistency.
• Have up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding and child protection legislation and a total commitment to promoting the welfare of young people.

About us

At Downend School we provide a safe, supportive and challenging learning environment that aims to inspire and empower young people to grasp opportunity; to reach their potential and excel; to develop responsibility and integrity and to respect themselves and others.

We have a strong ethos based on our core PRIDE values of participation, respect, identity, determination and excellence. We set standards high and aim to nurture young people who are well equipped to become active and positive members of the school community and to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a time of rapid change.

Our curriculum is ambitious and well taught, using The Downend Lesson to ensure a consistent approach to classroom practice and a shared language for learning. Our classrooms are orderly and disciplined but also vibrant and exciting learning spaces where an intellectual curiosity and a life-long love of learning can be fostered.

We are also proud of the care and support we offer our students. We strongly believe in the value of creating a friendly and caring school community where youngsters feel a sense of belonging and feel valued and respected. Happy and motivated students will flourish and become successful young people. Above all, Downend is a happy school.

We can offer you:

• Happy, engaging students who thrive on inspirational leadership
• A supportive trust and school community
• Strong collaboration across the trust family of schools and access to a centralised team of specialists across all areas of school operations
• A commitment to high‑quality CPD, with dedicated time and budget for your development
• A values‑driven ethos where diversity, equity and inclusion are lived every day
• Recognition of continuous service (modification order) to protect employment rights and entitlements
• Teachers’ Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions and death‑in‑service cover
• Occupational sick pay to support you during illness or unexpected emergencies
• Family‑friendly leave packages to help maintain a healthy work–life balance

In order to apply for this role please complete an application form by 9am, 20th May. Please let us know if you require any adjustments as part of the process.

Please know that depending on the number of applications received we may decide to close the advert early. If you do not hear from us by a week after the closing date then please assume that you have not been shortlisted for an interview. We wish you all the best in your future and ask that you join our E-Teach Talent Pool so as to keep up to date with all of our latest current opportunities.

Join us in Providing a Great Education for Every Child

CSET is committed to equal opportunities and encourages applicants from all backgrounds and communities, as we recognise the importance and benefit this has for our pupils.

CSET is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles across the trust have a varying level of responsibility for ensuring safeguarding practice, with some roles holding significant responsibility and involving working with children on a daily basis in regulated activity. Regardless of the level of responsibility and involvement in each role, we expect all staff, visiting professionals and volunteers to share this commitment.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. Successful candidates will be required to provide a disclosure of any unspent convictions and cautions, as well as any spent convictions or cautions that are not "protected" (i.e., filtered) under the Amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975 (2013 and 2020). All appointments are subject to a comprehensive pre-employment checking process. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (including a Children’s Barred List check), satisfactory references, medical fitness, Right to Work in the UK, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching/management check. In line with KCSIE guidance, we will also conduct online searches on all shortlisted candidates.

Our full Recruitment and Selection policy is available on our website.