Head of Geography

If you are a passionate geography teacher looking for an exciting career opportunity, then this is the job for you! We are looking for a Head of Geography who is energetic, cares about the students, and wants to do a good job. We offer the highest quality CPD including access to world leading NPQs and the chance to work with a motivated, highly supportive staff body.

About Us

If you are looking for a diverse school with clear and effective behaviour policies and systems, a visible and supportive leadership team, useful but not onerous CPD, and frequent opportunities for promotion, then we are the school for you. We believe that our students need great outcomes to open doors that will help them make the best of their lives. Our students behave well, and so they achieve well. This is a product of our excellent behaviour systems. We have 6 non-teaching Heads of Year who support behaviour and welfare and run a fully centralised detention system. Exemplary behaviour can only be achieved through a highly visible Senior Leadership team, and they are constantly touring the Academy. CPD is bespoke, first and foremost in the subject and grounded in tried and tested methods of effective teaching such as modelling, questioning, literacy, practice and consolidation. We don't engage with the latest fads. We believe the best approach to workload and wellbeing is to run a highly effective school with gives people purpose and avoids unnecessary work. Our sizeable department teams mean that despite our excellent retention rates, opportunities for promotion are frequent and exciting. I really hope that you'll be joining our team. Our four values of endeavour, kindness, respect and responsibility are at the heart of everything we do.

We are very fortunate to have excellent transport links to central London (some trains get to London Bridge in 11mins) and just 4 minutes on the train from East Croydon. The Clocktower campus is a 6 minute walk from Norwood Junction train station.

Main Areas of Responsibility

The purpose of your role will be:

• To be accountable for leading, managing and developing the subject area.
• To raise standards of student attainment and achievement within the whole subject/curriculum area and to monitor and support student progress.
• To ensure the provision of an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum for students studying in the department, in accordance with the aims of the academy and the curricular policies determined by the Governing Body and Principal.
• To teach the relevant subject across the age and ability range.
• To facilitate and encourage a learning experience which provides students with the opportunity to achieve their individual potential.
• To effectively manage and deploy staff, financial and physical resources within the department.
• To share and support the school's responsibility to provide and monitor opportunities for personal and academic growth.

Your main areas of responsibility will fall under the areas of:

• Operational and strategic planning (including formulating the subject and faculty improvement plans, and leading the development of appropriate syllabuses, resources, schemes of work, marking policies, assessment and teaching strategies)
• Ensuring the delivery of an appropriate, comprehensive, high quality and cost effective curriculum and leading development of the subject and its delivery
• Staff development (including recruiting, building and managing an effective team of motivated staff)
• Student outcomes (including ensuring the effective operation of target setting, monitoring and evaluation systems and the input and maintenance of accurate student data)
• Pastoral system (including being a form tutor to a selected group of students)
• Teaching, including acting as an outstanding role model

Qualifications & Experience

We would like to hear from you if you:

• Hold QTS (or equivalent) and a relevant undergraduate degree, and, ideally, management training
• Demonstrate successful teaching of GCSE at good or better level
• Have experience of initiation and effective management of change
• Show evidence of raising achievement in present post and showing good value added for groups
• Have knowledge of current curriculum developments in subject and their implications
• Have good knowledge and understanding of current educational thinking
• Show good understanding of how children learn and how to raise standards of achievement
• Have good communication skills in speech and writing
• Display excellent organisational skills
• Be able to build and sustain professional standards and relationships with students
• Be able to contribute towards creating a safe and protective environment

For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be helpful for you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.

Professional Development & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance for teachers on MPS/UPS, a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan, electric car scheme, and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.