Head of Physics
Sevenoaks School
Kent
- Expired
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Start date:
- September 2017
- Apply by:
- 4 January 2017
Job overview
The School
Founded in 1432, Sevenoaks enjoys a global reputation as a centre of academic excellence and a flagship school for the International Baccalaureate. A co-educational day and boarding school, it offers a stimulating, intellectually demanding and balanced education for pupils from the age of 11 to 18.
Inspiring facilities, together with expert, enthusiastic and imaginative teaching, provide rich opportunities for students participating in lessons, and a wide variety of sports and the performing arts.
The school’s international make-up and outlook promote the principles of tolerance and open-mindedness. About 350 pupils board in the seven boarding houses, and students originate from some 40 countries worldwide.
In 2013 the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) awarded Sevenoaks School the rare accolade of ‘Exceptional’ for its students’ achievement. Sevenoaks was also the highest performing fully co-educational school, and the one with the largest cohort, in the Sunday Times Parent Power’s top 50 fee-paying schools for the IB in 2015.
The Campus
The school is situated in the Kent market town of Sevenoaks, and has a prime position at the top of the High Street. The 100-acre site, which includes a number of listed buildings, is beautifully landscaped and adjoins the medieval deer park of Knole. London is only a 30-minute train journey away. Gatwick International Airport is also only 30 minutes away, and there are good transport links to other London airports and the Channel Tunnel.
The school’s first-class resources and facilities include a superb sports centre (The Sennocke Centre) opened in 2005. A state-of-the-art performing arts centre (The Space), which provides four outstanding venues for music and drama, was opened in 2010. The next major projects currently underway are a Science & Technology Centre and a Sixth Form Global Study Centre, which the school plans to open in 2018, and new boarding accommodation which should be ready for occupation by 2019.
The Physics Department
The Physics department forms a key part of the Science and Technology faculty. There are seven full-time physicists in the department, who are well served by two very knowledgeable and helpful laboratory technicians. The department has six main laboratories, a staff resource area and a computer room all situated close to the preparation room on the ground floor of the Science and Computing block. All of the laboratories have been recently refurbished to a high standard. Each laboratory has its own interactive whiteboard, and other teaching aids. The department is well-equipped, with a large amount of laboratory apparatus and data-logging facilities, sufficient to carry out a range of practical investigations.
Sevenoaks is virtually unique in the UK in that all 1050 students study at least one science for the entirety of their secondary education – three to Year 11 and at least one in the Sixth Form. Physics is taught throughout the school and all Middle School pupils follow a separate IGCSE Physics course. In the Sixth Form, pupils can study Physics at either Higher or Standard Level.
Throughout the school, emphasis is placed on experimental aspects of Physics and on the development of each pupil’s conceptual understanding. The pupils undertake a variety of experimental work, in addition to computer simulations and demonstrations.
The IGCSE results have been excellent over the last few years, with the majority of pupils gaining A* and nearly all the others A grade. The results at IB are also very good with 80% gaining grade 6 or top grade 7 at Higher Level, and 75% at Standard Level achieving similar grades. Around 45 Year 11 pupils gain awards in the Physics Olympiad Challenge and the most able Higher Level students enjoy success at the Olympiad level. Typically 55 students study Higher Level Physics each year, of which around 35% go on to study Physics, Natural Sciences or Engineering at university.
Head of Physics
The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic, well-qualified graduate and a dynamic teacher and leader. Love of the subject and an ability to convey this to students is essential. In leading the work of the department, the Head of Physics will foster a strong team spirit, help to develop the skills of the teaching staff, and look to inspire the students. He or she will also be a good administrator, able to manage the day-to-day work of the department efficiently. The Head of Department is responsible for ensuring that the appropriate syllabuses are taught and that the necessary resources are available.
Attached documents
About Sevenoaks School
Founded in 1432, Sevenoaks enjoys a global reputation as a centre of academic excellence and a flagship school for the International Baccalaureate. A co-educational day and boarding school, it offers a stimulating, intellectually demanding and balanced education for over 1200 students from ages 11 to 18.
Sevenoaks is one of the world’s leading IB schools, having taught the International Baccalaureate for over 40 years. For nearly 20 years, all Sixth Form students have taken the full IB Diploma with consistently outstanding academic results which are testament to the school’s experience and commitment to the programme.
In 2023, the average Diploma score was 39.0 points, about eight points above the world average. The Higher Education department supported applications of 246 students to universities in the UK, USA, Canada, Europe and Hong Kong with an outstanding 93 per cent progressing to their firm choice university. The majority attend Oxbridge, London universities, or other Russell Group universities such as Bristol or Durham. We also support about 20 per cent of our students in applying to international universities with increasing numbers going to North America, specifically Ivy League and top universities in the United States.
The school is situated in the Kent market town of Sevenoaks and has a prime position at the top of the high street. The 100-acre site, which includes several listed buildings and attractive gardens, is beautifully landscaped and adjoins the medieval deer park of Knole. London is only a 30-minute train ride away. Gatwick airport is only 30 minutes by car, and there are good transport links to other London airports and the Channel Tunnel.
Sevenoaks students have access to a fantastic range of facilities on campus for co-curricular pursuits, including sport, music, drama and art, at least 70 clubs and societies, a wide range of study trips and exchanges, and a well-established community service programme. Recent developments on campus include a superb sports centre, and a state-of-the-art performing arts centre, and a world-class Science and Technology Centre and a Global Study Centre for the Sixth Form. An additional boarding house for boys, a contemporary building with light, modern facilities, opened in 2019, and a new girls’ boarding house is expected to open in 2024.
With seven distinctive and comfortable boarding houses, our boarding community is fun, friendly, and busy. Boarding provides an excellent transition from home to independence and maturity; the Sixth Form boarding houses enable boys and girls to enjoy the benefits of boarding at an important stage in their school careers, and to prepare for life at university.
Accolades
In 2018 Sevenoaks School was, for the second time in 10 years, awarded The Sunday Times Independent School of the Year. In the same year, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) awarded Sevenoaks School the highest grade – ‘Excellent’ – in both categories which formed the basis of the inspection: ‘Pupils’ Achievement’ and ‘Pupils’ Personal Development’.
Teaching at Sevenoaks:
Teaching here is immensely rewarding: we work in high-performing teams towards a shared endeavour. Everyone appointed to teach at Sevenoaks School is expected to engage actively in all aspects of our broad and well-rounded education.
We want all our pupils to enjoy their subjects, to be inspired by their teachers and to become independent, lifelong learners. Teachers are enthusiastic and well-qualified graduates. We have an exceptionally lively, talented and committed staff body. We welcome applications from experienced teachers and newly-qualified teachers, but can also provide training including PGCE for those joining the profession at whatever stage. All new staff undertake a comprehensive induction programme. Sevenoaks is committed to supporting its staff with training and professional development tailored to staff needs and interests.
All teachers are involved in proactive pastoral care. All teachers participate in the co-curriculum and, as our outreach activities expand, contribute to our work with local pupils and schools. Teachers at Sevenoaks are innovative and forward-thinking many are involved in the Institutes of Teaching and Learning, Higher Education and Professional Insight, and Service and Partnerships, shaping further development and initiatives for students and staff alike.
What people say about us:
‘Tough for any university not to be an anti-climax after Sevenoaks.’ Good Schools Guide.
The International Baccalaureate
All new staff undertake a comprehensive induction programme. No previous experience of teaching the International Baccalaureate, which we have taught since 1978, is necessary; gaining experience of teaching the IB, an internationally recognised qualification which we believe offers outstanding preparation for university and beyond, is stimulating and undoubtedly a valuable career asset. Information about the IB can be found on the website www.ibo.org.
Please note that you are wholly responsible for fact checking in respect of the information provided by schools. Please also check for the latest visa and work permit requirements that may apply. Tes is not responsible for the content of advertisements or the policies adopted by advertising schools. Tes asks that all schools follow Tes' Fair Recruitment Policy.