Teacher of history and politics - fixed term, maternity cover (VN071)

Exeter School is the leading co-educational day school in the Southwest, educating over 1,000 pupils aged 3-18. We are looking to appoint a Teacher of history and politics (fixed term, maternity cover) to join our school, a school of great character, from November 2024.

We are seeking a well-qualified and enthusiastic teacher to cover a maternity absence in this thriving and successful team. Due to flexibility within the departments of history and politics, the successful individual might wish to teach mostly politics or mostly history. In addition to a passion for teaching politics and history, a willingness to contribute to the broader life of the school through cultural, sporting or other co-curricular activities would be beneficial. The position is for a 0.8 fte teacher, working on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. However, there may be flexibility in offering a full-time role for an appropriate candidate.

The ethos of the history department is one that encourages teamwork through good inter-personal relationships, whilst allowing scope for individual initiative. The history department has particularly close links with the politics department with the two politics teachers both also being key teachers of history. Between the two departments there are five full-time staff, all of whom teach history. At GCSE, we teach the Edexcel IGCSE course and cover the topics of Stalin, China, the Cold War and Vietnam. At A Level, we teach the Edexcel course and cover the topics of India, the USA, Ireland and Nazi Germany. History is a popular choice at GCSE and at A Level and results are excellent. In 2023, 80% of pupils gained grades 9-7 at IGCSE and, at A Level, 90% of pupils gained A*-B grades. The department prides itself on stretching our most able pupils and has a reputation for achieving excellent results and helping pupils obtain places at excellent universities, including Oxbridge. The department has always been in the forefront of using technology in the classroom, developing many of its own resources. Residential and day trips both overseas (recently including Dublin and Berlin) and closer to home have been a regular part of the history curriculum in recent years.

The politics department has an ethos that is clearly aligned with that of the history department and there is very much a spirit of engagement, collaboration and debate due to the contemporary and dynamic syllabus offered. Politics is an inclusive subject at A Level and usually a popular choice with pupils. We offer the A Level Edexcel course. Results are strong with 60% of the cohort achieving A*-B in 2023 and 94% in 2022. The course focuses on UK politics and government, alongside US comparative politics and the core ideologies of conservatism, liberalism and socialism and the non-core ideology, anarchism. Many students go on to study politics at undergraduate level and the department has taken trips to New York and Washington, D.C. in recent years and plans to again in 2025.

The role will attract a competitive salary as well as generous benefits including employer pension contribution, free school lunch during term time, free on-site parking, discretionary staff discount on school fees and use of indoor swimming pool and fitness suite. 

The closing date for applications is noon on 23 May 2024. We anticipate that interviews will be held in the week commencing Monday 3 June 2024.

Exeter School is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from any appropriately qualified person. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Employment is subject to the receipt of two satisfactory references provided specifically for this post and addressed to the school, and to satisfactory DBS clearance. 

This post falls into the category of Regulated Activity. Exeter School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.