WORKING WITH US
A School That Inspires Excellence
We are an 11-18 academy with a thriving Sixth Form, set in a modern, welcoming building designed to ignite curiosity and ambition. In February 2024, Ofsted rated us ‘Outstanding’ in every category, stating:
“Pupils benefit hugely from attending this remarkable school. Staff and leaders’ sky-high expectations are immediately evident in pupils’ scholarly demeanour. The school and trust have created a centre of true excellence. Pupils experience an extraordinary education at Harris Academy Ockendon.”
But what truly defines us is our culture. We help our students and staff dream bigger than they ever thought possible and support them in turning those dreams into reality. At HAOC, three values shape everything we do: Work Hard. Be Kind. Take Responsibility.
These are not just words; they are the foundation of a school where people feel valued, supported, and inspired to be their best.
A Leadership Team That Believes in You
Our Principal, Ms Jo Rainey, is a leader who believes in transformation. Originally from Belfast, Jo took over at Ockendon in 2018, turning it from one of the lowest-performing schools in the country to one of the very best. With a strong sense of integrity, deep passion for student success, and unwavering commitment to staff and students, Jo has built a school that people want to be part of.
Our Executive Principal, George McMillan, knows that no school is beyond success and no child is beyond achievement. Originally from Glasgow, he has led several schools within the Harris Federation to excellence and Harris Academy Greenwich to world class status twice over, proving that high expectations, great teaching, and an ambitious culture can change lives.
Together at HAOC, Jo and George have created more than just a school, they've built a thriving community where students flourish and staff grow, finding purpose, progression, and fulfilment in their careers. This is a true centre of excellence, where every student is empowered to reach their full potential and every educator is supported to lead, innovate, and inspire.
Why Join Us?
* A high-achieving, inspiring 11-18 academy with a Sixth Form full of ambitious young people.
* A stunning, modern school building that provides an exceptional learning and working environment.
* An unbeatable location, just outside the M25, attracting staff from across Essex and London. Many of our team travel from Kent, Surrey, Southeast, and Central London because they love the school so much!
* A supportive, well-balanced working culture, where your professional growth matters, but so does your well-being.
* The backing of the Harris Federation, one of the most successful school groups in the country, while maintaining a unique and vibrant school identity.
The Harris Federation serves some of the most challenged areas in London and Essex, proving that education can change lives. While we share a collective mission, each Harris school has its own culture, its own identity, and its own way of making a difference.
Perhaps Harris Academy Ockendon is the school you’ve been looking for. If you’re ready to be part of something extraordinary, we’d love to hear from you.
ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY
We are currently looking to appoint a dedicated and inspiring Teacher of Science
At Harris Academy Ockendon, you will join a dedicated team of teachers and staff supporting our excellent students. If you are looking for an opportunity to grow, inspire and develop, this may be the role for you.
Harris Academy Ockendon – A School That Transforms Lives!
At Harris Academy Ockendon, we are passionate about three things:
1. Creating a remarkable school for the community we serve – a place where students are inspired, challenged, and supported to grow into well-rounded, ambitious, and successful young people, ready to put a ding in the universe.
2. Your path to professional excellence – we believe in nurturing talent, growing together, and empowering futures. Just as we are dedicated to our students, we are equally committed to ensuring our staff thrive and have the support and opportunities they need to succeed.
3. Work-life balance matters – being an exceptional school should not come at the cost of well-being. HAOC is a life-friendly school where teaching and leading with balance is a priority. At HAOC work fits your life.
Being great at number 1 and number 2 should not mean we can’t do number 3!
MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
The purpose of your role will be:
* To implement and deliver an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum for students and to support a designated curriculum area as appropriate.
* To monitor and support the overall progress and development of students as a teacher/form tutor
* To facilitate and encourage a learning experience which provides students with the opportunity to achieve their individual potential
* To contribute to raising standards of student attainment
* To share and support the academy’s responsibility to provide and monitor opportunities for personal and academic growth
Your main areas of responsibility will fall under the areas of:
* Operational and strategic planning (including lesson planning, developing resources and syllabuses, and contributing to the departmental plan)
* Curriculum planning
* Staff development (including continuing professional development and engaging fully in the Performance Management Review process)
* Quality assurance (including contributing to the process of monitoring and evaluating the subject area)
* Management of information (including maintaining appropriate records and tracking student progress)
* Communications with students, parents and other stakeholders
* Pastoral system (including being a form tutor to a selected group of students)
* Teaching, ensuring a high quality learning experience for students
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
The successful candidate will:
* Hold QTS (or equivalent) and a relevant undergraduate degree
* Have successful teaching experience at secondary level (can be teaching practice), ideally including experience in multi-ethnic urban schools and of working in an 11-18 school
* Understand the theory and practice of effective teaching and learning
* Understand the importance of high expectations and equality of access for all students, and of being a tutor
* Have knowledge of National Curriculum requirements at KS3 and KS4, and of writing lesson plans, developing resources and assessing students' work
* Be able to work as part of a team and to develop and maintain positive relationships with all staff
* Have a good level of ICT skills, ideally including innovative use of interactive white boards
* Be able to create a motivating and safe learning environment for all students
* Be able to communicate positively with parents, carers and other external agencies where necessary
* Have good written and spoken communication skills
* Be able to lead and manage their own work effectively
* Have excellent time management skills
* Be able to motivate students and raise their aspirations through a range of strategies
WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
Teacher Development
At Harris, we have curated professional development pathways that will guide you towards achieving your career ambitions. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. With a strong network of passionate educators, expert development initiatives and a multitude of opportunities for career progression, your journey with Harris could be the most rewarding one yet.
We offer a wide range of high quality teacher professional development programmes via the Harris Institute of Teaching and Leadership. Find out more here.
Flexible Working
We are committed to fostering a positive and supportive working environment for our staff, recognising that achieving a balance between professional and personal responsibilities is essential. We understand that each individual’s circumstances are unique, which is why we offer flexible working options that can be adapted to meet the needs of both the academy and our employees.
Benefits
In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance (usually £2,000 for Inner London and £1,500 for Outer London), a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Teachers Pension Scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan, Employee Assistance Programme, and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.
Safeguarding Notice
The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.
Equal Opportunities
The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.
We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.
APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION
Thank you for your interest in this position. If you would like to discuss this opportunity, or to request a visit, please email the academy via the Why work page on harriscareers.
Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be help you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process.
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.