About us
Teach First is a charity that understands that for a child growing up in poverty, all too often their future is already written. We know that education can flip the script. We find and train teachers to work in the schools that need them most, we equip school leaders with evidence-led training, we support local teacher training providers, and we plug education leaders into supportive professional networks. We’re at the centre of a movement, rewriting the future within the classroom and beyond, ensuring every child, no matter their background, gets the opportunities they need to thrive
About the team
This role sits within the Secondary Subject Team. We’re a group of subject matter experts who are sector-leading specialists in our fields. We both design and deliver subjectspecific curricula across the charity. Our role is to support great teaching of subject and help our teachers to adapt to different educational settings and contexts. We work across multiple programmes for teacher training, development and leadership.
This is a unique opportunity to share best practice and both live and breathe your subject specialism. While also playing a key role in shaping the future of subject teaching. We are a strong, collaborative team who learn from each other and work together to strengthen outcomes.
The team sits within Transformational Programmes. This directorate is responsible for designing and delivering transformational experiences that create lasting impact on teachers and leaders in disadvantaged schools.
About the role
Secondary trainees on our unique, two-year High Potential Initial Teacher Training Programme have two support roles from Teach First. Their Practice Development Lead (PDL) provides local and in-person support, including working with the mentor and school, and focuses on helping the trainee to develop as a professional teacher in their context.
The Subject Development Lead (SDL) operates as a national and mostly remote role, supporting a portfolio of trainees and ECTs to develop subject knowledge, subject-specific pedagogies, and disciplinary understanding. Both PDL and SDL roles are involved in the support and assessment of trainees towards the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and supporting the award of a PGCE in Year 1. Trainees have access to both support roles for the full duration of the programme.
SDLs most frequently work on our Training Programme but may also work on other Teach First programmes such as NPQs and SCITT.
As an SDL, you’ll be responsible for supporting the design, delivery and implementation of our training programme, under the leadership of a Head of Subject.
You’ll teach in-person and online sessions through the academic year, but focus most of your time in observing, coaching and giving feedback to support trainees developing their subject specific skills.
You may use your expertise both as a teacher and a subject specialist to contribute to our learning design across other programmes.
Your work will help ensure our trainees and ECTs develop into effective classroom practitioners, leaders and Change Makers, committed to making a difference to educational inequality.
In this role you will:
Deliver high quality, subject-specific training and support to a national portfolio of secondary trainees and ECTs. This will be a mixture of in-person (usually two per term), and online events. Willingness to travel to events is a requirement of the role.
Observe trainees and ECTs teach (currently using IRIS Connect technology) and provide subject-specific feedback and instructional coaching, which contributes to a rigorous assessment of their effectiveness against the Teachers’ Standards.
Support trainees on the subject strand of their PGCE, through advice and some formative marking. You’ll give guidance and support their proposals for research, before they submit their final work to be marked by our PGCE partners.
• Help trainees and ECTs develop classroom practices and leadership skills in their QTS subject.
• Support the development of school mentors through planned interactions, support role collaboration, and programme design.
• You’ll contribute to the design and culture of your subject team, and the wider Transformational Programmes Directorate, by harnessing your expertise as a teacher and teacher educator to develop and improve our teacher training curricula, especially within your subject specialism.
Develop and maintain excellent relationships to ensure effective tracking and support of trainees’ wellbeing and progress. This should enable them to be retained on the programme, achieve QTS and PGCE in Year 1, and become Change-Makers and Ambassadors in Year 2.
Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including relationships with subject networks/communities.
• Stay up to date with educational research and how it’s applied in your secondary subject area.
• Effectively organise your own diary to ensure you’re able to meet the demands of a hybrid and national role.
You’ll report to:
• Head of Subject
You’ll work closely with:
• Your Head of Subject
• Other Subject Development Leads, both in your subject and across the 11 secondary subjects
Head of Secondary
Other Development Leads within the directorate
• Learning Design and Digital Learning colleagues
Other colleagues within the directorate
About you
To be successful in this role, you’ll be able to demonstrate the following skills, knowledge and experience:
• Experience of successfully developing others within the context of your subject specialism.
• Advanced or in-depth secondary subject matter expertise, with exemplary knowledge of the pedagogy underpinning your subject specialism.
QTS (or equivalent), and a track record of successful classroom practice, with a minimum of 3 years’ teaching experience in your subject.
Excellent knowledge/understanding of the Teachers’ Standards, and the Initial Teacher Training & Early Career Framework (ITTECF).
Experience of developing, mentoring and/or coaching novice teachers within a training route (e.g. PGCE, Schools Direct, Teach First) for at least two years.
• Proven experience as a successful middle or senior leader.
Evidence of broader professional development, which may include coaching experience, qualifications, further academic or professional study in education (e.g. NPQ; Masters; further subject study) and participation in professional or subject networks beyond the immediate school context
• Proactive, efficient and highly organised, with an ability to manage and prioritise your time effectively including diary management to ensure all responsibilities and deadlines are met.
Experience and confidence in building successful working relationships in an online environment and can demonstrate the ability to successfully build and support high performing cultures remotely.
At Teach First, we’re committed to building a diverse, high‑performing team. We particularly welcome applications from candidates from under-represented groups; and whose socioeconomic background reflects that of the pupils we work with.
If you’re excited about this role but don’t tick every box, we still encourage you to apply. You may be exactly what we’re looking for — for this role or another.
Working for us
At Teach First, we want you to thrive because when you’re at your best, our mission moves forward. We offer pay, benefits and flexibility that support your wellbeing, and in return we ask you to bring your energy, commitment and passion to helping every child reach their potential. Find out more
Our culture: We live by our values. They underpin our culture and identity. And inform everything we do.
• Purpose: Ending educational disadvantage guides us - We stay focused on our mission and strive to get better every day.
Community: We are a movement for change - Together we are stronger, we support and learn from one another, working with and through the diverse communities we serve.
• Bravery: Change requires courage - We take bold risks and aren’t afraid to try, fail and learn in pursuit of our vision.
• Innovation: We will succeed through new ideas - We are restless for impact and creative with our solutions.
Diversity and inclusion: We want to be a place where everyone can perform, learn and contribute with the confidence to be themselves. We are passionate about building a work force that reflects the community we serve, and our employees are expected to contribute to advancing diversity and inclusion within the charity. Find out more
Safeguarding: Safeguarding children is at the heart of our work and a non‑negotiable part of every role at Teach First. All colleagues must complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before starting. We follow safer recruitment practices and expect our employees to share our commitment to keeping children safe.
Agile working: Our agile way of working gives you flexibility. Need to start late or finish early? Our Agile Working policy focuses on outcomes, not presenteeism. Find out more
Flexible Working: We are happy to consider flexible work patterns for our roles where they align with the needs of the charity. So, if you want to discuss a set and regular working pattern, let us know in your application. Find out more