Head of Physics

Birkenhead School, founded in 1860, is an HMC independent day school providing education for boys and girls drawn from the whole of the Wirral, Liverpool and as far afield as Chester and North Wales. Situated in the leafy suburb of Oxton, the School enjoys excellent facilities. The main campus has a ‘village green’ atmosphere, with classrooms and laboratories looking out over the cricket square. There are ongoing and substantial investments in facilities. 

The School comprises Nursery and Pre-Prep (Early Years), Prep and Seniors and integrates their objectives and activities within a ‘One School’ concept. Birkenhead School prides itself on being a family school and this has been greatly strengthened by the opening of the Nursery in 2006. It is attractive to parents to have all their children in one school and it is a great advantage for the school to be able to establish strong, long-lasting relationships with families. 

A key feature of the School is its strength of community, which runs through the student, staff and parental bodies. The School is embedded within the wider Wirral community, has strong links with local business and charities, and offers an extensive bursary programme. The School aims to inspire students both inside and outside the classroom, knowing each individual and providing them with outstanding opportunities to find their niche.

A dedicated, talented and collegiate staff body is required to achieve these aims. The School’s informal motto is Respect, Responsibility and Resilience, to which we have recently added inclusivity, compassion, integrity, humility and courage as defined School values. Birkenhead School recruits on attitude as much as the quality of an individual’s qualifications on paper.

The Department

The Science department consists of nine teachers who teach Separate and Combined Science from Year 9 upwards and contribute to the Key Stage 3 Science teaching in Years 7 and 8.  The department has a history of academic success, over many years, and the majority of the more able students opt for an A-Level science course. Classes are small, typically 20 at Key Stage 4 and around 10 in the Sixth Form.

The department is well equipped, with nine laboratories and three prep rooms, supported by three full-time technicians.

The current Head of Science, Pete Lindberg, seeks to maintain a unified approach across the departments with practical work and stimulating learning techniques at the core. He is highly receptive to input from like-minded teachers. The Science department has an excellent reputation, both within School and beyond, with strong links to the community through science fairs, outreach activities and success at national level in Olympiads and CREST awards.

The Person

The Head of Physics is responsible for the overall performance within the subject and will report to the Assistant Head on all aspects of the department. All applicants should be outstanding teachers, but also possess the wider interests and passions that will inspire students outside of the standard specification. 

Head of Department Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and develop the department to ensure it achieves the highest possible standards of excellence in all activities, including personal organisation and administration.
• Be accountable for student progress and development within the subject area, ensuring the provision of an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum.
• Hold regular meetings of the department, both formal and informal, sharing common learnings and opportunities. To share national initiatives, whole school issues and teaching methods; invigorating morale, and establishing team spirit.
• Develop appropriate specifications and schemes of work, and manage the improvement of the department's resources.
• Manage cover work for the department, ensuring students continue to achieve during periods of short, medium or long term absence of staff members.
• Alongside the Head of Science, analyse and evaluate performance data and examination results, communicating with the SLT and department members.
• Lead the team in all aspects of people management, including absence, learning and development, health, safety and wellbeing. Hold regular performance conversations/professional review with each member of the department, feeding into the School review process. 
• Develop a department academic extension programme to stretch, challenge and inspire students. Including active membership of relevant bodies, the Institute of Physics, for example.
• Keep abreast of developments in the subject, maintaining contacts with other schools, exam boards and professional associations.
• Ensure the department monitors the progress and learning of students, for example by comparing performances of parallel groups; ensuring appropriate testing is conducted and that marking is swiftly and competently undertaken.
• Ensure students are properly prepared and entered for exams; overseeing and recording required practical work

The full list of roles and responsibilities can be found on the Information for Candidates, available on the School Website under Employment Opportunities.

We will value and support your contribution to School life and in return provide you with excellent rewards: 

• Working with fantastic young students
• Working as part of a committed team
• Membership of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme
• Membership of the Employee Assistance Programme
• Term time is approx. 34 weeks
• Free use of the fully equipped on-site gym
• Support for your continuous professional development
• Children of permanent staff enjoy a reduction in School fees 

This is a permanent, full-time position.

A letter of application indicating skills and experience, together with a completed application form, including the names and addresses of at least two referees, should be sent for the attention of the Headmaster via Cheryl Wallace (Personnel and Compliance Manager)

Candidates are welcome to contact the Head of Science, Mr Pete Lindberg with any questions relating to the role.

To meet our safeguarding obligations, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check is undertaken as part of the recruitment process for all new staff. As Birkenhead School is an educational provider, it is permitted to ask whether an applicant has any convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings which would not be filtered in line with current guidance, as defined by The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020). It is a criminal offence for an individual who is barred from working with children to apply for a role which is classed as regulated activity (i.e. involves working with children). 

The closing date for applications is: 9.00am on Monday 27th February 2023