Curriculum Leader of Computing

Main purpose of the job

In addition to those professional responsibilities which are common to all classroom teachers in the school, the post holder’s key responsibilities will be for raising the standards of teaching, learning and student achievement in the curriculum area for all students attending Chorlton High School.

We are looking for a curriculum leader with the vision, skills and ambition to be able to develop this subject area. The school believes in developing all students as successful, creative and happy learners.  The Curriculum Leader will work with a team of hard working passionate teachers and leaders across the school who are committed to providing an outstanding quality of education, with a plethora of enriching curricular and extracurricular opportunities. Chorlton High School is a Teaching School, therefore professional development, innovation and research are championed and support is provided for all staff to ensure that they are able to flourish.

We are an exciting point of our development as a school, and we would now like to appoint and dynamic and inspirational Head of Computing to join our team.

Main accountabilities

The post holder will be expected to match the characteristics described in the Professional Standards for Teachers, as appropriate to their career stage, and will be required to exercise his/her professional skills and judgement to carry out, in a collaborative manner, the professional duties set out below:-

Making an impact on the educational progress of students beyond those directly assigned.

• To ensure that students experience an educational programme that is personalised to their particular needs, as identified through a robust assessment system

• To lead teaching and learning development in the curriculum area in line with school and national policy

• To lead strategic work on interventions to raise student achievement & attainment across the curriculum area

• To develop and monitor specific curriculum initiatives within the curriculum area

• To develop a positive working environment in the curriculum area that supports students’ learning

• To ensure positive behaviour for learning for all students in line with the school’s behaviour management policy

• To ensure that appropriate targets exist for individual students, in the curriculum area, for each of the school’s five year groups

• To monitor and review student progress against targets, ensuring appropriate follow-up action

• To ensure all curriculum staff comply with the school’s assessment, recording and reporting procedures

Leading, developing and enhancing the teaching practice (or work) of others

To be professionally accountable for the work of all members of the department together with any assigned technical or support staff

• To lead, hold accountable, develop and support the curriculum team to manage student achievement across the curriculum area and to ensure the team makes a measurable contribution to relevant school targets at KS3 and KS4

• To be responsible for the performance management of individual staff as named in the school’s performance management schedule

• To be responsible for the induction of all new staff within the department

• To provide an effective role model in terms of own classroom practice and keeping abreast of national developments in the teaching of the subject

• To foster a shared vision in the curriculum team which reflects the whole school vision and to enthuse, inspire and motivate all team members

• To monitor the quality of teaching and learning through lesson observations and other strategies, sharing judgements with colleagues as appropriate

The Computing Department

The Computing Department currently consists of two full-time members of staff. The department is hard-working and committed to raising students’ achievement; promoting digital and communication skills and encouraging students to be effective learners.

The department is based in a suite of purpose built rooms; there is also a planning office which houses additional resources and the technicians are based here as well. Within the department there is a range of talent and expertise. We offer a range of courses including Computer Science GCSE, BTEC ICT and at present GCSE Business Studies. In addition, the department runs Code Club and was involved in the National BBC Microbit project.

We are currently looking at developing our computing and digital learning team as there is a desire for the subject area from our students. 

Our current computing curriculum intent

‘I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them’. Isaac Asimov

‘I believe that at the end of the century the use of words and general educated opinion will have altered so much that one will be able to speak of machines thinking without expecting to be contradicted’. Alan Turing

Use and understanding of computers gives learners the opportunity to develop sector-specific knowledge and skills in a practical learning environment. Can you solve problems? Are you a computational thinker? Do you have a scientific and mathematical way of thinking?  Computers are changing every part of our lives at an ever increasing rate – why not drive the future? 

The digital sector is a major source of employment in the UK, with 1.46 million people working in digital companies and around 45,000 digital jobs advertised at any one time. Digital skills span all industries; almost all jobs in the UK today require employees to have a good level of digital literacy. The UK has positioned itself to be the ‘digital capital of Europe’ as it continues to invest billions every year in digital skills and commerce. We wish for our young people to be take their place in and to help shape this changing digital landscape in the future.

The current curriculum structure

Throughout Years 7 & 8 students are taught computing in rotation with the Technology department. We have a varied, flexible and challenging curriculum that covers assessment objectives, but which also prepares students for both Computing and ICT learning pathways. In addition students also complete progress tests in order to measure progress and set targets for the following year. The programme of study covers all National Curriculum requirements and also includes a Digital Safety unit to ensure that all students are aware of how to be safe and responsible when using digital technology. Over the last few years there has been a real excitement over the development of Computing, and we believe that there will be a strong cohort opting for the subject at Key Stage 4. 

As a school students opt at the end of Year 8, which enables them to focus their studies in more depth as they start Year 9.  In this way subject areas are able to ensure that students have a year to help build additional knowledge and study skills as they start transition onto the Key Stage 4 courses.  Traditionally we have offered both Computing and Business focuses courses at this point, and this is supported by two Deputy Headteachers who also are specialist IT and Business teachers. 

The school has 6 IT suites, all of which have either multi-media projectors or interactive whiteboards and all rooms have networked computers.  

There is the opportunity to link with other departments and with other teams in the school to development enrichment and community projects.