Senior School Head of Humanities

Job description

The post holder would take overall responsibility and accountability for leading the teaching and learning of Humanities subjects at the school. 

This would include history, geography and global perspectives at iGCSE, and history, geography, business and management, economics, and global politics at IB Diploma Programme Level.  

Humanities subjects are an area of strength at St Paul’s with overall 50% A*/A grades consistently achieved in recent years at iGCSE and IB Diploma results well above global means.   

It is expected that the Head of Humanities will directly act as head of department in one of the following three areas: geography; history and global studies; economics and business, as well as leading the faculty as a whole and line managing the respective department heads. 

As such, applications will be considered from individuals who are subject specialists in any of the above disciplines. An ability to teach two or more humanities subjects would be beneficial, though not essential. 

Start is expected to be in August 2022.

About St. Paul’s School:

St. Paul’s was founded in 1926 and was the first school in South America to receive accreditation from the UK government as a British School Overseas. Fully coeducational, with about 1,100 pupils, aged from 3 to 18, it is a school with history and tradition, but which embraces innovation, contemporary values and the latest in digital learning. We are a world-class school, and an international member of HMC and IAPS, and a member of COBIS and the LAHC. We are proud of our local, national and international reputation and we constantly strive to improve the opportunities for our pupils and staff. Our recent BSO inspection judged us as a leading British School overseas, and you can download the report from our website. Our exceptional facilities place teaching and learning at the heart of the school.

St Paul's School Video 

More details about the school can be found at www.stpauls.br.

The Head of Humanities Role:

The role of the teacher at St. Paul’s is to promote at all times and in every possible way the pupils’ intellectual and social development and learning, including independent learning skills.

Main Responsibilities

Learning and teaching   

• To devise / oversee and review the rationale of the faculty, its schemes of work, etc.    
• To keep up to date with current thinking in the subject area and ensure necessary changes are introduced to the department as appropriate.   
• To review the policy and work of the department with colleagues at regular departmental meetings and to provide and organise training where necessary.   
• To co-ordinate and oversee school procedures (monitoring the content and quality of report writing, grade predictions, IGCSE and IB options, IB extended essays, etc.) with respect to the faculty.   
• To maintain close contact with the librarian to ensure that the necessary supplementary resources are available to support learning in this subject area   
• To ensure the availability and appropriateness of all materials and resources necessary for the delivery of the faculty’s programme of instruction.    
• To monitor set sizes and communicate necessary changes to the assistant head (academic).   
• To keep a careful check on syllabuses, etc. of external examinations taken in the subjects and to implement modifications as required.   
• To supervise any necessary work for the setting and marking of the school’s internal examinations.   
• To keep faculty marking and assessment and other policies up to date and appropriate in the faculty documentation and intranet site.   
• To track the progress of pupils in their humanities subjects and to implement interventions in cases of identified under-achievement.    
• To oversee the faculty’s recuperação procedures (the support programme for pupils who fail to attain a passing grade in any grade round).   

Staff management   

• To line manage the other two humanities heads of department   
• To consult with the head and assistant head (academic) regarding staffing needs, recruitment and timetabling.     
• To play a significant role in the appointment of new staff in the faculty.     
• To coach and induct newcomers to the faculty in school and faculty ethos and administrative procedures.   
• To participate in the school’s staff review process including the use of lesson observations and evaluations of the quality of feedback provided to pupils.   
• To regularly deliver CPD to the faculty.   
• To ensure, when a teacher leaves the school that teaching records and resources are left in order.

Administrative   

• To prepare and submit an annual departmental budget (including book orders) in agreement with colleagues, assistant head (academic) and to supervise and control expenditure.   
• To check that each room has its proper complement of desks, chairs and equipment and that any variations are agreed with the assistant head (academic).   
• To take pride in the presentation of rooms.   
• To report damage to rooms, furniture and equipment (usually used by the department) to the service desk, to ensure that all equipment is regularly serviced, and that damaged furniture is removed and replaced.    
• To participate in heads of department meetings. 

General   

• To take part in school meetings as required.   
• To attend staff development sessions, including the middle leaders programme.   
• Undertaking such other duties and responsibilities as the Head may reasonably direct from time to time. 

Benefits

For expatriate staff the package is a two-year (renewable) contract that includes: housing allowance; furnishing allowance; grocery allowance; return flights (at the start and end of each contract); luggage allowances (outbound and return); visa expenses covered; opt-in private pension scheme; high-interest savings scheme, healthcare and dental plan, on-site lunches, and a UK-sterling salary allowance.

Safeguarding

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. The offer of the role would be made subject to receipt of satisfactory references, proof of relevant qualifications, identification checks and other safeguarding checks, an overseas check if appropriate and a pre-placement medical assessment. Proof of entitlement to work in Brazil is also required where necessary.

COVID-19: Safety measures at St. Paul’s School

The safety of our staff and pupils is a priority at St. Paul’s. We have partnered with a dedicated medical establishment and local public health teams to develop safety measures in school in order to manage potential outbreaks of COVID-19 and help to protect staff and pupils from exposure to infection, keeping the community as safe as possible.

For more information about COVID-19, click here.