For September 2025 or earlier by agreement, we are seeking a colleague to join a school where staff and students live our core values of Love Learning, Show Kindness, Build Character, Chase Brilliance and Bright Futures. We are looking to appoint a colleague who also upholds these values and embraces professional learning. Bishopshalt is an exciting and thriving school to work in, where we aim to be a little better each day. We are a Leading-Edge school. This year, we were awarded two SSAT Exceptional Education awards for Progress and Attainment, as our GCSE results in 2024 placed us in the top 1 per cent of schools nationally. It is a point of pride that all students excel and flourish at Bishopshalt, irrespective of their starting point, and therefore, there are no gaps in progress. The school also has a large and successful Sixth Form.
In this role, you will lead a large and successful department, where students study both Sociology and Psychology at A Level. These subjects are extremely successful and very popular amongst our students.
Student behaviour at Bishopshalt is exceptional, and students embrace the culture of the school. By joining Bishopshalt School, you will be in an environment where ‘The behaviour of pupils leads to a calm and purposeful environment in which there is no low-level disruption’ (Ofsted 2021). While student outcomes are excellent, we also provide a more holistic education beyond examinations through a rich curriculum and our co-curricular offer, known as the Bishopshalt Experience. Students embrace the range of opportunities they are given. Therefore, ‘Pupils enjoy school, are safe and value their community’ (Ofsted 2021).
As a school, we recognise that one of our greatest assets is the exceptional teaching staff. As well as providing the culture and conditions that enable staff to enjoy and develop their practice, we also support staff well-being in a range of ways, including a two-week October half-term, opportunities for flexible working and no regular book marking. Equally, to ensure staff are able to switch off from work, we ensure there is no email communication outside of working hours.
Bishopshalt School is also one that is steeped in history; we embrace this with the names of our houses and their significance. We are a successful and extremely oversubscribed 11–18 mixed comprehensive school with approximately 1,300 on roll, including a Sixth Form of 320+. The school is situated in outstandingly attractive grounds on a conservation area on the edge of London and achieves examination results well in excess of local and national averages. Beyond the taught curriculum, we have a broad co-curricular offer and strong student leadership, and our performing arts annual shows are known locally for their exceptional standard.
As Head of Social Sciences, you will need to be a reflective practitioner with great subject knowledge; previous experience is essential.
If you are successful, you will join a dynamic and visionary team of professionals and will need to:
* Be a classroom practitioner who wants to engage with pedagogy and reading to inform your practice.
* Work as part of a team to co-plan, share ideas and develop best practice within your department and across the school.
* Be passionate and committed to improving students’ life chances to ensure that they have Bright Futures.
* Have good interpersonal skills.
* Have excellent presentation skills.
* Be forward-thinking, receptive to change and able to work under pressure.
* Be driven by the belief that all students have the potential and right to learn.
* Be committed to the school’s ethos and values.
We can offer you:
* A friendly student cohort with exceptional behaviour and a willingness to learn.
* An accredited and forward-thinking Professional Development Programme for all stages of a teacher’s career.
* A well-planned and resourced curriculum.
* An aspirational, supportive Leadership Team and Governing Body.
* Ambitious, professional, hardworking and friendly staff.
* Opportunities to develop and grow in your career in an environment that values and supports initiative.
* The assurance that all work is purposeful and meaningful.
* A two-week half-term in October without detriment to other holiday periods throughout the year.
* Family-friendly policies, offering up to three days of paid childcare/emergency leave as well as others outlined in our Special Leave of Absence Policy.
* Staff encouraged to leave early on parents’ evenings.
* Staff who do lunch duties have the option to finish early once a fortnight.
If you would like to visit the school or to speak to a member of the Senior Leadership Team prior to application, please email zbermingham@bishopshalt.school .
Applications must be submitted by downloading our application form and supporting information from. Applications should be emailed to Mrs Bermingham at the above address.
Closing date: Noon on Thursday 13th February 2025.
Bishopshalt School is culturally diverse and is fully committed to celebrating, respecting and learning about inclusion and diversity throughout the community.
Bishopshalt School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including reference checks with past employers and a full enhanced check with the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Please note that the school reserves the right to appoint at any stage during the recruitment process.