Teacher of Geography

You will join an extremely successful department comprised of a friendly, supportive, and experienced team of six subject specialists. You will have strong subject knowledge across human and physical Geography appropriate for students studying the subject at Key Stage 3, 4 and 5 and your academic strengths should complement the department’s work beyond the formal curriculum to support the academic enrichment programme.

We are looking for the ability to inspire the boys and to engage students in both the academic rigour of Geography as well as its direct application to real world issues. Our curriculum requires teachers be approachable, compassionate, and excellent communicators of knowledge. There is a strong culture of collaboration within the department and all department staff are expected to contribute to designing and resourcing the continually evolving curriculum.

Beyond the classroom, department staff are expected to contribute to expeditions, fieldwork and extra-curricular activities. A successful candidate should understand and respond to the needs of their students and be able to provide detailed and supportive feedback which promotes progress at all levels. The school embraces the most diverse range of teaching styles and personalities, believing that boys benefit from exposure to such diversity and there is a strong commitment to independent learning.

The Department

The Geography Department is a major part of academic and extra-curricular life at Merchant Taylors’ School. All students take Geography from Year 7 to 9, over 100 students take the subject for GCSE, with over 30 continuing with Geography at A Level. We currently follow the AQA specification at GCSE and A Level. In 2024 about 10% of the UCAS applications were to study the subject at university, and we have a strong record of supporting successful Oxbridge applications. At A Level 82% of students achieved A*-A grades, and at GCSE 88% achieved 7-9 grades.

We welcome applications from people who are committed to helping students realise their potential. The department provides a significant contribution to the school’s extra-curricular activities. Trips are run off site for most year groups, including GCSE fieldwork to the Kings Cross and the River Chess and A Level fieldwork to Shoreditch and the Isle of Wight. We also run regular expeditions abroad, including a Middle School trip to Iceland (2025) and an Upper School trip to Israel-Palestine (2019).

The Senior Geography Society is very active, with regular lectures from staff, students and visiting speakers. The Junior Geography Society is equally enthusiastic and builds Lower School students’ love for the subject. Geography is taught in a purpose-built department building which has six classrooms, two IT classrooms and two study rooms which are equipped with VR and AR teaching resources. Students in Year 10 and above benefit from the use of personal devices which are used in the vast majority of teaching within the Geography Department.

The Benefits

• The School offers membership to a Defined Contribution (DC) pension scheme under a Master Trust provided by the Aviva Pension Trust for Independent Schools (APTIS)

• Access to a cash flexible benefit in lieu of pension contribution

• As a member of the pension scheme, there is life cover 4x annual salary and income protection

• Staff accommodation is often available and nearly half of the academic faculty lives on campus

• Interest-free loans are available to staff vacating school accommodation and taking out a mortgage Career

• There is an extensive induction programme for all new colleagues, and we encourage ongoing professional development through generous inset provision

Personal

• Fee concessions are available for the sons of any member of the academic faculty who meet the school’s entry requirements

• Longer holidays than the maintained sector

• School Nurse on site

• Physiotherapist on site

• School Counsellor on site

For Recreation

• Free use of the school’s extensive leisure and sporting facilities.

• Free lunch and free refreshments are available throughout the working day during term time

• Each member of the academic faculty has a voice on professional matters via the General Purposes Committee

The Process

Please complete an application form and an accompanying letter (maximum 500 words) outlining your suitability for the post; you may wish to include a brief CV.

Applications to be submitted by 9am Mon 12 May 2025

First round online interviews to be held on Wed 14 May 2025

Second round interviews in school to be held on Wed 21 May 2025

If you have any questions regarding the role, please reach out to Ali Murray-Brown, Head of Geography, alm@mtsn.org.uk

Applications to (email or post):

Recruitment Officer,

Merchant Taylors’ School,

Sandy Lodge,

Northwood,

Middlesex,

HA6 2HT

Email: recruitment@mtsn.org.uk

Merchant Taylors’ School is an equal opportunities employer and committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. This role will bring you into contact with children, you are expected to share this commitment. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

How we use your information

We will use the information which you provided, and which we collect from other sources (such as from references and from the Disclosure and Barring Service) for the following purposes: to assess your suitability for the role for which you have applied, to assess your suitability to work with children and to enable us to comply with our legal obligations (including safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children ). Further information on how the School uses personal data is set out in the School’s Staff Transparency Notice, which can be found on the Vacancy page of the School Website