Winchester College seeks to employ a Head of Geography teacher who carries out their duties responsibly and with regard for the best interests of the students and College.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Consistently high-quality teaching is the aim of every teacher and the entitlement of every student. The teacher in this formal academic leadership role exercises accountability for the pedagogy of others by creating and sustaining the conditions to achieve the best for all learners in terms of standards, well-being, and progress.
The Head of Department plays an instrumental role in ensuring Winchester College meets its strategic aims. They should share in the ethos and vision of Winchester College and support its strategic aims and indeed contribute to them.
They should then lead and demonstrate this strategic vision within their department.
In addition to the general duties and responsibilities of a teacher at Winchester College, the successful candidate will aspire to lead the highest-achieving department within the College by ensuring:
Outstanding Teaching and Learning
* There is consistent high-quality teaching and learning within the department.
* Planning is well thought through, ensures sequential learning, and supports the curriculum.
* Develop a culture of collaboration where colleagues share resources effectively and look to develop new material to ensure that pupils make progress.
* Regularly discuss teaching and learning at departmental meetings.
* Develop, implement, and review schemes of work, ensuring consistency across the department.
* Engage critically with research and developments in the curriculum.
* Promote and support learning beyond the subject boundary e.g. literacy, numeracy, and wellbeing, interdisciplinary learning, and digital literacy.
* Foster innovation by encouraging the use of emerging technologies and evidence-based practices in teaching.
Leadership of staff
* Provide constructive challenge and support to develop a high-performing and cohesive department team.
* Chair regular meetings of the department.
* Undertake the annual performance management of their department.
* Support in the deployment of staff astutely to meet the departmental aims.
* Agree the teaching allocations each year with the Director of Studies.
* Actively promote exceptional pedagogy and evidence-informed practice.
* Undertake lesson observations of all staff and provide constructive feedback.
* Monitor the quality of marking and feedback across the department.
* Encourage the ongoing personal development of staff to ensure that pedagogy is relevant and up-to-date.
* Deal sensitively with staff, recognize individual needs, and take account of these in securing a consistent team approach to raising achievement in and enjoyment of the subject.
* Work with senior leaders when an issue with a member of staff emerges.
* Proactively support the development of Early Career teachers, supporting their professional growth.
Data Analysis
* Use data effectively to identify pupils who are underachieving in the subject and, where necessary, create and implement effective plans of action to support those pupils.
* Investigate any anomalies between classes and intervene, if necessary.
* Ensure that members of the department are inputting data that accurately reflects the ability and the true characteristics of an effective pupil.
Personal Development
* Engage in reflective practice and maintain a growth mindset to enhance leadership capability.
* Build and sustain professional and personal credibility by modeling their commitment to ongoing professional learning, integrity, and ethical practice.
* Stimulate an appetite for professional learning that is valued, has an impact upon pedagogy, and supports professional growth across the Department.
* Continuously widen their knowledge and understanding of leadership and management concepts and practices related to their context and work collaboratively with others to ensure this is embodied in practice.
* Keep up to date with and respond to national and international developments in the subject area and pedagogy.
* Encourage a culture of lifelong learning within the department.
Development of Culture and Collaboration
* Have a genuine desire to do the best for their pupils and staff.
* Support and enable a culture of trust and respect.
* Establish a culture where staff and pupils can learn from their mistakes.
* Build a climate of mutual support in which effective collaboration flourishes within the Department and between Departments to spread effective pedagogy.
* Work collaboratively and constructively with members of the Leadership Team.
* Develop a culture of scholarship within the Department to enrich and elevate the intellectual life of the school.
* Encourage and support colleagues who are wishing to engage in and pursue rigorous, scholarly projects in their own discipline, especially those resulting in academic publications and position Winchester as a leader in education.
Communication
* Communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with leadership, other colleagues, pupils, parents, governors, external agencies, and the wider community.
* Ensure good communication with, and between, staff who teach and support the subject.
* Encourage the use of pupil voice within the department.
* Ensure that written reports are of consistent high-quality across the department.
* Meet and communicate with parents, staff, and pupils as required.
Compliance
* Produce and implement a departmental development plan on an annual basis.
* Attend meetings of the Academic Curriculum Committee (HoD Meetings).
* Assist in the preparation of pupils for university interviews.
* Take responsibility for the management of the marking of coursework and NEA work across the department.
* Ensure that pupils are fully prepared for their public examinations.
* Support senior leaders and the examination office in all aspects of the public examination process.
* Implement the department’s strategy for behaviour management to create an effective and safe classroom environment.
* Take responsibility for the setting and marking of entrance tests and interview external candidates wishing to join the school and take the subject.
* Monitor and develop, as necessary, the extra-curricular life of the department (trips, visits, speakers, and school-based and national competitions).
* Work with senior leaders to ensure that the department is ready for inspection.
* Monitor staff absence and liaise with the Director of Studies.
* Support senior leaders during the process of internal and external recruitment of staff.
* Contribute to employment processes e.g. capability, disciplinary, requests for flexible working, and any matters regarding employee relations.
* In conjunction with the Director of Studies, the Head of Department will be responsible for the overall preparation and effective management of the departmental budget.
* In conjunction with senior leaders, be involved with the design of whole-school policies and procedures where relevant.
* Support in forging links with external stakeholders, such as relevant heads of subject in prep schools and university departments.
* Ensure compliance with safeguarding and child protection policies in all departmental activities.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Professional Development
The successful candidate will:
* Show evidence of, and a continuing interest in, professional and personal development.
* Participate in the school’s Professional Review system.
* Provide support and guidance to colleagues in the department for the maintenance of good order and discipline.
* Share best practice with the rest of the department.
Qualifications
* The ability to teach to A-level and university entrance.
Key Qualities
The successful candidate will have:
* The ability to inspire and motivate pupils.
* The enthusiasm and confidence to lead and manage a team.
* Excellent interpersonal skills.
* Emotional intelligence and the ability to empathize with both staff and pupils.
* Good time management skills, and superb organization.
* The ability to use initiative.
* The resilience and stamina needed to deal with the demands of boarding school life.
* A genuine enthusiasm to contribute to the wider life of the school, with the ability, skills, and experience to contribute in some capacity to the school’s extra-curricular activities.
* Commitment to promoting and embedding an inclusive culture, with equality of opportunity for all.
For the full job description please visit the college website:
Closing date for applications: Wednesday 29 January 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 on Thursday 6th February.
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.
Job Summary
29/01/2025
Location:
Winchester
Competitive
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