Teacher of Classics (Maternity Cover)
Sevenoaks School
Sevenoaks
- Expired
- Salary:
- Sevenoaks has its own salary scale
- Job type:
- Full Time, Maternity Cover
- Start date:
- September 2018
- Apply by:
- 21 March 2018
Job overview
The School
Founded in 1432, Sevenoaks enjoys a global reputation as a centre of academic excellence and a flagship school for the International Baccalaureate. A co-educational day and boarding school, it offers a stimulating, intellectually demanding and balanced education for pupils from the age of 11 to 18.
In 2013 the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) awarded Sevenoaks School the rare accolade of ‘Exceptional’ for its students’ achievement. In the new style inspection in 2017 pupils’ achievement and personal development were judged excellent, the highest grades. Sevenoaks was also the highest performing fully co-educational school, and the one with the largest cohort, in The Sunday Times Parent Power’s top 50 fee-paying schools for the IB in 2015. In 2017 we were, for the second time in 10 years, awarded The Sunday Times Independent School of the Year for 2018.
The Campus
The school is situated in the Kent market town of Sevenoaks, and has a prime position at the top of the High Street. The 100-acre site, which includes a number of listed buildings, is beautifully landscaped and adjoins the medieval deer park of Knole. London is only a 30-minute train journey away. Gatwick International Airport is also only 30 minutes away, and there are good transport links to other London airports and the Channel Tunnel.
The school’s first-class resources and facilities include a superb sports centre (The Sennocke Centre) opened in 2005. A state-of-the-art performing arts centre (The Space), which provides four outstanding venues for music and drama, was opened in 2010. The next major projects currently underway are a Science & Technology Centre and a Sixth Form Global Study Centre, which will open in 2018, and new boarding accommodation which should be ready for occupation by 2019.
The Classics Department
Classical subjects are very well established at Sevenoaks and enjoy an excellent reputation both inside and outside the school. The Classics department consists of six teachers, one of whom is part-time. Latin, Greek and Classical Civilisation are all taught up to GCSE and IB, and for entry to Oxford and Cambridge. We use the OCR GCSE syllabus for Latin, Greek and Classical Civilisation, and we teach Higher and Standard Level courses within the IB Diploma in the Sixth Form. The department is highly qualified, energetic, diverse in its interests and dedicated to the subject and the learning of its pupils. Our base is the upper floors of Manor House, one of the most beautiful of the school’s buildings, and we enjoy an environment that is both relaxed and well-resourced.
All pupils in Year 7 take Latin as beginners. In Year 9 Latin remains compulsory for all; we run an ab initio course for beginners new to the school, as well as continuation sets for those who have been at Sevenoaks since Year 7 and those new scholarship and common entrance candidates who have studied Latin before. Our Year 9 combined Latin and Greek set has proved a great success. The Cambridge Latin Course is the principal textbook used in the first three years, and John Taylor's Greek to GCSE is used by Greek students. In Years 10 and 11, normally around 60 students opt for Latin at GCSE, with roughly 20 of these taking Greek as well.
In the Sixth Form approximately 50 students are taking at least one Classical subject. There are currently sets for Higher Level and Standard Level Latin, and for Higher Level and Standard Level Greek, shared between all six teachers. Latin and Greek are part of the Languages option at IB, and Latin remains a popular choice; we also offer Classical Greek and Roman Studies, a school-based syllabus within the Humanities section of the IB Diploma. Each year roughly five students apply to read Classics or a Classics-related degree at Oxford or Cambridge.
The Post
The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic, imaginative and well-qualified graduate who is willing to be part of a team. We believe very strongly that Classics has an important and exciting role to play in secondary education in the 21st century. We therefore seek a candidate who will contribute fully to the work of the Classics department at Sevenoaks School, and inspire real interest in our pupils. The successful applicant will ideally be able to teach the full range of what we offer, from Year 7 to Year 13, and make a useful contribution to our efforts in promoting the work of the department. We regard the co-curricular activities of the department as very important, and we aim to recruit a colleague who will participate energetically in these.
The post is to cover maternity leave for one term but, for the right candidate we would consider a one year contract especially if they could offer a second subject or help out in other areas of the school which would be discussed at interview.
Attached documents
About Sevenoaks School
Founded in 1432, Sevenoaks enjoys a global reputation as a centre of academic excellence and a flagship school for the International Baccalaureate. A co-educational day and boarding school, it offers a stimulating, intellectually demanding and balanced education for over 1200 students from ages 11 to 18.
Sevenoaks is one of the world’s leading IB schools, having taught the International Baccalaureate for over 40 years. For nearly 20 years, all Sixth Form students have taken the full IB Diploma with consistently outstanding academic results which are testament to the school’s experience and commitment to the programme.
In 2023, the average Diploma score was 39.0 points, about eight points above the world average. The Higher Education department supported applications of 246 students to universities in the UK, USA, Canada, Europe and Hong Kong with an outstanding 93 per cent progressing to their firm choice university. The majority attend Oxbridge, London universities, or other Russell Group universities such as Bristol or Durham. We also support about 20 per cent of our students in applying to international universities with increasing numbers going to North America, specifically Ivy League and top universities in the United States.
The school is situated in the Kent market town of Sevenoaks and has a prime position at the top of the high street. The 100-acre site, which includes several listed buildings and attractive gardens, is beautifully landscaped and adjoins the medieval deer park of Knole. London is only a 30-minute train ride away. Gatwick airport is only 30 minutes by car, and there are good transport links to other London airports and the Channel Tunnel.
Sevenoaks students have access to a fantastic range of facilities on campus for co-curricular pursuits, including sport, music, drama and art, at least 70 clubs and societies, a wide range of study trips and exchanges, and a well-established community service programme. Recent developments on campus include a superb sports centre, and a state-of-the-art performing arts centre, and a world-class Science and Technology Centre and a Global Study Centre for the Sixth Form. An additional boarding house for boys, a contemporary building with light, modern facilities, opened in 2019, and a new girls’ boarding house is expected to open in 2024.
With seven distinctive and comfortable boarding houses, our boarding community is fun, friendly, and busy. Boarding provides an excellent transition from home to independence and maturity; the Sixth Form boarding houses enable boys and girls to enjoy the benefits of boarding at an important stage in their school careers, and to prepare for life at university.
Accolades
In 2018 Sevenoaks School was, for the second time in 10 years, awarded The Sunday Times Independent School of the Year. In the same year, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) awarded Sevenoaks School the highest grade – ‘Excellent’ – in both categories which formed the basis of the inspection: ‘Pupils’ Achievement’ and ‘Pupils’ Personal Development’.
Teaching at Sevenoaks:
Teaching here is immensely rewarding: we work in high-performing teams towards a shared endeavour. Everyone appointed to teach at Sevenoaks School is expected to engage actively in all aspects of our broad and well-rounded education.
We want all our pupils to enjoy their subjects, to be inspired by their teachers and to become independent, lifelong learners. Teachers are enthusiastic and well-qualified graduates. We have an exceptionally lively, talented and committed staff body. We welcome applications from experienced teachers and newly-qualified teachers, but can also provide training including PGCE for those joining the profession at whatever stage. All new staff undertake a comprehensive induction programme. Sevenoaks is committed to supporting its staff with training and professional development tailored to staff needs and interests.
All teachers are involved in proactive pastoral care. All teachers participate in the co-curriculum and, as our outreach activities expand, contribute to our work with local pupils and schools. Teachers at Sevenoaks are innovative and forward-thinking many are involved in the Institutes of Teaching and Learning, Higher Education and Professional Insight, and Service and Partnerships, shaping further development and initiatives for students and staff alike.
What people say about us:
‘Tough for any university not to be an anti-climax after Sevenoaks.’ Good Schools Guide.
The International Baccalaureate
All new staff undertake a comprehensive induction programme. No previous experience of teaching the International Baccalaureate, which we have taught since 1978, is necessary; gaining experience of teaching the IB, an internationally recognised qualification which we believe offers outstanding preparation for university and beyond, is stimulating and undoubtedly a valuable career asset. Information about the IB can be found on the website www.ibo.org.
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