Associate Principal Business & Resources

About us

St. Francis Xavier Sixth Form College is a dynamic and ambitious sixth form college of 1250 students situated within the London borough of Wandsworth. The College educates 16-19 year olds offering courses in A-Levels, BTECs and UAL. The College achieves excellent outcomes and positive value added and is proud to support many young people from non-traditional and disadvantaged backgrounds to successful progression into higher education and employment. We are proud to be a Catholic college for the whole community, welcoming students and staff of all faiths, no faith and everything in between. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, volunteers and governors to share this commitment.

Principal’s Welcome Message

I am delighted that you are considering applying to work at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Sixth Form College.

At St. Francis Xavier we understand the importance of recruiting talented and well-qualified staff to maintain excellence in all that the College does. We are a thriving sixth form college and this could be your opportunity to join an outstanding team of enthusiastic and committed individuals who value the welcoming, friendly and supportive environment that exists here. Both teaching and support staff are enthusiastic, creative and committed to making a positive contribution towards the College community.  Our staff are passionate about working with young people and always go the extra mile to provide guidance and support to help them succeed. If this sounds like you, we want to hear from you!

The College is a wonderful and vibrant place to work. It offers outstanding education to students aged 16-19 and we are dedicated to the pursuit of quality in teaching and learning and to the achievement of high standards in everything that we do. The College is currently in the middle of a digital innovation strategy with all teachers and approximately a third of students in possession of an iPad. It is our aim that within the next 18 months all students will be using an iPad as a core resource for their learning. Furthermore, teachers are encouraged to research innovative and creative teaching, learning and assessment strategies to engage learners and continue to improve outcomes for all.

So what can the College offer to you? Because we know that our staff members are passionate about education, learning and self-development, as a new teacher to the College you will have the opportunity to develop professionally through a programme of training developed both in-house and through external agencies. Participation and collaboration are core values and expected behaviours of staff at SFX; every staff member is a source of new ideas, useful insights and feedback; we are a highly skilled community and keen to learn from each other as well as look outwards. The sharing of materials and ideas is standard amongst teaching staff; resources are easily accessible through Google Drive. To this end, supported experiments and exchange of sound teaching and assessment strategies are encouraged, with the needs of the learner at the centre of all we do. The key to the success of SFX are its staff and the positive relationships we have with our learners.

If you are a newly qualified teacher then the SFX Induction programme for NQTs is designed with advice from Wandsworth Education which acts as the Appropriate Body for the Induction of Newly Qualified Teachers.  Those early careers teachers who need it, are supported and mentored to attain QTLS.  Secondary school work experience can be arranged for two weeks, usually in the summer term of your first year. Progression opportunities exist across the College; much of this is designed to develop young talent to achieve their potential over time.

The College is committed to the health and wellbeing of staff and offers the following range of benefits:

● Excellent training opportunities;

● Free use of our state-of-the-art gym;

● Free Fitness Classes for Staff;

● Staff wellbeing days and activities;

● Staff social activities

● Free annual flu vaccinations for staff;

● Free eye tests;

● Cycle to work scheme;

● Subsidised on-site staff massage service;

● Confidential Counselling Services;

● An on-site nursery in a supportive community environment;

● Just a 2-minute walk from Clapham South Underground Station;

● Free On-Site Parking;

We recognise and value the contribution of all staff in achieving our success. As such, the College seeks to recruit, retain and develop high quality staff. We recognise that this will be achieved by embracing equality of opportunity and promoting diversity in our staff group. We value our staff and their contribution to the College and are committed to developing and retaining our employees. If you would like to be a part of one of the best sixth form colleges in the country and join our vibrant community of teaching and support staff, then we can’t wait to hear from you!

I very much look forward to welcoming you as a member of the St. Francis Xavier College community.

Graham Thompson

Principal

Staff Development & Induction Programme for NQTs and ECTs

College Principal, Graham Thompson, puts staff development to the fore of his strategic planning, so that teaching and learning is developed both in-house and through external agencies. Participation and collaboration are core values and expected behaviours of staff at St. Francis Xavier; every employee is a source of new ideas, useful insights and feedback; we are a highly skilled community and keen to learn from each other as well as look outwards.

The college is supported by strong professional relationships within the London Catholic Sixth Form Colleges (LoCVIC) partnership and the London Sixth Form Colleges (LSFC) partnership; which support formal and informal staff development and offers opportunities for teachers, support staff, managers and leaders across the partnerships to meet and develop, such as attending conferences, learning hubs and observe colleagues at the other colleges. There are dedicated, planned developmental opportunities for newly qualified teachers via LSFC and within St. Francis Xavier Sixth Form College. A full year long induction programme is followed by NQTs and includes topics such as safeguarding, equality & diversity, behaviour for learning, assessment for learning strategies, use of data to drive progress, and skills exchanges.

Our Induction programme for NQTs and ECTs is designed with advice from Wandsworth Education which acts as the appropriate body for the Induction of Newly Qualified Teachers. Those early careers teachers who need it, are supported and mentored to attain QTLS.  Secondary School work experience is usually arranged for two weeks in the summer term of the NQT’s first year, by Head of CPD, Tom Spindler.

The college has created progression opportunities; much of this is designed to develop young talent to achieve their potential over time.  According to the recent Investors in People report, “there is a high level of satisfaction with line managers and management overall demonstrating the college values; staff referred to ‘transparency; support; respect and collaborative working’. Staff at St. Francis Xavier Sixth Form College appreciate the focus on teamwork, staff development, respect for diversity and trust. There is a culture of coaching; leading by example and mutual support.”

All new staff are assigned a mentor in order to help them integrate into the college. The sharing of materials and ideas is standard amongst teaching staff; resources are easily accessible through Google Drive. The College has undertaken through a digital innovation strategy where all teachers are provided with an iPad and students and Teachers are encouraged to research innovative teaching, learning and assessment strategies to engage learners and continue to improve outcomes for all students.  To this end, supported experiments and exchange of sound teaching and assessment strategies are encouraged, with the needs of the learner at centre of all we do. A key to the success of St. Francis Xavier Sixth Form College are its staff and the positive relationships we have with our learners.