Teacher / Head of Drama (Permanent / Maternity Cover)

Full-time, permanent Teacher of Drama, and full or part-time Head of Drama Department (maternity-cover) - both non-residential positions, ideally for September 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Either a qualified teacher or ambitious graduate seeking Qualified Teacher Status in the future, is sought to teach or lead Drama, to pupils in Year Four upwards, including at GCSE and Level 3 BTEC Performing Arts. Applications for either role will be considered equally.

Our teachers are inspiring and creative, transforming the futures of intelligent pupils with literacy and language-related additional challenges, by empowering them. www.morehouseschool.co.uk

The School:

Nationally celebrated, More House School provides an exceptional, mainstream education for intelligent boys with Specific Learning Difficulties and weaknesses with their developmental language skills. Providing a transformative education repeatedly recognised as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted over more than a decade, we offer a specialised learning environment for 490 day and boarding boys from Year 4 to Year 13. Our pupils are taught to recognise their strengths and develop their self-belief so that they achieve independence and extraordinary results at GCSE, BTEC and A Level, above the national averages. A majority progress to university. Class-sizes are small, with a maximum of 14 pupils.

About the department:

Located in the purpose-built Simkins Centre for the Performing Arts, the Drama department affords pupils superb opportunities and experiences, delivered both within the timetabled curriculum, and through extra-curricular activities. The staff-team comprises three teachers, and an ever-creative and inspirational Wardrobe Mistress.

There are very strong links with other departments, and especially with the Music department, located a short distance from the Simkins Centre – both on-campus. The department teaches Drama and Performing Arts to pupils from Year Four upwards, and delivers GCSE Drama, and Level 3 BTEC Performing Arts. Class sizes across the school are small, with a maximum of fourteen. School productions are a strength, and many recent successes have benefitted from collaboration with female pupils from neighbouring schools. Pupils are also able to access LAMDA tuition, delivered as an activity in the afternoons by dedicated teachers.

About this post:

In order to cover maternity-leave, a qualified teacher, or graduate seeking Qualified Teacher Status in the future, is sought to provide leadership of the Drama department. In addition, due to relocation, the Headmaster seeks to appoint a permanent Teacher of Drama, similarly qualified, to teach Drama across the age-range, from Year Four to Year Thirteen. Candidates should be adaptable and self-reflective professionals who are capable of working collaboratively within a supportive team.

Teachers with a genuine wish to develop their skills in making learning opportunities successful for neuro-diverse learners thrive at More House School.

The post-holders will be able to demonstrate initiative and resilience, and be adaptable. Above all, the successful candidates will love the study of Drama and the theatre, and be able to communicate that passion to their pupils. In addition to the commitments of the teaching timetable, the post-holders are likely each to be a form-tutor, supported and led by the Head of Year.

In addition to the commitments of the teaching timetable, the post-holders will participate in the supervision-duty programme, responsible within a team of staff allocated to duties at lunch and break-times, and other times as is necessary. The writing of reports and completion of other documentation, and attendance at parent-consultation evenings and other School events, are elements of the roles.

The above list of duties is not exhaustive, and the post-holders may be required to perform such other duties as may be, from time to time, deemed appropriate by the Headmaster. These are non-residential posts.

A comprehensive induction programme is offered, and ongoing professional development is supported through INSET days and training opportunities. Lunch is provided free of charge, daily, as is parking within the School’s beautiful grounds.

More House School offers a teacher-training package to appropriate employees. Where applicable, such an employee would receive close mentoring and support during their first year in the School; after the first year of employment the school will pay for, and support the unqualified teacher to complete their PGCE with accredited Qualified Teacher Status with Buckingham University, allowing them to progress to the Early Career Framework (previously Newly Qualified Teacher) programme within the School afterwards.

Essential Qualifications:

Undergraduate degree or degree demonstrating relevant interest, knowledge and skill.

Desirable:

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), or Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS)

Hours:

8.20am until 4.30pm four days a week and 8.20am until 5.30pm one day a week during term-time (after-school club or activity). During the first year, attendance at the new staff induction programme training, from 4.30pm to 5.30pm on Monday afternoons during term-time. (Note: academic terms are typically shorter than those in the state-maintained sector, and School holidays are therefore significantly longer).

Attendance at School events outside these hours from time to time, as well as a few INSET (staff training and preparation) days towards the beginning or end of School holidays.

Remuneration and support:

• Annual salary, paid in monthly installments: extremely competitive and in accordance with qualifications, experience and recognised skills.
• Pension (Teachers’ Pension Scheme).
• Sick-pay.
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Free on-site parking within the School’s beautiful groun
• Excellent lunchtime meals at no cost in the School’s refectory.
• Comprehensive induction programme offered, and ongoing professional development supported through INSET days and training opportunities.

Safeguarding:

These roles are deemed to be ones of working in regulated activity, meaning that the post-holders may expect to come into unsupervised contact with children and young people frequently in the discharge of their duties on-campus. As such, the expectations of conduct, required of all adults working at More House School, apply to these positions, as does a full Safer-Recruitment vetting process of any appointee. A key responsibility of all adults working within the School is that of ensuring the effective safeguarding of all children and young people, through adherence to the School’s policies; full-training is given.

Interested candidates are welcome to make an appointment to visit the school for an informal visit in order to learn more about the role and setting.

Shortlisted candidates will be required to attend a face-to-face interview at the school at their own expense.

For further information, please visit our website: https://www.morehouseschool.co.uk/vacancies/teaching-and-therapeutic-staff-vacancies

Closing date for applications: Friday 10th June 2022

Interviews expected to be held on: TBC

The School reserves the right to interview appropriate candidates in advance of the above-named dates, and to appoint. Interested candidates are therefore strongly urged to submit their application as soon as possible.