Head of Biology
Wimbledon High School
Merton
- Expired
- Salary:
- Competitive plus benefits
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Apply by:
- 14 June 2026
Job overview
The role
Wimbledon High School is seeking an outstanding teacher and leader to become our next Head of Biology.
This is a rare opportunity arising from the retirement of a longstanding and highly successful Head of Department. Biology enjoys a strong reputation within the school for academic excellence, intellectual curiosity and outstanding support for students pursuing scientific pathways beyond school. The successful candidate will inherit a thriving department and have the opportunity to build upon a well-established culture of scholarship, innovation and achievement.
Science occupies a central place within the life of Wimbledon High School. In 2025, almost half of our Year 13 students progressed to STEM-related degree courses, reflecting the school's longstanding commitment to girls' participation and success in science. The Biology department plays a particularly important role within this culture, with a strong tradition of supporting students applying for Medicine, Veterinary Science, Dentistry, Natural Sciences, Biological Sciences and related disciplines.
As Head of Biology, you will provide both strategic and operational leadership for the department, ensuring that students continue to benefit from ambitious, intellectually rigorous and inspiring teaching. Working closely with a talented team of teachers, you will lead curriculum development, promote excellence in teaching and learning, oversee assessment and academic outcomes and contribute to the wider development of Science across the school.
You will be committed to fostering enthusiasm for Biology beyond the classroom through a rich programme of co-curricular and super-curricular opportunities. From genetics, biotechnology and neuroscience to ecology, medicine and global health, you will inspire students to engage with the biological questions shaping the modern world.
Alongside your leadership responsibilities, you will teach Biology across the age and ability range, including GCSE and A Level, modelling outstanding classroom practice and a passion for the subject.
About you
You will possess excellent subject knowledge, strong leadership and management skills, and a proven track record of successful Biology teaching at GCSE and A Level. Whether you are an experienced Head of Department or an ambitious second-in-department ready for the next stage of your career, you will bring a clear vision for Biology education and a commitment to academic excellence.
You will have a strong understanding of curriculum design, assessment and effective teaching and learning, together with experience of supporting colleagues and driving departmental improvement. Most importantly, you will be an intellectually curious and collaborative leader who is excited by the opportunity to inspire young women to develop a lifelong engagement with Biology and the wider life sciences.
About Wimbledon High School
Since 1880, Wimbledon High School GDST has been educating girls to go out into the world and make a difference. Our acclaimed pastoral programme GROW, enriching co-curricular opportunities, character-forging partnerships and our ‘playful scholarship’ approach to academic life make for a compelling environment where every individual can flourish and be herself. Located in the heart of Wimbledon, we are less than 20 minutes from central London.
Benefits
As part of the Girls' Day School Trust, the UK's leading network of independent girls' schools, we can offer a variety of benefits, such as:
· Competitive salaries and pay progression
· Access to extensive professional development opportunities
· GDST Flexible Pension Plan (Details from: https://workplace.aviva.co.uk/gdst/)
· Training grants for qualifications
· Free life assurance benefit
· A discount of up to 50% on fees for children at GDST schools
· Interest free loans for training, computer purchase loans and travel season tickets
· Cycle to Work scheme
· Competitive terms and conditions of employment
For further details and an application form please click the apply button.
The closing date for applications will be 5pm on Sunday 14th June 2026.
Interviews will take place on Monday 22nd June 2026.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all qualified individuals. To be eligible for employment, candidates must provide proof of their right to work in the UK.
The GDST is committed to diversity, inclusion and real change: a family where every individual is valued, respected and included.
We are committed to the safeguarding of children and child protection screening including online searches will apply to this post.
About Wimbledon High School
An academically successful school, with meaningful partnerships placing us at the heart of our community, Wimbledon High School is a hub of intellectual activity, fun and laughter.
We are proudly a flagship school of the Girls' Day School Trust, experts in educating girls, from 4 to 18. We like to challenge and inspire our students through an innovative focus on 'play' in our Junior School and 'playful scholarship' in Seniors, which sees us embrace problem-solving, critical and disruptive thinking and creativity in and out of the classroom. It may seem a contradiction but at Wimbledon High we are as serious about play as we are about academic rigour – and indeed, believe that the one cannot exist without the other. A highly selective school, with outstanding results, our students do nine GCSEs and 3 A levels, giving them time and space to explore around, over and above the curriculum. We go off-timetable one afternoon a week for our partnerships work, which sees over 200 visiting pupils get involved in activities and which was noted as a significant strength of the school in our recent ISI inspection.
A vast array of co-curricular clubs and activities allow students to find their thing: passions and interests that they will take with them through life, as on their journey of discovery about themselves, they learn what is important to them. Excellent pastoral care, under our GROW programme, is embedded in everything we do; we teach girls to believe in their own agency and use their voices for good.
Our school aims:
Stepping in: we aim for every girl to feel known, supported, confident and able to shine at Wimbledon High.
Striding out: we aim for every girl to leave us prepared to shape the society in which she lives and works.
We will do this, across the school by:
· Encouraging resilience, independence and kindness
· Nurturing curiosity, scholarship and a sense of wonder
· Promoting excellent teaching and learning
· Running a broad, inspiring co-curricular programme
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