Lead Teacher of Chemistry

We are seeking a committed and talented Teacher of Chemistry to join our fantastic Science department from January 2020.    

Overview (working with the Director and Second in Charge of Science)

• To take a lead role in the growth of a transformational school community by developing and implementing a rigorous and ambitious curriculum at KS5, 4 and 3 which enables the highest level of pupil progress and attainment across all key stages. 

• To grow the department year on year, recruiting, inducting and developing your team as it expands to ensure consistently high standards of teaching. 

• To model what it takes to be an outstanding teacher and subject leader and thereby act as an example to all middle leaders. 

• To take full advantage of the fact that KAA is a start-up school with currently just Y7 & 8, meaning we can align ourselves with the new examination system at GCSE and A-Level curriculum from the start without having to adapt / rewrite existing curriculum plans.   

Responsibilities

• Design an engaging and challenging curriculum that enables all students to achieve at the highest level.

• Lead and manage a professional community of subject teachers to ensure the highest student attainment and progress, delivering training, coaching and mentoring to your team of teachers as required. 

• To put in place the systems and structures at a department level that lead to 100% good and outstanding teaching within your department (with a focus on outstanding). 

• Tracking, monitoring and accountability for the progress and attainment of students.

• To ensure marking and feedback for students’ work is of the highest standard across your department and in line with the KAA marking guidelines. 

• In time, to establish procedures for inducting and mentoring NQTs, Teach Firsts, GTPs etc into the department.

• Modelling for all subject staff exemplary practice in terms of managing difficult and challenging behaviour from students, and establishing a culture of high expectations within your department.

• To consult with Vice Principal Curriculum & Assessment on the most effective way to organise pupil groupings in your subject in response recent assessment data.

• To ensure department assessments are suitably rigorous and challenging and delivered in line with the KAA assessment policy. 

• Coordination and delivery of department enrichments and interventions. 

• If required, deliver high-quality training on teaching and learning to teachers outside your department, focusing on your areas of particular expertise.

• Implement and adhere to the academy’s behaviour management policy, ensuring the health and well-being of pupils is maintained at all times.

• Participate in preparing students for external examinations.

• Keep abreast of any developments within their subject area.

Curriculum setting and assessment 

• Where required, develop high quality schemes of work for all year groups, in line with National Curriculum and academy requirements, that are inspiring for learners and teachers alike. 

• Monitor and assess teaching and learning within the subject as required. 

• Set regular, measurable and challenging assessments and ensure all students prepare thoroughly for them. 

• To provide high quality marking to all students in line with academy policies. 

• Ensure the moderation of assessment outcomes for reliability and consistency.

• Establish effective systems for the monitoring and evaluation of student progress. 

• Maintain accurate student data – including reading ages - that can be used to inform lesson planning and therefore make teaching more effective.

• To ensure the regular setting and consistent completion of high quality homework and independent learning.

Academy Culture 

• Support the academy’s values and ethos by contributing to the development and implementation of policies, practices and procedures. 

• Be an active form tutor (or co-tutor) and member of your house, participating fully in all house events and modelling the positive attitudes towards the house system that we want to develop in our students.

• Help create a strong academy community, characterised by consistent, orderly behaviour and caring, respectful relationships.

• Help develop an academy culture and ethos that is utterly committed to achievement. 

• Support and work in collaboration with colleagues and other professionals in and beyond the school, covering lessons and providing other support as required.

• Vision aligned with KAA’s high aspirations and high expectations of self and others. 

Person Specification 

Qualification criteria

• Qualified to at least degree level  

• Qualified Teacher Status 

• Permitted to work in the UK

• Evidence of relevant and substantial CPD

General - experience of: 

• Evidence of being, or having the clear potential to be, an outstanding teacher of your subject. 

• Having significantly contributed to the work of a successful department. 

• Having led a team in the development and implementation of a curriculum initiative had a sustained and demonstrable impact on pupil progress. 

• Delivering staff training and undertaking professional development of other teachers, in particular with regard to outstanding teaching, assessment, marking and feedback, questioning, lesson planning and scheme of work writing.

• Effective engagement with external partners (e.g. subject associations, exam boards).

• Contributing to intervention programmes at a department/year group/whole school level that have had a proven and sustained impact on attitude and attainment. 

• Tracking and monitoring identified groups and designing intervention programmes which have shown a positive impact on behaviour and progress.

Leadership and management – the ability to demonstrate:

• An effective leadership style that inspires confidence and collegiality in those they work with, which motivates and encourages others to participate and go the extra mile. 

• Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills.

• Strong organisational skills: 

o the use of effective time management 

o the ability to prioritise

• Resilience and motivation to lead the academy through day-to-day challenges whilst maintaining a clear strategic vision, staying positive, and focusing on key priorities.

• Genuine passion and belief in the potential of every student.

• Strategic thinking and the potential to adopt an entrepreneurial approach to the role.

• An educational vision aligned with the academy’s high aspirations and high expectations of themselves and others.

• A clear understanding of the strategies required to establish consistently high standards of behaviour in an inner London school and a commitment to continuously implementing these strategies.

• An ambassadorial approach in all dealings with the community and subsequently to be positive and successfully market the academy in the community. 

• Confident and effective presentational skills during public speaking.