Teacher of Photography (3 month Fixed-term Contract) at More House School

A qualified teacher, or ambitious graduate seeking to commence a career in education, is sought to teach Photography across the age range, including for GCSE and A’ Level. An ability also to teach Creative Media would be an advantage.

Our teachers are inspiring and creative, supporting one another in 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 boys with Specific Learning Difficulties. 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.

Delivering a mainstream independent-school experience, both academically and socially, the very broad curriculum affords all pupils the opportunity to discover their strengths, challenging them to fulfil their academic and extra-curricular potential. All boys who attend More House are individually timetabled, with many receiving support through the on-site Learning Development Centre and its qualified therapeutic staff. Judged ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in its last four School inspections, our most recent inspection (March 2019) graded More House School ‘Outstanding’ overall, and ‘Outstanding’ in each of the six sub-sections of the report. More House is CReSTeD approved, listed in their Specialist Schools category, and is a member of the Independent Schools Association and the Boarding Schools’ Association.

About the department:

GCSE and A’ Level Photography, BTEC Level 1, 2 and 3 Art and Design and BTEC Level 1, 2 and 3 Creative Media Studies are all delivered from the Visual Arts department. Each subject is popular with our pupils who enjoy exploring the more creative subjects. The department is geographically based close to Main House, in the centre of the school’s site, and comprises three Art studios, a large Photography studio and a purpose-built Media suite. The department is led by Mr Chris Aldred who is also the Media subject-lead. Alongside Chris there are three full-time teachers (two Art and one Photography), and the whole department supports one another as a strong team in the delivery of Visual Arts across the whole school. 

About the Post

This is an exciting fixed-term post for an enthusiastic, talented teacher - either qualified, or a graduate seeking to commence an exciting career in teaching - to develop their enjoyment and expertise in delivering the teaching and learning of Photography for pupils aged eleven to eighteen, including GCSE and A’ Level. You will be an adaptable and self-reflective professional who is capable of working collaboratively within a supportive team.

Relationships:

• The post-holder is responsible to the Headmaster in all matters, is supported by and reports to the Head of Department in respect of academic matters, and the Head of Year in respect of pastoral matters.
• The position includes the normal duties of form-tutor.
• The successful applicant must also interact effectively on a professional level with colleagues, and seek to establish and maintain productive relationships with all. 

Person Specification:

Essential

• Undergraduate degree evidencing study in a relevant subject-area.
• An ability or potential to teach and differentiate for intelligent pupils with different learning challenges (much guidance and training is provided).
• Ability to make effective use of strategies to motivate and engage all pupils as effective learners and to promote good student relationships and outcomes.
• Evidence of a commitment to own professional development in relation to the teaching and study of Photography.
• Competence with basic Information Technology applications, including those within the Office 365 suite and creative design packages associated with Photography.
• Ability to create a stimulating learning environment to inspire pupils.

Desirable

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), or Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS).
• Experience of teaching Photography at GCSE and A’ level.
• Experience in teaching and supporting pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties, Developmental Language Disorder and associated conditions.
• Experience of delivering extra-curricular activities, including educational visits.
• Recent professional development relative to the subject area.
• Experience of using a school Management Information System (MIS), such as SIMS, iSAMS or Engage. (The School uses Engage).

Hours:

8.20 am until 4.30 pm four days a week during term-time and 8.20 am until 5.30 pm one day a week 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 days towards the beginning or end of School holidays.

Remuneration and support:

• Annual salary, paid in monthly instalments: extremely competitive and in accordance with qualifications, experience and recognised skills;
• Pension (currently the Teachers’ Pensions Scheme);
• Sick-pay;
• Employee Assistance Programme;
• Free on-site parking within the School’s beautiful grounds;
• 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, including for nationally-accredited qualifications.

Safeguarding:

This role is deemed to be one of working in regulated activity, meaning that the post-holder 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 this position, 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.

Closing date for applications: 20th February 2023

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. 

This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS clearance and the receipt of satisfactory references before a formal job offer is confirmed.

More House School is firmly committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.