Teacher of Economics

St Helen’s is an academically selective independent girls’ day school of more than 1100 students aged 3-18, set in beautiful green space in Northwood, North-West London. 

It draws pupils from a wide area of north-west London, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire with easy access by Underground from central London. 

Our aims are:  

• To provide each and every girl with the opportunity and means to achieve academic excellence; 
• To provide our students with the personal skills, emotional resilience and the confidence to achieve their full potential through a varied, rich and challenging co-curricular programme; 
• To know, value and respect all girls as individuals so as to best support them on their journey through the school; 
• To ensure that the girls are ready to play a full and active part in their communities and in an interconnected digital world.

Our students achieve high academic standards, and we encourage them to develop lifelong skills in a diverse range of areas, both within and outside the curriculum, and to pursue their individual ambitions. The School is proud of its tradition of providing a balanced and forward-looking education through which its pupils can become confident, independent learners and leaders in their fields, their professions and their communities. Attention to the individual child is at the heart of everything we do and shapes the pastoral care, teaching and learning and the co- curricular opportunities on offer at St Helen’s. 

THE ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT

Economics is only taught at A level at St Helen’s School, following the Edexcel syllabus. The Department consists of two teachers, the Head of Department and another part or full time teacher (flexibility of hours will be considered for the right candidate). 

Economics is a well-established subject within the St Helen’s Sixth Form and is one of the most popular options amongst our students. There are currently five Economics groups (three in Year 12, two in Year 13), with between six and ten students in each class. Groups are co-taught by both members of the department.

Academic standards in Economics are high, with majority of the students expected to achieve A*-A grades in this year’s cohort for their A level examinations. However, within the context of a selective intake the ability range of Economics students is broad, and the Department has a strong focus on tracking and monitoring progress and of early intervention and support to ensure that the students achieve the highest grades of which they are capable. 

At the other end of the A level process, a considerable number of students progress to study Economics and Economics-related courses at university. The person appointed to this post will need to engage closely with the UCAS application process and consider how best to prepare students for studying Economics and Economics-related courses beyond A-level. 

The person will be the link teacher to the Young Enterprise Company Programme and will oversee the smooth and efficient running of the teams. He/she will also be expected to investigate and introduce suitable enrichment activities which ensure a breadth of experience for the students studying the subject.

There is also the opportunity for a suitable appointee to take responsibility for the Deputy Head of Sixth Form role.

THE PERSON

The successful candidate will have the following qualifications, experience and personal attributes: 

• A good honours degree in a relevant or associated subject   
• A love of teaching and learning and a commitment to further professional development  
• Be able to work well with others and develop the curriculum through collaborative planning  
• Excellent classroom practice with experience of teaching Economics at KS5 level 
• Detailed understanding of current developments in the secondary curriculum and assessment  
• Be able to lead learning in their classroom, develop each child and demonstrable passion for the subject 

Desirable: 

• A teaching qualification such as PGCE or equivalent 
• Evidence of further professional development 
• Knowledge and experience of how IT can be used to support learning

The successful candidate will: 

• Be an exceptional classroom practitioner and inspiring teacher 
• Possess outstanding interpersonal and communication skills 
• Have excellent time management and organisational skills 
• Be creative, imaginative and energetic 
• Be able to motivate others

 The teacher should have knowledge and understanding of: 

• Effective learning and teaching styles 
• Theory and practice of providing effectively for the individual needs of all children (e.g. classroom organisation, planning, and teaching strategies which remove barriers to learning and which stretch and challenge able, gifted and talented pupils) 
• Monitoring, assessment, recording and reporting of pupils’ progress 
• How assessment supports effective learning 
• The need for high quality pastoral support to complement the academic experience of pupils aged 11-18 
• The Legislation concerning Equality, Health & Safety, Individual Needs and Safeguarding / Child Protection

OTHER DUTIES 

• Carry out such duties that may be reasonably required by the Headmistress or any member of the Senior Leadership Team 
• Contribute to the school’s programme of co-curricular activities 
• Maintain high professional standards of attendance, punctuality, appearance, conduct and positive, courteous relations with pupils, parents and colleagues 
• Engage actively in the appraisal and personal development process 
• Follow responsibilities as defined in the Health & Safety Policy 
• Promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young people with whom s/he comes into contact and adhere to and ensure compliance with the School’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy 
• Support and promote and School’s ethos, aims and objectives.