Teacher of Mathematics (one year post)

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.   Inspiring facilities, together with expert, enthusiastic and imaginative teaching, provide rich opportunities for students participating in lessons, and a wide variety of sports and the performing arts.   

The school’s international make-up and outlook promote the principles of tolerance and open-mindedness. About 350 pupils board in the seven boarding houses, and students originate from some 40 countries worldwide.   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 Mathematics Department 

The department comprises a large, lively and exceptionally well-qualified team of 17 mathematicians.  Mathematics is taught in Old School, a beautiful stone building designed by the Earl of Burlington, with classrooms enjoying sweeping views of Knole Park.  Each classroom is equipped with a desktop PC and data projector, and the department uses two dedicated computer suites.  The department teaches all Sevenoaks students in all years, a mathematics course being included in every pupil’s IB diploma.  We are thus virtually unique in the United Kingdom, in that every Sevenoaks student studies Mathematics for the full seven years of their secondary education.  There is a collaborative spirit within the department, and its members’ wide range of specialised interests gives it real strength.  Ideas, resources and responsibilities are shared.  

The Head of Department delegates specific responsibilities to members of the department and welcomes individual creativity and initiative.  Students are settled in all year groups, apart from Year 7.  Pupils in Years 7 are taught in four class groups of about 20, and set sizes in Years 8, 9, 10 and 11 range from eight to 24.  Year 9, 10 and 11 candidates are prepared for the Edexcel IGCSE course. 

All our students take part in national mathematical competitions, and the top five sets take Additional Mathematics alongside their IGCSE in Year 11. There are three main courses in the Sixth Form IB Mathematics programme: Higher Level, Standard Level, and Mathematics Studies Standard Level.  Higher Level is a demanding Pure Mathematics course for specialist mathematicians.  Standard Level is an equally demanding techniques course which supports other subjects; Mathematics Studies Standard Level is a more basic course accessible to all Sevenoaks students. 

The Post  

The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic and well-qualified graduate who will contribute to the development of Mathematics at Sevenoaks and be capable of stretching and inspiring motivated students, instilling a passion for the subject.  The post involves teaching Mathematics across the year groups and ability ranges.  We would welcome applications from experienced teachers or teachers new to the profession.  A commitment to excellent pastoral care, enriching co-curricular activities and outreach activities is also expected.