Radley College have an excellent opportunity for a Graduate Assistant in English. The position is designed to give a recent English graduate the opportunity to gain experience teaching English, including teacher training, while taking on a central role in developing the College's culture of reading. 

English is a thriving and popular subject at Radley, taken by every boy at GCSE and with a strong A Level cohort of over 50 students. The department is well resourced, with a collaborative team and a well-stocked library of young adult texts in every classroom. The successful candidate will be an avid ambassador for the subject, teaching a reduced timetable and receiving the necessary training and lesson observation. Equally, they will appreciate the enormous potential this position offers in terms of developing their own skills in an educational institution. Whether the candidate goes on to teach as a full-time career or simply treats this as a fascinating foray into education, the experience will be invaluable. 

A significant part of the role has been created specifically to support the Head of English, Alan Chandrachud, in developing the College’s reading culture. This is an institutional priority. We are looking for an enthusiastic, widely read graduate who is passionate about literature and keen to foster a genuine love of reading among young people. They will be well-placed to offer relevant recommendations and build reading relationships that go beyond the traditional classroom, as well as being excited about sharing texts across genres and forms at a time when reading rates are declining nationally and globally.  

The Graduate Assistant will therefore act as a reading champion: curating the Young Adult libraries in each classroom, running Senior and Junior book groups, producing reading newsletters, and securing high-quality speakers who champion literature and keep the College at the forefront of new writing. They will also provide bespoke support - including tailored reading recommendations - for those applying to Oxbridge to read English and contribute to stretch and extension beyond the curriculum to help A Level recruitment. 

Being a full-time boarding school there is also plenty of opportunity for the willing candidate to involve themselves in the extra-curricular life of the College, whether it be coaching games, playing in the orchestra, or running with their own enthusiasm through involvement in one of the College’s many societies. 

The Head of English, Alan Chandrachud (ajc.chandrachud@radley.org.uk), is happy to answer any informal questions concerning any matter relating to the role.

In addition to a salary of £20,600, the College will provide accommodation, possibly in one of the College’s Boarding Houses as a member of the pastoral team. Meals during term time are free of charge. In short, the person we hope to appoint will be an enthusiast for English and literature who may be considering a career in teaching. The opportunity we are offering is to ‘try before you buy’ with plenty of help and support, and the added bonus of salary and accommodation.