Teacher of Mathematics

'This school is a truly special place. Pupils flourish here’ (Ofsted, 2022).

Lawrence Sheriff School is a boys’ grammar school of approximately 1140 students, approximately 425 of whom are in our mixed sixth form. We believe that much of our success - including our consistently high Ofsted grading and our high rankings in DFE performance tables - can be directly linked to our emphasis upon LSS being a happy place to work for both pupils and staff.

The 2022 Ofsted report goes on to say that ‘the passion that pupils have for their learning is palpable’ and 'there is a clear culture of mutual respect between staff and students'. These comments sum up the distinctive ethos and values of the school. As a National Teaching School and Language Hub, we play a significant role in initial teacher training and continuous professional development across the region.

Lawrence Sheriff School was established in 1878 and converted to academy status in 2014.

Mrs Teresa Mpofu, Headteacher

Values and vision

Our vision is that we are a Happy and Successful school.

Lawrence Sheriff School wants all students to receive an outstanding education where they gain the skills, knowledge and confidence to reach their full potential and thrive in all that they do. It is vital to the school that learners feel valued and cared for and that everyone is treated with the same equal respect, regardless of their differences or beliefs. We are committed to ensuring that all students have an enjoyable and enriching learning experience and work to develop learners as individuals, allowing for them to discover and nurture their interests and hobbies. Students can also get involved in the active Student Council to further their skills in leadership, teamwork and democracy.

Progress and attainment

Our Progress 8 score consistently falls into the ‘well above average’ category, placing the school in the top 14% of schools in terms of progress. All of our tracking, monitoring and intervention systems place emphasis on encouraging young people to strive for their personal best rather than make comparisons with their peers. We prioritise students in receipt of pupil premium in our admissions policy and ensure that no matter what their starting point all of our students make outstanding progress.

However, the school is not only about academic achievement. 'The way we do things around here' also involves looking after the personal development of each student, whether it be through sport, music, drama, art or the many other clubs and societies that flourish within the school. It also involves playing a full part in the life of the community that the school serves. Our vertical tutor programme is structured to allow young people to learn from each and celebrate our diverse community.

Teaching and Learning

We develop our students to be ‘Sheriff Learners’. To become successful and independent learners we prioritise curiosity and organisation, as well as being pro-active, resilient and reflective in our learning; these characteristics are embedded in all aspects of school life. We also embrace metacognition and self-regulation and a Science of Learning programme that runs through from Year 7 to Year 13. As a staff body we devote significant time to developing and sharing our practice.

Teaching School Hub

Our commitment to the Golden Thread is enhanced by being a national Teaching School Hub. This enables staff to continually reflect on and improve aspects of their work as well as plan for career progression. It also provides a variety of enriching opportunities for our staff to facilitate and deliver CPD through the NPQ and ECF programmes.

This year we have also been recognised as a Language Hub, working with Sidney Stringer Academy. As a lead school of Swanswell Language Hub we will play an exciting role in developing language education for the next generation.

Given our drive for excellence in all that we do, demand for places has become very high, and the school is heavily over-subscribed at both Year 7 and for entry into the Sixth Form.

Buildings and Resources

We are well resourced. Dating back to 1878, ‘Big School’ is the oldest part of the school and celebrates our rich history. Over the last thirty years we have expanded significantly, initially through building the Griffin Centre which houses our main canteen, sports hall and teaching rooms. We then built the Sixth Form Centre offering a common room as well as a suite of teaching spaces. The Learning Resources Centre followed, housing our library as well as a suite of computer rooms and classrooms. In 2022 we opened our new Science Block which provides an additional canteen as well as nine science laboratories. This also enabled us to refurbish significant areas of the school to increase our computer and technology provision as well a number of specialist art areas and teaching classrooms.

In addition to the on-site sports facilities our main playing fields are housed at Hartfield which is about a mile from the school.

The recent buildings and refurbishment formed part of the DfE’s grammar school expansion programme and reflects the schools commitment to prioritising young people in receipt of pupil premium.

If you would like to find out more, please visit our website: www.lawrencesheriffschool.net

Employment opportunities at Lawrence Sheriff School

For our current vacancies and to view further information (as below) or to apply, please visit our vacancies section on the website: Vacancies (lawrencesheriffschool.net)

• Happy Schools
• Vertical Tutoring
• Enrichment information
• Job Application Form