Teacher of Physics

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and inspiring Teacher of Physics to teach Year 7 up to GCSE as part of our Senior School, providing maternity cover for 2 terms from January 2020. The ideal candidate will have a degree in Physics, a good level of current subject knowledge and experience of teaching physics to public examination classes.

 The Department

There are 13 members of staff who work closely and enthusiastically to provide a high-quality education for all the pupils at St Edmund’s School, whatever their ability. The department is friendly and forward-looking, aiming to constantly improve the pupils’ experience of Science. 

Facilities

The department is housed in a self-contained, two-storey building. There are seven well-equipped teaching laboratories and a multi-purpose classroom in addition to a prep room for each sub-department. Every teaching room has a multi-media projector and internet/WIFI access. Every member of the teaching staff has an office. Excellent audio-visual and reprographic facilities are available in the department. 

Staffing and Teaching  

The department consists of 14 graduate teachers (we have four Biologists, three chemists and four physicists, one who is part-time) and three experienced full-time technicians. The Head of Science (also the Head of Biology) has overall responsibility for Science teaching from Years 7 – 13 and she works closely with the Heads of Chemistry and Physics. 

 The Senior School operates a two week timetable running on a 30 period week from Monday to Friday with each lesson being 55-60 minutes long.  Members of staff with no other major responsibilities may expect to teach up to 35 periods a fortnight, although a probationary teacher would have a reduced timetable. 

Courses 

The pupils in Years 7 and 8 follow the three separate Sciences on a rotation of three blocks each of approximately ten weeks. During each ten-week block, 3 hours per Science per fortnight plus an hour of Science skills teaching a fortnight, following the AQA Activate 1 scheme of work covering most of the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum. In each year, there are three teaching groups: two groups of a similar ability and a third, higher ability group. Pupils do not sit the Common Entrance Examination. 

During the first year of the Senior School (Lower 5th/Year 9) pupils study the separate Sciences (3 hours per science per fortnight). There are four teaching groups based on ability and the pupils complete the programme of AQA Activate 2 study for Key Stage 3 and lay foundations for GCSE.  

In Years 10 and 11 there will be five teaching sets (based on ability) from September 2019. The pupils have 9 hours per week of Science per fortnight. Set sizes are typically between 10 and 20 pupils. 

At GCSE level the department follows the AQA specification with the intention that the most able pupils will achieve a GCSE in each of the separate Sciences. The majority of pupils will follow the AQA GCSE Combined Science Trilogy specification leading to the award of two Science GCSEs at the end of Year 11. Pupils can choose AS and A2 courses in AQA Chemistry, OCR Biology and AQA Physics. Pupils have eight lessons per week and sets consist of fewer than 12 pupils. 

Person Specification

• The successful candidate is likely to have some, or all, of the following attributes: 
•  A degree in Physics
• A good level of current subject knowledge
• Experience of teaching Physics to public examination classes
•  An approach to teaching that is varied and flexible, including a willingness to develop skills in the use of ICT as a teaching and learning tool
• The ability to communicate effectively, both orally and on paper
•  Sound classroom management skills
• The ability to relate well to pupils of all abilities and to a wide age range
• The ability to deal confidently with sensitive issues concerning pupil welfare
• Good organisational skills; reliability in working to deadlines

Applications

Applications must include a completed Teaching Staff Application Form, full curriculum vitae and a concise covering letter outlining their suitability for the post.

Further particulars can be obtained from the school’s website www.stedmunds.org.uk