Head of Humanities

We are seeking to appoint a highly talented individual who shares our Christian Catholic ethos which puts the development of children’s talents at the centre of all we do.  We are looking for a Head of Humanities who enjoys working collaboratively, is keen to take a lead and is excited by change.  The successful candidate will have experience in teaching Geography to A Level and will have the passion to contribute to the development of our flourishing school.  

In our 90th year of educating the individual at Rye, we are continuing to build a diverse, enthusiastic and highly supportive community of teachers with a commitment to academic excellence.  We look for academic staff who are fully committed to the teaching process and who want to make a real difference to children's lives.  Every teacher has both academic and pastoral responsibilities and will be expected to contribute actively to the extra-curricular programme.  We are fully committed to the professional development of all members of our school community.

This is an exciting role and there is scope to develop Humanities further in school through activities both in and out of the curriculum.  The department teaches History and Geography at GCSE and A Level and offers A Level Government and Politics and Sociology.  

The Head of Humanities is accountable to the Deputy Head.

The role of the Head of Humanities includes:

Leadership and Management

• Overseeing the development and implementation of a strong and dynamic Humanities curriculum throughout the school from Year 7 through to Year 13 inclusive, working closely with the Head of Prep to ensure continuity between the stages of learning.
• Ensuring that the curriculum is rich, relevant, inspirational, and aspirational and that it contributes to the first-rate educational and whole person outcomes.
• Managing and organising the Humanities department efficiently and effectively to ensure that it meets the needs of the curriculum and health and safety regulations.
• Overseeing and leading the work of all members of the department.
• Ensuring that the classrooms provide a positive learning environment that promotes the highest achievement for all pupils.
• Inspiring a passion for Humanities in all members of the school community.
• Providing a model of outstanding practice to all staff in teaching and department leadership.
• Securing and sustaining effective teaching and learning throughout the department by monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and standards of pupils’ achievement with support from the Deputy Head, Academic.
• Leading and managing colleagues who teach Humanities, ensuring that they have clear expectations of their work, and monitoring teaching to ensure first-rate performance standards are achieved and maintained.
• Empowering colleagues to develop their leadership potential to ensure continuous improvement of skills and development of knowledge.
• Ensuring the professional development of all members of the department and the effective induction for new staff.
• Ensuring creativity, innovation and the use of appropriate new technologies to achieve excellence in Humanities.
• Keeping abreast of educational developments and best management practice in Humanities to introduce and disseminate appropriate innovation and to develop the department further.
• Collaborating with other Heads of Department and the Deputy Head, Academic to exploit wider curriculum application opportunities. 
• Assigning staff to teach an appropriate allocation of groups and subjects within the department.
• Managing departmental budget and resources effectively and efficiently.
• Writing, implementing and reviewing departmental policy statements to ensure the department is progressing and exceeding expectations.
• Leading weekly meetings with teachers in the department to review provision, pupil progress, initiate new ideas and bring innovation to the Science provision.

Policy/Strategic direction and development

• Review and update the three-year Humanities development plan, ensuring that the department meets its targets and is ambitious in its future planning.
• Contribute to relevant school policies and strategic planning as required by the Head to ensure the school is compliant with ISI standards and regulations.
• Taking the lead in ensuring that school policies and strategies are embedded in schemes of work and departmental plans. 
• Reviewing and updating the performance and development of the department annually and presenting the department to the Governors’ Education Committee as required.

Teaching and learning

• Promoting excellence in teaching and learning, embedding The Rye Way in all lessons and ensuring that pupils develop their potential, are ambitious in their learning and are equipped for life beyond school. 
• Exemplifying in own practice outstanding skills of teaching and learning which enable pupils to make excellent progress and ensure that good practice is shared with colleagues.
• Ensuring that schemes of work are used, reviewed, and modified to enable the development of high standards of teaching and learning.
• Monitoring pupils’ work and the classroom practice of those teaching Humanities through regular work scrutiny to ensure high standards are maintained.
• Keeping up to date with developments in Humanities and other related subject areas in education to ensure that best practice is adopted within the department.
• Organising and leading field trips and overseas visits to develop pupils’ understanding of Geography outside the classroom.
• Contributing to the broader life of the school by supporting and leading curricular and extra-curricular events such as school productions and activity days. 

Pastoral

All teaching staff undertake a pastoral role in the school whether as Form Tutor, Head of House, or Auxiliary Tutor.  All teachers are responsible for:

• The use of the Development/Form Time including registration and administration.
• Maintaining an up-to-date working knowledge of safeguarding practices and reporting all concerns through the appropriate channels in school and locally.
• Attending assemblies with the form group and overseeing the organisation of the form assembly.
• Participating in the school’s assembly rota and delivering assemblies that uphold the school’s Christian and Catholic values.
• Co-ordinating information on the academic, extra-curricular and pastoral programme of    pupils in their care and liaising with subject teachers, Heads of Department, the Chaplain, Activities Co-ordinator and Senior Leads as appropriate, keeping records and ensuring the central pupil files are always up to date.
• Encouraging the engagement of pupils in the Activities Programme and supporting the  Activities Co-ordinator in the uptake of this.
• Attending Parents’ Meetings, arranging individual meetings with parents as necessary, and putting records of individual meetings on the central pupil files.
• Attending Tutor Meetings as appropriate with the Deputy Heads or Prep School Leads.
• The condition of the form and or teaching room and appropriate displays in it.

Please see the full job description for further details about the post and how to apply.