Head of Maths: 4-18

Come to our special recruitment event on Thursday, 25th January from 5.30pm to 7.30pm where you’ll be able to meet teachers and the headteacher, get an idea of what our school is like and find out more about the role. Please register for the event giving your name and the role you are interested in at school21recruitment.eventbrite.co.uk

This is your chance to lead a great Mathematics department in a pioneering all-through school. Maths is taught in an inspirational way at School 21 combining the best of mastery approaches with rigorous, rich problem-solving tasks which brings the Maths alive. The team you will be leading has a thirst for learning, is highly reflective and enjoys collaboration. You will have the chance to develop and shape Maths in each phase of the school: primary, middle, secondary and sixth.

Maths is brought to life at School 21 as students grapple with the big ideas and concepts that govern how the world works. Teachers plan exciting and challenging lessons, enquiries and projects that support students to develop a problem solving toolkit. There is a strong focus on oracy in Maths lessons with high quality talk aiding deeper understanding of difficult problems and concepts. Across the school the beauty and complexity of maths is celebrated.

We are looking for an agile leader who will be able to develop further the rich Maths curriculum, ground students in the basics of maths, deliver problem-solving projects and contribute to STEM and other cross-curricular projects. You will have the skill to move students seamlessly from the concrete to the abstract and have a strong understanding of global best practice across the age ranges. You will be open to the notion that advancements in new technology mean we may be able to rethink the pedagogy and curriculum of maths.

School 21 is a very special and different kind of place to work in. All of us are striving to become pioneers (rethinking key aspects of education practice), multipliers (growing others and building teams) craftsmen and women (who think deeply about their practice) and people with integrity and humanity (driven by a strong sense of values and purpose). This is what we are looking for in new members of staff. We empower staff to find their voice and their creativity. We offer collaboration and learning across ages and subjects. All staff have more planning time than most schools and a tailored programme of professional development which results in extraordinary outcomes for the students. We offer multiple routes to progression and leadership. We believe strongly in developing the full potential of all staff.

Since we opened in 2012 we have put learning and teaching at the heart of everything we do. We have developed a unique approach to oracy including setting up a charity, Voice 21 (https://www.voice21.org/) which is already working with several hundred schools. We have also pioneered real world, interdisciplinary learning in collaboration with a network of extraordinary organisations: creative, artistic, high tech, professional.

At School 21 we believe that the purpose of education is to develop the whole child: head (academics), heart (character and well-being) and hand (generating ideas, problem solving, creating extraordinary authentic outcomes).

School 21 has established a strong track record - an outstanding ofsted, excellent GCSE results and a growing reputation, for example being the first and only international case study chosen by US educators, Edutopia https://www.edutopia.org/school/school-21 .

There was strong recognition In the Ofsted for the ethos and approach of the school:

"Pupils across the school make exceptional progress."

"Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning, impeccable manners and show respect for everyone.”

“Staff morale is exceptionally high. Teachers at the early stages of their career value the ‘fantastic’ professional development and opportunities to learn from each other. Those with more experience said that they have become much better teachers since joining the school.”

Through project-based learning "pupils achieve remarkable standards of work and demonstrated knowledge and skills at levels beyond those expected for their age group."

“Pupils talk and discuss with a maturity and confidence that is remarkable for their years."

The successful candidate will be:

• An excellent Leader who is skilled at building teams 
•  Experienced at developing other teachers
• A creative and deep thinker about pedagogy
• Innovative in using new technology to enhance learning
• A collaborative planner, able to work across subject disciplines
• Interested in developing the growth of every child – head, heart and hand
• A deep subject knowledge and the capacity to translate the complexity and beauty of maths for all learners

ABOUT SCHOOL 21:

• 4 to 18 mixed, inclusive school in the heart of Stratford, Newham
• Cutting edge pedagogy and curriculum
• Small - only 75 children in each year group.
• We have plans to set up two new schools in close proximity to School 21 which will give staff more opportunities to grow and develop.
• Voice 21 is a charity we set up to develop oracy skills in schools across the country. www.voice21.org

WE OFFER:

• Outstanding career development and exceptional CPD
• Generous TLRs based on experience and skills
• The chance to network with outstanding practitioners and learn from the best
• Collaborative working across the 4 to 18 school
• Leadership training and development opportunities
• A strong feedback culture so that teachers can develop in areas of their practice that are important to them
• Every teacher being part of a team/circle that develops strategic practice

For more information see: www.school21.org.uk or e-mail Anne Shaker at careers@school21.org.uk  or call 020 8262 2121.

To apply: Please visit the careers pages at www.school21.org.uk and complete an online application form.

Apply by: Tuesday, 30th January 2018 at 9am
Likely interview date: Monday, 5th February 2018

School 21 is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding children.