Graduate & House Assistant

The School

In addition to being a registered charity, Bethany is a co-educational, independent boarding and day school for pupils aged 11-18 years. There are 334 pupils in the School, including 110 boarding pupils. Most pupils remain in the School until they are eighteen and most proceed to University. There are 110 pupils in the Sixth Form and the A Level pass rate in 2017 was 98%. The 2017 GCSE pass rate was 86% at A*- C grade.  

Bethany enjoys an ever-growing reputation, both locally and further afield, for the quality of its teaching and pastoral care. As a result, pupil numbers are very buoyant. The School is in the middle of a major programme of building development, including the construction of an indoor swimming pool, an extension to the sixth form building, as well as a dedicated fitness building, all of which were completed last academic year.

The School is a Christian foundation with a strong community life. All members of staff are expected to be in agreement with the Christian values and to attend Chapel with the pupils. The School is well known for its high level of pastoral care for pupils. In addition, it enjoys an international reputation for the education of dyslexic pupils. Class sizes are small, rarely reaching more than eighteen pupils, and considerably lower in the Sixth Form.

The School is set in beautiful Kent countryside and the 60-acre campus is spacious and attractive. It lies in the hamlet of Curtisden Green, midway between Goudhurst and Marden. Central London is less than an hour’s journey from Marden Station, as are Dover and the Channel Tunnel. For a small school, the high standard of sporting success and the extensive games programme are made possible by the expertise and commitment of the teaching staff outside normal lesson time. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme also enjoys remarkable success, as do the Performing Arts. We have a hugely successful pupil/teacher exchange programme with a senior school in Taiwan.

The School is forward-thinking in all aspects of teaching, learning and curriculum and has recently created a renewed 10-year vision, Bethany 2026, for its education provision.

Bethany 2026 is a school which is:

• providing an innovative education relevant to the 21st century;
• encouraging the virtue of learning in young people, delivering 21st century learning habits;
• living our Christian values through excellent pastoral care;
• a flourishing school investing in the future.

Furthermore, the School has a unique philosophy of learning centred on developing excellent learning habits in its pupils in order to instil in them the ‘Virtue of Learning’. All teaching staff are members of one of five Professional Learning Communities, each one encompassing a different area of teaching and learning, which the school is focused on developing with the aim of encouraging all teachers to complete their own action-based research. The curriculum was further enhanced in September 2015 with the introduction of Mandarin, GCSE Dance and A Level Economics. Last academic year, we introduced an up-to-date computing course including coding to Key Stage 3 providing pupils for the opportunity to study Computing at GCSE and eventually A level. In addition, all full-time staff are provided with a laptop computer and more than 90% of pupils have their own laptops, including all of the pupils in Years 9 and above. Every Year 7 pupil was given an Apple iPad in September 2013 and their curriculum was adapted accordingly. This has been repeated annually since, which means that every pupil in Years 7 & 8 currently uses an iPad to enhance his or her learning. 

The post is subject to the completion of a confidential medical questionnaire and the self-certification of medical fitness together with the normal DBS checks. Subject to entrance tests and places being available, children of full time Bethany staff may be educated at the School at 50% of the day fee rate. 

In September 2016, Bethany School also introduced Benenden Health Care to its employees. Benenden Health Care is a not-for profit health organisation which was set up over 100 years ago to help reduce the NHS waiting times. It offers its members local consultations and tests, physio and rehab as well as psychological support and financial support if anyone is suffering from a life-changing condition. 

Application 

An application from can be obtained from our website under contact us, or by contacting recruitment@bethanyshool.org.uk 

Closing date for applications: 12 noon, 10th May 2018. 

The post is subject to the receipt of two satisfactory references, completion of a confidential medical questionnaire and an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check.