Head of History

HEAD OF HISTORY

REPORTS TO: The Head of Senior School

1 General

The post of Head of Department is an important key middle leadership position.

The Head of History is a team leader with responsibility for all aspects of the leadership and management of the members of the department. He/she should aim to inspire and to facilitate the best possible teaching and learning in his/her subject. He/she should aim to generate an enthusiasm for the subject amongst teachers and pupils and to promote the subject within the school.

2 Responsibilities to members of the Department

▪ To lead, train, guide and support members of the department and to oversee their career development in conjunction with the Master, making recommendations (via the Head of Senior School) for appropriate in-service training.

▪ To arrange department meetings for the subject on a regular basis and to keep minutes of these meetings.

▪ To ensure that the department is aware of all school and department policies.

▪ To ensure regular and effective liaison with colleagues in the Junior School, Learning Support department, the ICT department and Library staff.

▪ To delegate departmental duties by agreement with regard to each colleague’s interests, abilities and his/her overall commitment to the school; to provide an ICT representative for the department; to provide job descriptions for positions of responsibility within the department.

▪ To agree the allocation of lessons to the department in the weekly timetable with the Head of Senior School.

▪ To allocate the teaching of sets in the subject within the constraints of the timetable, ensuring the fair distribution of age groups and ability groups.

▪ To induct new staff, within the school’s policy, and monitor their progress in liaison with the Second Master and Head of the Senior School with special responsibility for newly qualified teachers.

▪ To arrange mentors for PGCE trainee teachers when they are attached to the department and to work in liaison with the member of staff i/c PGCE students.

▪ To arrange lesson cover work for absent colleagues, if there is no prior work provided.

3 Responsibilities to the Pupils

▪ To provide the best possible educational experience both in and out of the classroom, for pupils of all abilities and at all levels in the school.

▪ To ensure the provision of the highest quality teaching and of access to a range of activities as outlined in the scheme of work.

▪ To ensure pupils are well informed as to option choices, in particular with reference to potential university entrance requirements.

4 Responsibilities

▪ To generate and review a development plan for the subject within the school’s general educational policy, and to work in close liaison with the Head of Senior School.

▪ To inform the Master and Head of Senior School of successes arising from the work of pupils studying the subject and of any pupils posing or encountering problems.

▪ To bring forward problems of any kind arising from the teaching of the subject and to inform the Master and Head of Senior School of any staffing matters.

▪ To advise on the performance and development of colleagues within the department

▪ To write job descriptions for appointments; to help short-list and to interview candidates for vacant posts in the department.

5 Administration of the Department

(i) Budget, Resources and Planning

▪ To prepare the annual budget request for the Bursar and Head of Senior School and to manage the department budget, in conjunction with the Accounts Department.

▪ To prepare and update annually a department development handbook in accordance with the school’s guidelines.

▪ To prepare or acquire suitable resources for the teaching of the subject at all levels

▪ To maintain resources in good order and to organise and store departmental resources in a way that provides ready access to colleagues and maintain an inventory of departmental resources, as required by the Bursar.

▪ To arrange for the adequate equipping of departmental rooms where the subject is taught, in consultation with Head of Operations and to notify the Opertaions Department of any immediate repairs needed to the fabric, fixtures and fittings of these rooms.

(ii) Curriculum

▪ To prepare and maintain detailed schemes of work at all levels for use by members of the department.

▪ To establish and to maintain links with institutions and organisations outside the school, as appropriate.

(iii) Assessment

▪ To prepare and maintain a published assessment scheme and policy for the department, within the school’s overall policy for examinations and assessment.

▪ To select syllabuses and public examinations within the school policy, compatible with the needs and attainment of the pupils. To make appropriate arrangements with the Examinations Officer for public examinations.

▪ To make arrangements in liaison with the Examinations Officer for internal school examinations.

▪ To maintain records and ensure completion of coursework by all candidates according to the requirements of Examination Boards. To agree the timing of large assignments with the Head of Senior School. To liaise with other departments where there is an overlap of syllabus content or when skills are transferable.

▪ To submit to the Master and Head of Senior School an analysis of the results of pupils within the department, based on their performance in public examinations, and to keep a record of these.

(ii) Other

▪ To attend Heads of Department meetings and other meetings as required by the Master.

▪ To arrange for the circulation and updating of set lists in the subject.

▪ To advise the Second Master of candidates for school prizes in the subject.

▪ Where appropriate to arrange department exhibitions to secure suitable publicity for the department’s work within and beyond the school and to give presentations at staff meetings, Heads of Department meetings or other meetings as required.

▪ To help maintain corridors and other public spaces within the department in good order and to seek to provide an attractive and stimulating environment in which to work.

▪ To carry out risk assessments in the department as required by the Operations Manager.

Knowledge, Experience and Profile

Required Qualifications / Skills:

▪ A relevant degree (BA) and professional teaching qualification is essential

▪ A passion for History and the ability to share this with as wide a range of students as possible

▪ Excellent subject knowledge and an interest in current developments in History

▪ Fluency in written and spoken English to enable effective communication with students and in working relationships

▪ Knowledge of A-level/GCSE/IGCSE curricula, their delivery and assessment is desirable

▪ The desire to put the wellbeing each student at the heart of what they do and can demonstrate how they will support the development of the school’s eight aptitudes.

▪ Excellent inter-personal skills

▪ Honesty, integrity, compassion, flexibility and a good sense of humour

▪ Strong organizational, self-management and problem-solving skills

Desirable Qualifications / Skills:

▪ Experience teaching A level (or equivalent) in History

▪ Experience teaching the Cambridge International Examinations IGCSE

▪ Experience using Moodle (or a VLE) to enrich students learning

▪ Experience teaching and mentoring EAL students