Teacher of Geography (Subject lead)

The Isles of Scilly are a geography teacher’s dream location. Situated 28 miles out into the Atlantic from Land’s End, they have been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) since 1975. The AONB designation is unusual in that it covers the entire archipelago, including the uninhabited islands and rocks, with some islands being designated ‘scheduled landscapes’ as a result of their rich, visible histories. The ancient granite landscape, coastal habitats, heathlands and wetlands offer great opportunities for engaging with biodiversity and geological conservation, while issues of land management, development and community vitality bring human geography to life. At Five Islands Academy, we connect closely with innovative local sustainability initiatives, and are working towards our Eco-Schools Green Flag Award, a project led by the geography through school team.

Five Islands Academy is a smaller-than-average, voluntary controlled Church of England through school serving the five inhabited Isles of Scilly communities of Bryher, St Agnes, St Martins, St Mary’s and Tresco. There are around 260 students on roll across four school sites. Secondary students and the majority of primary students are based on the Carn Gwaval multi age site on St Mary’s. This new building was opened in 2011 and provides a bright, open, well-resourced learning environment for the students. 

Five Islands Academy became an academy on 1 January 2019 and joined the Leading Edge Academies Partnership. Significant changes in school leadership, staffing and governance over the last three years have transformed the quality of education, the behaviour of students, their personal development, and provision and outcomes for children with SEND. Average Progress 8 over the past three years is +0.78. We are proud that our students continued to receive a very high standard of education during the recent Covid-19 lockdowns, with over 98% online attendance to their full timetable of lessons and almost uninterrupted progress. This has meant we have been able to focus our ‘recovery’ programme on community-rebuilding, wellbeing and opportunities for adventurous learning.

Central to our academy transformation has been the development of a through school curriculum that nurtures curious, collaborative, creative global learners with rich knowledge and confident oracy, underpinned by our commitments to restorative practice, to being wholly inclusive and understanding of a wide range of SEND needs, and by our engagement with our surroundings and heritage. The school takes every opportunity to learn outdoors, while also ensuring that our children have access to as many of the opportunities as possible that their mainland counterparts enjoy in order to support involvement with competitive sport and to boost their cultural capital. 

Please explore our prospectus and short video tour on our website here to find out more.

Purpose of the job

As a Secondary Teacher of Geography at Five Islands Academy, you are responsible for the learning and achievement of every child in your classes from Year 7 to Year 11. You are expected to co-construct and implement a rigorous and relevant curriculum. Within this role you will ensure full coverage of the national curriculum, and follow the academy’s Teaching & Learning Protocols. You will be expected to prepare students effectively for GCSE and to ensure that they have the rich knowledge and skills to succeed in education post-16. You will have high expectations of every student and provide challenge and support to enable every child to achieve at the highest level. You will also be expected to collaborate as Subject Lead with your Primary Subject Lead team, to ensure that the curriculum is securely sequenced from 3-16 and makes the most of our unique natural environment as well as making powerful connections with the wider world.