Deputy Head of Chemistry
Brighton College
Brighton and Hove
- Expired
- Salary:
- Competitive
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Start date:
- January 2022
- Apply by:
- 18 June 2021
Job overview
Brighton College is seeking to appoint a Deputy Head of Chemistry. The start date for this role is anticipated to be January 2022.
A successful applicant will work closely with the Head of Chemistry across a wide variety of departmental responsibilities, which can be tailored according to the candidate’s particular strengths. The Deputy Head of Department is likely to assist with the following: running departmental extension activities and trips; providing support for lower-achieving pupils by running small-group tutorials; writing and editing internal exams; and supporting new colleagues and NQTs in department, including through lesson observations. The role provides an ideal stepping stone and invaluable experience for teachers considering Head of Department positions in the future.
THE DEPARTMENT
Since January 2020 the department has been based in Brighton’s new £55 million School of Science and Sport. Amongst a host of other world-class facilities, the building includes six dedicated laboratory spaces for chemistry, and ample administrative and technical workspace for staff. The department has nine full-time members of teaching staff (including a Head of Department and Deputy Head of Department) and a dedicated technician. The team come from a wide variety of backgrounds, including industry and academic research, and a third of them hold doctorates.
THE CURRICULUM
The subject is taught throughout Years 7 to 13. GCSE cohorts average around 200 pupils, with around 80 pupils per year group selecting the subject at A-Level. It has consistently been the second most popular A-level subject at the College in recent years behind maths and has a very even gender split, with girls being in a very slight majority. At present we follow the Edexcel syllabuses for both the reformed 9-1 GCSE and A-level.
Public examination results in recent years have been outstanding, achieving 93% 9-8 at GCSE, and 85% A*-A at A-level in 2019, the most recent year in which pupils took exams. The department also has a comprehensive Oxbridge programme, with much recent success in this area. In the last four years a total of 11 pupils have joined Oxford to read Chemistry at university, and 12 are studying Natural Sciences at Cambridge.
Extension and enrichment activities abound in the department. Each year over 50 pupils take part in the RSC Olympiad and Cambridge Chemistry Challenge; both have seen a record number of ‘gold’ and ‘roentgenium’ awards, respectively. In 2019 a team of three L6th chemists won through to the final of the RSC Schools’ Analyst competition. Our younger chemists also perform at a high level: in 2017 a team of four chemists were national runners-up in the RSC’s Top of the Bench competition, and in each of the past five years a team of pupils have made it to the regional final of the Year 10 Chemistry Challenge. Each year competitive teams also take part in the Salters’ chemistry festivals.
Overall, Chemistry is one of the most vibrant and dynamic departments at the College.
For further details, please see the Applicant Info Pack.
Attached documents
About Brighton College
THE SCHOOL
Brighton College is one of England’s leading schools. The College comprises the Senior School, educating 1,181 pupils aged 13–18, and the Lower School, educating 89 pupils aged 11–13.
The Brighton College family of schools also includes Brighton College Prep School, St Christopher’s School, Handcross Park, and from September 2023, Brighton College Kensington, educating a further 1,450 children aged 3 to 13. Overseas, the College has opened Brighton College Abu Dhabi, Brighton College Al Ain, Brighton College Dubai, Brighton College Bangkok and Brighton College Singapore. The first of seven schools in Vietnam opens in Hanoi in August 2023. Brighton College educates over 6000 pupils globally.
The College was delighted to receive record-breaking A-level and GCSE results in 2022. The Times listed us as one of their top schools for our A-level results, with 99% of grades A*-B and a phenomenal 62% of grades at A*, which compares to 15% nationally. One in six Sixth Formers are offered a place at Oxford or Cambridge. At GCSE, our pupils excelled, with 94.13% of grades at 9/8/7. Almost 1100 9s were achieved in the 2022 GCSE exams, with more 9s than all the other grades combined. Not a single paper was failed, with nearly 2,000 GCSEs sat at the school.
The College was recently named ‘England's School of the Decade’ by The Sunday Times. The award was given on the basis of our exceptional examination results as well as our fundamental emphasis on kindness and social engagement.
The Sunday Times also named Brighton College ‘England’s Independent School of the Year 2019’, the second time in a decade the school has won this accolade. The Week magazine named Brighton College ‘Most forward-thinking school in Britain’ for two years running in 2017 and 2018. Tatler magazine awarded Richard Cairns the title of ‘Head Master of the Year 2012-13’, and Brighton College was named UK ‘Independent School of the Year 2013- 14’ at the Independent Schools Awards. The last full ISI Inspection in 2021 on educational quality and compliance awarded the top grade for both pupil attainment and their personal development, and the compliance section of the 2021 report (and the shorter 2018 inspection) confirmed that all aspects of the College’s operation were fully compliant.
There has also been major investment in new facilities over the last ten years. This has seen the construction of five major buildings on the main site, including the new £55m School of Science and Sport which opened in January 2020, which includes eighteen state-of-the-art laboratories alongside a new sports hall, 25-metre swimming pool, fitness centre and roof-top running track. Other recent additions include two new boarding houses, a state-of-the-art Music School and the Yeoh Building, a teaching building which includes 22 classrooms for maths, history, economics, politics and EAL, alongside an innovative Creative Learning Centre, opened in 2017. Our next new building will open in May 2024: this is an exciting development which will include a stunning theatre, a first-class Sixth Form centre, teaching and performance spaces for dance and drama, and modern, spacious classrooms for English, computing and music.
Above all, Brighton is a very happy place where staff and pupils feel fulfilled and purposeful. We are proud to have taken a progressive stand on diversity, equality and inclusion and we are committed to furthering this agenda through our teaching, and all aspects of the life of the school. We are a member of the School Inclusion Alliance and an important aspect of our vision for education is to increase diversity among our teaching staff to enrich all aspects of the life of the College and provide diverse role models for all pupils. We pride ourselves on being a warm, inclusive and respectful community, where our staff are welcoming and positive and our pupils are intellectually curious and kind.
LIVING AND WORKING IN BRIGHTON
The College enjoys its location in Brighton, one of Britain’s youngest cities and one of the most vibrant and progressive in Europe. A recent national survey identified Brighton as the ‘happiest city in the UK’ and it regularly features within the top cities for quality of life nationally. With an extensive beach and seafront, and proximity to beautiful rural areas including the South Downs National Park, the opportunities for recreation and leisure are varied and numerous. Transport links are also excellent, Brighton being within easy travelling distance of London (50 minutes by train), and 30 minutes from Gatwick Airport. Brighton is also a university city, and the College has good links with both the University of Sussex and Brighton University. Our annual involvement in the Pride parade has strengthened existing links with the local community.
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