Teacher of Geography

Contract type: Permanent

Hours: Full time

Salary: A very attractive and competitive package is offered

Anticipated start date: Required for September 2023

Closing date: 28th February 2023

Interviews: Expected week commencing 6th March 2023 

Stowe seeks an enthusiastic and inspirational Teacher of Geography.

The successful candidate will be a dynamic classroom practitioner with an energetic and forward-thinking approach to teaching up to and including GCSE and A Level.

A willingness to contribute fully to the Department while also adding to the extra-curricular and pastoral life of a busy boarding school is essential.

Stowe School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.  Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. 

The School reserves the right to withdraw the advert before the closing date. 

Purpose of the job:

To support the Head of Department in the delivery of the highest standards of pupil learning and teaching, and of achievement.

The Geography Department: 

Geography is one of the key departments in the Humanities Faculty and attracts great numbers of Stoics at both GCSE and A Level. Within the Department and under the HoD there are seven other teachers, many of whom hold other key posts within the school. The Department will follow the OCR Board at A level and Edexcel International at GCSE with the specification changes in 2016. The Department achieves notable academic results in addition to significant Value Added achievements.

Annual Field Trips are an important part of all exam courses and are managed and taught by Stowe staff. From 2016 an annual overseas fieldtrip will take place and this started with Iceland during the Easter break 2016. A school Geographical Society exists to engage Stoics with guest speakers from across the broad spectrum of geographical studies.

The department consists of six dedicated geography classrooms, all equipped with interactive whiteboards, projectors and wifi.

The Curriculum:

3^rd Form (Year 9):  All pupils have two lessons of 40 minutes each in the Michaelmas Term at the end of which they make their GCSE choices. They then study one of the GCSE topics from the new Edexcel International specification in four lessons per week.

3^rd, 4^th and 5^th Form (KS4):  For GCSE, pupils will study the Edexcel International GCSE specification and optional modules will include hot deserts, river landscapes and coastal landscapes.

A-level: Pupils will follow the OCR Specification from 2016, with optional modules selected of – Coastal landscapes, Global Migration, Power and Borders, Hazardous Earth and Climate Change.

Numbers at GCSE are very healthy with an average of 90 pupils selecting it as an option each year. At A-level the numbers total around 120 across L6th and U6th (Yr12 and 13).

The Department has pages on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) with information about homework, prep and lessons.  The site also contains revision guides, extension pages and links to helpful areas on the internet.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

To promote the aims of the School at all times with colleagues, parents, pupils and the public.

To play a full part in a seven day a week boarding School with commitment to teaching, pastoral care, extra-curricular activities and School duties.​

To play a full part in a seven day a week boarding School with commitment to teaching, pastoral care, extra-curricular activities and School duties.

To provide professional high quality teaching, with the effective use of appropriate resources and the highest standards of learning and achievement of all pupils.

To attend all appropriate Health & Safety (COSHH) and Child Protection training issues related to the pupils, School and Department.

​Key Tasks

Teaching

To enable pupils to acquire knowledge and make progress according to their current level of attainment so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subject taught. 

To foster in pupils the application of intellectual, physical or creative effort, interest in their work, and the ability to think and learn for themselves. 

To create well-planned lessons and deliver through effective and appropriate teaching methods, activities and management of class time. 

To show a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils and ensure these are taken into account in lesson-planning. 

To utilise effective strategies for managing behaviour and encouraging pupils to act responsibly. 

To teach, according to their educational needs, the pupils assigned to him/her, including the setting and marking of work to be carried out by the pupils in class, prep and elsewhere. 

To assess, record and report on pupils’ development, progress and attainment and for all such records to be kept in mark books (either paper copy or electronic) to be scrutinised and verified by the Head of Department or a member of SMT. 

To work with, and under the instruction and guidance of, the Head of the Department(s) to which the teacher is assigned, in the preparation and development of courses of study, teaching materials, teaching programmes. 

To carry out the terms of a departmental job description arrived at after individual discussion and consultation with the Head of Department(s) or manager to whom the teacher is assigned. 

To contribute to the development of the curriculum, and to be aware of the latest thinking in both subject and the national curricula.  

To staff clinics and other academic support measures according to the timetables and needs of the pupils. 

To teach/act as supervisor in the Projects Department as and when required by the Deputy Head (Academic) 

Social and moral welfare of pupils

To take responsibility for the educational, social and moral welfare of pupils in the context of Stowe's boarding community.  

To assist the Housemaster/mistress of the boarding house to which he/she is assigned, as required by the Headmaster. For Junior School Tutors, this will normally involve a regular, weekly evening duty supervising pupils, occasional supervision of early prep and some weekend events as needed. 

Tutorial work

To provide guidance and advice to tutees assigned to him/her, on their academic programmes, timetables, methods of study, study skills, further education and future careers, including information about sources of more expert advice on specific questions, making relevant records and reports. 

To attend any Personal, Social and Health Education tutorial sessions as specified for his/her tutor group by the Senior Tutor. 

To communicate and consult with the parents of pupils to communicate and co-operate with persons or organisations inside and outside the School in order to promote the social and moral welfare of pupils. 

To participate in meetings arranged for any of the purposes above. 

Games and extra-curricular activities 

All staff are expected to assist with, and be involved in, the provision of both games and extra-curricular activities. The nature of that assistance will naturally vary according to the experience, skills and aptitudes of individual staff. Nevertheless, in a boarding community, all staff can expect to be called upon during the week and at weekends, to contribute to this essential part of the School's educational provision. 

Assessments and reports

To provide or contribute to oral and written assessments, reports and references relating to individual pupils and groups of pupils.

Performance Review and Professional Development 

To keep abreast of developments in their subject(s) and its teaching methods in order to maintain a high level of professional competence; checking exam board websites regularly for specification updates and exam information and to attend exam board Inset. Staff should also participate in arrangements within the agreed framework for review and professional development, including INSET.

Discipline, Health and Safety

To maintain good order and discipline among pupils and safeguarding their health and safety both on the School premises and when they are engaged in School and other activities elsewhere, within the framework of the Health and Safety Policy documents. 

To adhere to and manage all appropriate Health & Safety legislation, risk assessments and Child Protection training issues related to the Department. 

Cover

To supervise and, where possible, teach pupils whose teacher is not available, as well as invigilating examinations when required.

Meetings

To participate in all meetings which relate to the School curriculum, School organisation and school administration and to attend Chapel, assemblies and other School events as required by the Head.

Public Examinations

Staff should participate in arrangements for preparing pupils for public examinations and assess pupils for the purposes of such examinations. Teachers should also record and report such assessments and supervise and invigilate pupils during such examinations.

School Duties

To undertake the supervision of pupils at meal times, in detention, on School journeys and on School premises as required by the duty rota. 

Management and Administration 

To contribute to the induction and support of new and probationary teachers. 

To be committed to continuing career and professional development.  

To ensure compliance with the current teaching staff handbook. 

This job description reflects the present requirements of the post and as duties and responsibilities change/develop, the job description will be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the post holder.

Date agreed:  February 2023 

Person Specification

The selection of candidates for short-listing will be based on this specification and candidates should bear this in mind when preparing their application and completing the application form:

To apply now , please download the application form for this job here. We look forward to receiving your application.