Religious Studies Teacher, Dunottar School, Reigate

Full time commencing September 2020

Closing date:  19 April 2020

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and we reserve the right to recruit before the deadline.

Interviews: TBC

Working Hours: Full time

Salary:   United Learning pay scale

Dunottar is a co-educational school for pupils aged 11-18 set in extensive grounds of 15 acres on the outskirts of Reigate. With a new Headmaster in September 2017, the school is on a very exciting journey.  The school is experiencing fast growth in pupil numbers and it is undergoing a £6.6 million capital development programme to accommodate future growth. Our new Sixth Form centre was completed in May 2019, with our new whole school Assembly Hall scheduled for completion in October 2020.

Dunottar is a great place to work, with a team of highly professional and committed teachers and support staff.  We incorporate best practice from independent schools and academies right across the United Learning Group, whilst retaining our unique, friendly ethos in Reigate where pupils are nurtured to make significant personal progress at the same time as achieving excellent academic results.  United Learning is an organisation which prides itself on providing a working and learning environment which encourages ‘the best in everyone’.  You will join a network of staff belonging to over 80 other schools, with opportunities to engage with fellow professionals which far exceed what one school could achieve on its own.  Personal development and career opportunities are excellent. 

The Religious Studies department

We are looking for someone with an ability to stimulate curiosity and interest in Religious Studies and who is prepared to give full commitment to the aims and the ethos of the department and Dunottar School. To enhance pupils' experience of the subject we also organise a number of trips which the successful candidate would be expected to participate in or lead. The successful candidate will be expected to make a contribution to these initiatives as well as to the co-curricular programme.

Religious Studies is a popular subject at Dunottar with over 50% of the Year 10 and 11 students taking this subject as an option for GCSE. The department continually gains excellent results in terms of value add and high standards and expectations are core to the department. The department also teaches RS to A Level and it is not uncommon for students to take Philosophy or Theology at University. We seek to appoint a high calibre and enthusiastic teacher to join this successful department. 

Key Responsibilities  

• Enable pupils to acquire new knowledge and to make good progress according to their ability to increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subject being taught.  

• Display evidence of well-planned lessons, and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time.

• Show a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and that these have been taken into account when planning lessons.  

• Display a high level of knowledge and understanding by the teacher of the subject matter being taught, and communicate this enthusiastically to students. 

• Employ an excellent range of teaching strategies, high-quality resources and activities, thus enabling all students to fulfil their academic potential.

• Ensure that marking of pupils’ work is both regular and thorough and that full records are kept in line with the Assessment, Recording and Reporting Statement. 

• Ensure that pupil assessment is used to inform lesson planning so pupils can make progress, and evaluate pupil performance both in terms of the school’s stated aims and national norms.

• Use effective strategies for managing behaviour and encouraging students to act responsibly.

• Have high expectations of students. 

• Create a stimulating and positive learning environment.  

• Keep abreast of current thinking and development in relevant subject area(s). 

• Assist the Head of Department with the development of appropriate specifications, schemes of work and teaching styles.  

• Share resources and training materials with colleagues.  

• Work with other members of the department to ensure that all resources are well looked after and that departmental areas provide a stimulating environment for teaching.  

• Contribute to departmental activities, e.g. enrichment work, clubs, societies and trips 

• Provide or contribute to oral and written assessments, reports and references relating to individual pupils. 

• Attend Parents’ Evenings. 

• Attend and contribute to relevant meetings when required. 

• Be involved in a House, attend House meetings and support House events. 

• Take part in one or more co-curricular activity. 

• Attend and support assemblies and co-curricular events e.g. concerts, plays. 

• Pastoral Care is the responsibility of all members of teaching staff at Dunottar, staff must: 

o Contribute to the pastoral care and personal development of pupils. 

o Report any pastoral concerns to the Head of Section or in serious circumstances the Deputy Head Pastoral.  

o Be fully conversant with the Child Protection policy and report any concerns or allegations to the Senior Designated Person.