Head of Examinations
Brighton College
Brighton and Hove
- Expired
- Salary:
- Competitive
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Start date:
- Late August 2023
- Apply by:
- 20 February 2023
Job overview
Brighton College is seeking to appoint a Head of Examinations, to start in late August 2023.
Introduction
The primary role of the Head of Examinations is to oversee the organisation and running of external (GCSE, A-level, Pre-U, BTEC, University Admissions Tests) and associated internal and mock examinations. It is an important role, requiring precision and an eye for detail so that all examinations run smoothly and are as stress-free as possible for pupils and staff. Exam Board requirements place responsibility for the conduct of public examinations on the Head Master, to whom the Head of Examinations is ultimately responsible.
The Head of Examinations is a conduit between Exam Boards and staff, ensures examinations run smoothly and in accordance with Exam Board regulations and ensures that mock and internal examinations are carried out to the same high standard of security and conduct as public examinations.
Person Specification
Core Competencies
- Exceptional attention to detail
- Ability to work in a team as well as individually
- Proactive and strategic ability to identify and solve problems in advance
- The ability to lead and manage a team, developing and sharing good practice.
- High level of personal organisation, and the ability to work without close supervision
Knowledge and Skills
- Being supportive of and contributing to the school’s responsibility for safeguarding pupils
- Being confident and competent in the use of ICT
- Understanding procedures and legislation relating to confidentiality
- Understanding exam board regulations
Communication
- The ability to write reports, keep accurate records and communicate effectively.
Personal Attributes
- Having a commitment to equality
- Showing collegiality in working with staff, including SMT, with the ability to work effectively and supportively with all staff
- Discretion
- Resilience, the ability to work under pressure and be able to meet deadlines
- A proven ability to prioritise workloads, with an understanding of the need to balance competing pressures.
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Having high personal standards and expectations of self and others
- Able to maintain a professional appearance
- A willingness to undertake other reasonable duties related to the role as required from time to time.
The academic success of Brighton College is due to excellent, innovative and well-planned teaching. We are looking for individuals who foster a passion for learning and who can demonstrate an ability, and genuine desire, to develop pupils to their fullest potential. The successful candidate for this post will also teach their academic subject across the age range and will have a proven track record of academic success as a classroom practitioner. They are likely to have successfully held a previous Middle Leadership position such as Head of Department or Housemaster/ mistress. We seek candidates with a demonstrable ability to thrive in an intellectually invigorating environment. The ability to inspire children is key, as is a willingness to support the ambition and values of the school and to be involved in a breadth of College life. Successful candidates will be self-reliant and adaptable, with high levels of initiative. Candidates should have a strong academic record, including a good degree in any academic subject. We will look for evidence of the capacity to contribute to the broader life of the College, and for evidence of passion and enthusiasm for the relevant subject.
For more information about the role and to apply, please visit the Brighton College website.
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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