Head of Science, for September 2020

Overview

The successful candidate will manage the Science team and deliver Biology, Chemistry or Physics from KS3 to A Level along with a second Science to GCSE.  For Physics applicants, we may also consider the second subject to be other than a science specialism, on request.

The Department

The Science department currently has 7 teachers and 2 dedicated full-time laboratory technicians. We have a purpose built Science block with 6 bright, pleasant laboratories, two for each science. IT provision is good, with computers and data projectors in each laboratory. IT resources are used widely in lessons and we have recently updated our data logging equipment.

The Curriculum

At Key Stage 3 pupils have three double lessons a week. Year 8 and 9 are taught by subject specialists for one double a week in each discipline.

At Key Stage 4, pupils initially all follow the separate Sciences curriculum and then, at the end of Year 10, pupils either continue with the separate Science curriculum or transfer to Double Award Science.  We follow the Edexcel IGCSE specification, usually with group sizes of around 20. 

The sciences are very popular in the Sixth Form with a healthy number of pupils studying some combination of Biology, Chemistry and Physics at A level. 

The successful candidate will teach across all Key Stages and should ideally have experience of teaching students to Oxbridge standard and preparation for university work.

Extra-curricular Activities

All staff are expected to contribute to the extra-curricular programme. Currently the Science department offers Clubs including: ‘Physics Olympiad, Chemistry Olympiad, The Ingeneurs and a Lower School STEM Club. We expect the new Head of Science to be responsible for our Doctors and Vets Club. Science pupils are provided with opportunities to attend lectures at local universities. Science department visits abroad have included two conservation expeditions to Indonesia and Iceland. The Science department supports school initiatives in promoting Harrogate Ladies’ College as a first-choice secondary for prep school children.