The English Department at Winchester is at an exciting moment in its history as we continue to refine a curriculum which is scholarly, serious and ambitious, whilst also resolutely focused on producing excellent outcomes for our pupils.
At every level of the School, the emphasis is on the reading and discussion of great literature. Since September 2020, Year 9 (Junior Part) English has been delivered exclusively within the Div curriculum, which has been designed to develop the knowledge the pupils will need to succeed in their GCSEs, while retaining the breadth and cultural range that Div affords.
The School follows the Edexcel IGCSE in English Language. We do not teach a literature GCSE, but that certainly does not mean that we teach no literature in the GCSE years: far from it. Not following a literature GCSE allows us to cover more literature, not less; we teach a broader, richer, more rigorous literary curriculum than any exam board can currently offer us. Our homegrown literature programme over the GCSE years involves the study of modern drama, a Shakespeare play (culminating in a 2000-word essay for the College Gillespie Prize, which every pupil in Year 10 enters), a range of pre- and post-1900 poetry, and a novel, alongside supporting texts. A typical term at the beginning of Year 10 (Middle Part) might involve reading Stoppard Arcadia and Beckett Waiting for Godot as primary texts, with a lesson a week on The Heart is a Lonely Hunter as a class reader.
At A-level, we are moving to the Eduqas specification in September 2025; there is ample sixth form English teaching in the College, and class sizes are small.
Across all year groups, individual Dons have significant autonomy in text choices. This flexibility is made possible by a centralised, collaborative, well-resourced exams skills provision. This is a department who are committed to getting pupils the very best results by balancing individual academic expertise in our classrooms with a clear, collective, evidence-based approach to exam preparation.
The successful candidate will join an eight-strong, expert and highly experienced department teaching small classes in the historic setting of our classrooms in Flint Court. Our teaching is enriched by the use of the school collections, particularly the FellowsLibrary, which is incorporated into English teaching through all age ranges. There are also opportunities for the pupils to express their creative talents in the school Spirit Lamp magazine, and to participate in creative and non-fiction writing competitions, as well as recitation prizes. The Empson Society meets regularly, with visiting speakers on a wide variety of topics; there are frequent theatre trips as well as residential trips further abroad.
The successful candidate will be accountable to the Head of English for the quality, success and development of their teaching, all routine activities throughout the working week and providing feedback on any pupil, staff or organisational issues; and for external examination results.
They will have an enthusiasm for the subject and for teaching. Upon joining the department, they will take responsibility for a number of classes across the age and ability range of the pupils in the school.
The following summary of duties is intended to assist the Teacher of Mathematics in their respective responsibilities. The successful candidate will be able to:
The successful candidate will possess a strong track record of achievement in:
The successful candidate will have:
This appointment will commence in September 2025.
Winchester has its own generous salary scale, which is above the national scale. In addition to salary, the school allocates a Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) to those with additional roles, ranging from running a sport to Head of Department or House.
Accommodation may be available with this position.
The school is fully committed to the induction and training of all staff. All staff are well supported when they arrive, with help and advice available from Heads of Department, Housemasters, the Director of Studies, and the Director of Teaching and Learning, who has specific responsibility for overseeing the induction process.
All members of the Common Room are encouraged to subscribe to external CPD courses. In addition, we deliver a range of training, run by both our own staff and external providers, ranging from highly practical First Aid courses to seminars and learning lunches on many aspects of teaching and learning.
There is an annual Professional Development Review offering the opportunity to reflect on professional practice and development opportunities.
For those new to teaching there is the opportunity to work towards a PGCE whilst working with us.
The successful applicant will be enrolled in the school Corporate Health Scheme in accordance with the current rules of the scheme. Membership of the scheme does not extend to family members and is a taxable benefit in kind.
A generous pension scheme (either Teachers* Pension Scheme or Defined Contribution (DC) Scheme) and Life Cover (4 times salary) are part of the package.
At Winchester College, teachers may choose to participate in the TeachersPension Scheme (TPS), for which the cost to the College of employer pension contributions is capped at 23.68%. The required employer contribution to the TPS is currently 28.68%, and the 5% differential is deducted from the employee gross salary.
Alternatively, teachers may choose to join the Direct Contribution Scheme for which the default employee and employer contributions are 9% and 21.5% respectively. Under this Scheme, you have the flexibility to reduce employee and employer contributions, with a minimum contribution of 5% for employee and 5% for employer contributions. If you choose an employer contribution lower than 21.5%, the difference, net of additional employer payroll costs, will be paid as non-pensionable salary via salary exchange.
The first twenty-four months of employment will be a probationary period. Regular reviews with line managers take place over the probation period with the opportunity to discuss progress, identify any areas for action and ensure there is appropriate guidance and support in place to enable successful completion of the probationary period.
During the probationary period, the notice required by either party to terminate employment will be one month within the first term of employment. After the first term, the notice required by either party to terminate employment will be one full term.
Once employment is confirmed, the notice period will be one full term.
This is a Teaching position which benefits from the school holidays.
As Winchester College is an educational establishment, a condition of employment will be that the successful candidate must consent to the school obtaining an Enhanced Level Disclosure Check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This will reveal all spent and unspent convictions, warnings, cautions and bind-overs. A policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders is available on the school website.
Safeguarding is one of the primary responsibilities of this role. The jobholder is responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom they are responsible, or with whom they come into contact with, and will need to adhere to and ensure compliance with the school Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy at all times. A Teacher of English should be conversant with the responsibilities and procedures detailed in this policy and with the Department for Education Keeping Children Safe in Education. If, in the course of carrying out the duties of the post, the Teacher of English becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the school, they must report any concerns to the school Designated Safeguarding Lead or in their absence the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead.
The appointment will be dependent upon the receipt of a successful medical check and satisfactory references. The College will usually seek references from shortlisted candidates before interview and may approach previous employers for information to verify particular experience or qualifications. At least one referee must be the current or most recent employer. Where applicants are not currently working with children but have done so in the past, one referee must be the person by whom they were most recently employed when working with children.
Only applications completed on the school website will be accepted. Please attach a full CV and covering letter with your application.
Closing date for applications: 11:59pm Wednesday 30 April 2025.
Please note that applications will be dealt with as they arrive. Winchester College reserves the right to appoint before the deadline passes.
Interviews are expected to take place during w/c 5 May 2025.
Those wishing for an informal conversation about this role are invited to speak to Andrew Reeve, Director of Studies apr@wincoll.ac.uk.
If you have any questions about this vacancy or the recruitment process, please email recruitment@wincoll.ac.uk.
Further information about the school can be found at www.winchestercollege.org.
Winchester College collects and processes relevant personal data as part of its everyday operations and is obliged to process it in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Act 2018. The school is the Data Controller of this data under the Act and is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office. Its registration number is Z5751669.
If you have any queries or comments about this policy or how personal data is processed by the school, please contact the Bursar and his team by emailing: dataprotection@wincoll.ac.uk or by writing to: Data Protection, The Bursary, Winchester College, College Street, Winchester, SO23 9NA.
Winchester College was a pioneering institution when it was founded in 1382 and continues to be a global leader in education today. Renowned for its intellectual excellence and impressive academic record, Winchester is sought after for its combination of superb teaching, outstanding pastoral care, and an exceptional breadth of sports and other activities.
Winchester currently has 735 pupils from Junior Part (Year 9) to Sixth Book (Years 12 and 13). The majority of these pupils are boarders, with around day pupils (boys and girls) in each year in Sixth Book. The first girl boarders will join in 2026.
At all levels Winchester encourages pupils to look beyond the curriculum. We are famous for Div, our unique programme of cultural studies which promotes independence and flexibility of mind and offers an excellent preparation for university study. In these lessons, pupils engage in wide-ranging inquiry across disciplinary lines, from English Literature to Ancient History to the History of Science.
Pupils in the Sixth Form study linear A-level courses and will ordinarily study three A-level subjects and Div, with the option of Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Linear A-levels are complemented by the flexibility of both Div and the EPQ where pupils are able to explore their cross-curricular research interests more deeply.
Music has been central to life at Winchester ever since its foundation, and the school is unique in having maintained its Choral Foundation to the present day. The Music Department is now one of the leading departments in the country and offers outstanding opportunities to all.
Sport is a major part of Winchester life, supported by the recent opening of a state-of-the-art Sports Centre. There are many fixtures against other schools and excellent facilities allow all pupils to enjoy and participate in a variety ofsports and enable the most talented and driven pupils to train and compete at the highest level.
Much energy is also invested in the Combined Cadet Force, the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Community Service, and in links with local primary and secondary maintained schools. This commitment provides pupils with many opportunities to work for the benefit of others, inside and outside the classroom, developing the knowledge and skills, and the rights and responsibilities, which will enable them to grow into valuable and productive members of society.
Pupils eat all meals in their boarding houses, talking with their Housemaster/mistress, and interacting with friends, visitors and teachers. We believe that conversational ability, developed both inside and outside the community, equips pupils to talk to anyone, about anything, in practically any situation. This unparalleled combination attracts pupils from across the world, making Winchester a truly international and diverse community which celebrates every pupil individuality, passions and potential.
Winchester College is committed to maintaining the Founder original intention of offering an outstanding education to any pupil who would benefit from it, regardless of their financial circumstances, and many of the pupils in the College are being helped financially through the school with substantial bursaries.
Winchester College is committed to providing a respectful and inclusive workplace and a fair and supportive environment for all. We attract staff with a diverse range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, and we work hard to recruit from the widest possible pool of talent, believing that this is for the benefit of our pupils and every member of our community.
Sustainability: You can learn more about our goal of creating a more sustainable school here.
