Second in Science

About this Role

Oakbank is a school of potential that drives for the betterment for all. The school is committed to a journey of transformation, where staff, students and parents are committed to improving the quality and experience of education for its community. We believe that every child deserves to not only access the full curriculum, but should thrive in their curriculums, developing academically, personally and holistically as a result of passionate and adaptive teaching, resulting in committed learning that secures successful outcomes. Our current phase of school improvement features our entire team, working together at pace to offer greater stability, more innovation and creativity. The aim is for greater consistency for all students, enabling them to manage their learning and themselves more effectively.

Our collective determination to make Oakbank a happier and higher performing school affirms our commitment to our values: integrity, collaboration and excellence. We believe in excellence for our students to give them the opportunities to have choices in their lives, empowering them to choose the future that they desire off the back of hard work. We believe in working together to ensure that our community supports one another and challenges one another to be the ‘best yet’ versions of ourselves, not because we have to improve but because if we do, the potential is endless. And we believe in the fidelity of our vision for students and staff, and strive to retain our moral compass when making decisions, to ensure an open, inclusive and happy community at Oakbank.

Job purpose

To support the Head of Department to:

• Provide effective leadership and management of a department.
• Ensure high levels of achievement for all students in the subject.
• Administer and develop the department.
• Main duties and responsibilities.

Responsibilities and Role 

Leading teaching & learning

Under the direction of the Head of Department, the postholder will:

• Help to ensure effective teaching and learning strategies are in place across the whole department in support of the school improvement plan.
•  Reinforce teaching and learning methodologies in the department as set out by the school’s Senior Leadership Team.
• Assist with the monitoring and evaluation of standards of teaching, student progress and classroom management across the department.
• Set high expectations for staff and students.
• Assist with ensure assessment within the department is of the highest standard.
• Assist with the planning and oversight of educational visits and/or events appropriate to the curriculum or subject area.
• Working with others.
•  Actively support the school’s and trust’s values and vision through the work of the department.
•  Make a positive contribution to the wider life of the school.
• Work with other Middle Leaders and Senior Leaders on curriculum and school-wide issues.
• Leading and managing staff.
• Assist with leading and motivating the team, ensuring a focus on improving student outcomes.
•  Encourage effective teamwork, collaboration, sharing, reflection, a joint sense of purpose and a supportive team culture.
• Assist with leading teaching of the subject in the department, implementing a progressive and challenging curriculum.
• Help to ensure all team members maintain high professional standards and follow policies, procedures and expectations of the school.
• Lead well organised, focussed and productive department meetings.
• Help to develop the department to be an example of excellence to others within the school.
• Demonstrate commitment to good work-life balance through modelling good practice and considering the impact of decisions on workload across the team.
• Appraise staff and contribute to their professional development.

Resources

Under the direction of the Head of Department, the postholder will:

•  Assist with managing the department’s budget and resources, complying with Anthem policies and procedures, to ensure maximum benefit for students.
• Help to ensure the department accommodation provides a positive and safe environment which promotes wellbeing and high achievement.

This job description will be supported by the school improvement plan which will identify key distinct tasks and responsibilities for this role in the school year. These will be derived from ongoing school self-evaluation and other local/national priorities. The postholder’s duties must be carried out in compliance with the school’s policies and procedures including child protection and safeguarding procedures.

These duties and responsibilities should be regarded as neither exhaustive nor exclusive as the post holder may be required to undertake other reasonably determined duties and responsibilities commensurate with the grading of the post.

Please note that we reserve the right to close the recruitment campaign earlier that this date subject to the volume of applications received.  We therefore encourage candidates to submit applications as early as possible.

It is an offence for an individual who has been disqualified from working with children to knowingly apply for, offer to do, accept, or do any work in a ‘regulated activity’. The position advertised is a ‘regulated activity’.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and require all staff and volunteers to share and demonstrate this commitment. The successful candidate will have to meet the requirements of the person specification and will be subject to the relevant pre-employment checks which will, where applicable, include a health check, an enhanced DBS check, the Children’s Barred List check and satisfactory references.