Biology Teacher

The successful candidate will have the following qualifications, experience and personal attributes:

Essential:

• A good honours degree in Biology or associated subject 

• Experience of teaching Biology across the secondary age range 

• Demonstrable passion for teaching Biology to Key stages 3,4 and 5

• Detailed understanding of current developments in the secondary curriculum and assessment

• A clear motivation to work with young people

• The ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and boundaries with young people

• Commitment to further professional development

Desirable:

• a teaching qualification such as a PGCE (or equivalent)

• Ability to teach a second Science subject at KS3

• Evidence of further professional development

• Knowledge and experience of how ICT can be used to support learning

TEACHING AT ST HELEN’S

All teachers are expected to ensure the highest standards of teaching and learning by:

• Preparing and delivering challenging and differentiated lessons

• Setting homework in accordance with the School’s homework policy

• Marking work in accordance with the School’s marking policy

• Using all available data and information to ensure that each student is provided with an appropriate programme of study

• Having a good understanding of the schemes of work they are following and how these fit into the overall scheme of work for the subject they are teaching

• Keeping up-to-date with developments in the teaching of their subject

The teacher should have knowledge and understanding of:

• Effective learning and teaching styles

• Theory and practice of providing effectively for the individual needs of all children (e.g. classroom organisation, planning, teaching strategies and removing barriers to learning)

• Monitoring, assessment, recording and reporting of pupils’ progress

• An appreciation of how assessment supports effective learning

• The need for high quality pastoral support to complement the academic experience of pupils aged 11-19

• Legislation and best practice concerning Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety, Individual Learning Needs and Keeping Children Safe in Education

The teacher will be able to demonstrate:

• Willingness to participate in the wider life of the School

• Willingness to make a significant contribution to the School’s extensive co-curricular programme

• Commitment to participation in the School’s expanding programme of educational visits

The teacher will be able to:

• Promote the School’s aims, ethos and ‘whole school’ approach to learning

• Develop effective relationships with pupils, parents, staff and governors

• Create a happy, challenging and effective learning environment

• Communicate effectively (both orally and in writing) to a variety of audiences

• Work collaboratively with others

• Work in a fast-paced and stimulating environment

• Promote and safeguard the welfare of children

The Science Department

 In KS1 of our Preparatory School, class teachers start to encourage elementary scientific method, undertaking a number of basic experiments in the course of Science lessons.   At KS2 the subject is also taught by class teachers, under the direction of a subject coordinator, in a bespoke Science laboratory with the support of a dedicated technician.  There are strong links between Science teachers in the Prep School and Senior School.

In the Senior School, students study a bespoke integrated Science course in Year 7, before studying Biology, Chemistry and Physics in separate lessons from Year 8 onwards. At KS4 all students study the Edexcel IGCSE syllabus, with the majority taking separate Biology, Chemistry and Physics IGCSEs to achieve the Triple Award, and the remainder sitting Dual Award Science. 

The Science Faculty in Senior School is led by the Head of Science and Physics, Andrea Adlam, supported by separate Heads of Biology and Chemistry. IGCSE and A Level Science results in recent years have been outstanding and pupil take-up of all three Sciences at A Level is excellent. A significant number of pupils go onto study science related degrees, including Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine.

Fortnightly Departmental meetings take place to ensure continuity and progression through the syllabi, to discuss pupil progress, and to share good practice. Whole faculty issues such as promoting independent learning, assessment and testing, the use of ICT in learning and teaching, staff training and planning for special events are discussed and planned in termly Faculty meetings.

Science has its own building which consists of ten laboratories on two floors, ample preparation rooms, storage facilities, and offices. All Departments are well-resourced with class sets of apparatus to carry out a wide range of Biology, Chemistry and Physics experiments and investigations. All laboratories and study areas are networked to the school system.  ICT is rapidly being integrated within schemes of work, and we are actively seeking to develop and extend our use of ICT in the classroom. The Departments are supported by well-qualified, experienced laboratory technicians. Presently in Senior School, there are three full-time and two part-time teachers of Biology, three full-time and three part-time teachers of Chemistry and two full-time and two part-time teachers of Physics.