Biology Teacher

RICKMANSWORTH SCHOOL

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post Title: Science Teacher - Biology

Salary: MPS/UPS + fringe

Hours: Full time, fixed term until July 2019

Responsible to: Head of Department

The Role

Rickmansworth School is a mixed 11-18 school. The School operates within an equal opportunities policy which emphasises a positive education for boys and girls and members of all communities. We are a School of around 120 teaching staff members and 40 support staff, with over 1200 students; including around 300 in the sixth form each year.

There are seventeen members of teaching staff in the Science department with five technicians. The Department is well resourced in well-equipped and recently refurbished teaching laboratories. The office space and prep room areas allow for an excellent working environment, allowing closer work with other members of the Science department.

The Biology, Chemistry and Physics Departments are very successful, being one of the most popular A-Level choices and maintaining excellence each year through the achievement of its students.

Job descriptions are subject to review and amendment.

Main Purpose of Role: 

• To support the Head of Department, Science and SLT in meeting whole school priorities and realising the School’s shared vision.

• To delivering well-prepared, high quality and engaging lessons across all key stages.

• To ensure that all students make good progress in line with the School’s expectations.

• To fulfil the duties and expectations of a member of staff at the School. 

Teaching and Learning

• Teach at the times and places as designated by the School timetable.

• Teach students using a variety of teaching and learning strategies, ensuring that lessons are stimulating, differentiated and delivered at pace.

• Be responsible and accountable for the learning and progress of every student taught.

• Set homework for all students according to the homework timetable and ensure that this is marked and recorded in line with School policies.

• Assess regularly using the School policy, record these assessments when and where appropriate and ensure that AFL practice within the classroom allows all students to make good progress.

• Write a formal report at least once a year for every student taught and provide grades as and when directed by the School’s assessment policy.

• To contribute to department planning for learning, this includes writing schemes of work or long-term plans and creating and sharing resources.

Communication

• Liaise with the appropriate person (Subject Leader, Form Tutor, Director of Learning, SENCO etc) when a student’s achievement or behaviour becomes a cause for concern.  In the latter case following the agreed procedures in the School’s Behaviour Policy.

• Respond to request for information (for example, updates on behaviour or academic progress) about particular students, as necessary. 

• Work with Learning Support Assistants and Technicians as necessary to ensure that all students have the best possible opportunity to learn. 

• Attend Parents’ Consultation Evenings and other meetings set out in the directed time calendar. 

• Maintain an accurate register of students in lessons and form tutor times. 

• Pass on appropriate information to students from the Student Bulletin and other sources 

Tutoring

• Monitor the overall academic progress of each student in the tutor group. 

• Ensure that students are aware of and follow the School’s Behaviour Policy, Code of Conduct and that students are aware of the behaviour expectations, rewards and sanctions. 

• Monitor, regularly, that uniform requirements and standards of students’ personal appearance are adhered to, taking appropriate action when necessary. 

• Check, regularly, the use of student planners and promote strategies for good personal organisation and homework completion. Receive and initial student absence letters and then pass these on to reception via the register. 

• Be the first point of contact for parents and teachers for matters relating to members of the tutor group. 

• Attend assemblies, escorting and managing the orderly behaviour of students on their way to and during assembly. 

• Carry out the duties of a form tutor as laid out in the Staff Handbook. 

General Duties

• Take part in the School’s appraisal process. 

• To ensure that principles of equality are followed at all times in relationships with staff and students.

• To carry out supervisory duties before and after school and at break-time in accordance with the published rota. 

• Adhere to all School policies and procedures. 

• Work towards meeting the School aims and ambitions as set out in the Strategic Plan, School Development Plan and Department Development Plan. 

• Undertake any reasonable duties related to the job purpose and within the remit of the conditions of service set out in the Schoolteacher’s Pay and Conditions document. 

• Play an active role in the School’s self-evaluation process. 

• Work within the School’s Health and Safety policy and safeguarding Code of Conduct to help create a safe working environment for staff, students and visitors. 

• To ensure that at all times you are aware of and adhere to the Teacher’s Professional Standards and that you seek to actively engage with your learning and development as a teacher.