JOB DESCRIPTION/PERSON SPECIFICATION
Teacher of Science or NQT Science Teacher
Required as soon as possible after April 2015
Recruitment package possible to attract an outstanding NQT teacher with an early start
arranged for June/July 2015
A responsibility payment may be possible for a suitably qualified candidate
The School
Information pertaining to the school can be found in the leaflet ‘Opportunities at The Canterbury
High School’ and by reading the Ofsted Report (May 2012). On October 7th 2010 The Canterbury
High and The Canterbury Primary School both converted to academy status under the 2010 Act.
The Academy’s Structure
The Canterbury Academy is a complex organisation and consists of The Canterbury Primary School
(200 pupils), The Canterbury High School (approx 900+ students), The Canterbury High School 6th
form of approx 325 students (expected to grow to 400 in September 2013), including those in the
elite sports and performing arts academies) and 14-24 The Enterprise & Employability College. The
Academy has a distributed leadership structure. There is an executive principal and an executive
senior vice principal with responsibility for all of it. Each component part of the academy has its own
head. The head of the Canterbury High School is Jon Watson; the head of The Canterbury Primary
School is Bev Farrell; the head of the 6th form is Rachel Meehan; and, the head of The Enterprise &
Employability College is Celia Buxton. The Academy is now also responsible for The Canterbury &
Swale ACP and for Canterbury’s Youth Service. All parts of the academy are full.
The Academy will build its future upon 4 pillars of excellence – excellence in Sport, excellence in
Performing Arts, excellence in practical learning and excellence in academic attainment. These
pillars will all be supported by partnerships. Excellence in sport will be supported, for example, by
Gillingham FC; excellence in Performing Arts will be supported by The Marlowe Theatre; excellence
in practical learning will be supported by Denne; excellence in academic attainment will be supported
by Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys. The innovative partnership with Simon Langton
Grammar School for Boys is very important to both schools; indeed, in their recent Inspection
(November 2013), which judged them ‘outstanding’, Ofsted opined,
‘The benefits of these two schools working together are considerable on both sides.’
Post 16 these will feed into and further develop the existing elite academies in practical learning, in
sport and in performing arts. There is a very successful dance academy in the 6th form.
The Science Department (staffing and resources)
The Head of Subject is Mr. Matt Harris. There are 8 other full time teachers of science. There are
two excellent science technicians and a dedicated science classroom based teaching assistant. Science
teaching takes place in its 6 dedicated and modern science laboratories. The rooms have ICT and
projection facilities.
The Department (curriculum)
In years 7 & 8 the department has 6 discrete periods out of 50 to deliver the National Curriculum.
GCSE Science teaching is started in Year 9 to allow the learners the best opportunity to achieve
additional science by the end of Year 11.
In Key Stage 4 all students get 6 hours of science over two weeks as core provision. Students may
also opt to take additional lessons of science as part of the school’s personalised curriculum pathways.
It is expected that all students will gain a Level 2 and that the majority will gain a double Level 2
qualification in science. Science is a forward-looking department, which offers a range of
qualifications to enable all students to succeed.
Science has attained very highly and is, using the new Ofsted ‘dashboard’, the best performing core
subject.
The faculty currently offers AS Applied Science and As Biology, with potential to offer Chemistry
and Physics in the future. There is a possibility of Level 3 teaching within the Canterbury 6th Form
partnership collaboration between 4 schools and the College of FE in the city. We are interested in
Level 3 BTEC Science qualifications.
Teacher of Science
What we are looking for is someone:
to teach across the age and ability range
who is up to date with current thinking on science with an interest in cross curricular science
who has, or will acquire, a track record of success particularly but not exclusively in
examination results
who will take responsibility for developing an aspect of the department or school as agreed
who will take responsibility for developing other members of the team
who thinks teaching is fun
who wants to develop teaching & learning styles
who is positive and enthusiastic
who will have high expectations of the students
who will promote extracurricular activities
who is dedicated, conscientious, hard working and can do things rather than explain why things
can’t be done
who believes that schools can make a difference and that they can make a difference to this
school
The Opportunity
The Canterbury High School converted to academy status in October 2010 (2010 Act). The
Canterbury High School has sport as a specialism. It also excels in performing arts and vocational
education. We are also nationally regarded in terms of ‘Workforce Remodelling’. The Canterbury High
School is also part of an unusual federation including a local primary school, pre-school and nursery,
sports centre, tennis centre, Enterprise 7 Employability College, adult education and with links to the
East Kent Schools’ Hospital Service, which is on site. Together, this co-location of facility forms The
Canterbury Community Campus. The school was identified in Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector’s Annual
Report for 2005 and 2009 as ‘outstanding’. The campus was the first all through provider in the
country to gain QiSS/QES ‘advanced’ extended service designation and the first to be revalidated
January 2011. The school is also a NCSL National Leadership Development Centre for trainee
headteachers and a strategic partner and board member of the East Kent Learning Alliance (EKLA),
which is a teaching school alliance.
The support and guidance given to new staff was also judged, like many things, to be ‘excellent’. The
vacancy offers the ambitious, energetic, experienced and capable applicant this opportunity to join a
team with excellent facilities in a very successfully and nationally recognized school. We believe it
will provide a stepping stone to future advancement. Indeed, it is policy to recruit talented teachers
and then professionally develop them in what we call our ‘greenhouse culture’.
In conclusion, The Canterbury High School is a successful school. We are oversubscribed. It is a
positive school with an ethos based firmly in raising the academic and personal achievement of all its
students. It is an enterprising and dynamic school. It has a friendly, supportive and enthusiastic staff.
In short this school and this post offers an outstanding opportunity for the right candidate to develop
their career. If you wish to come and have a look at us then please feel free to ring the school and
arrange a time and we'll make sure someone will be available to show you round. If you can’t get to see
us then you can log on to our website (which is being updated).
Our strap line is simple, ‘to improve the life chances of children and to help in the community’. If you
subscribe to, and believe in, our philosophy that every child is good at something, that we should offer
“ as much as possible, as often as possible, to as many as possible “, that every young person will
achieve and feel you can contribute to the school’s continued success then please apply. In your letter
of application please outline your achievements to date, your vision for successful science teaching,
how you are equipped to deliver this and any other strengths you have.
Please apply online today via TES HireWire (preferred) or send your completed application form,
letter of application and C.V. to:recruitment@canterbury.kent.sch.uk
Mr. J Watson
Head of School
The Canterbury High School,
Knight Avenue,
Canterbury, Kent
CT2 8QA
as soon as possible
Finally, may I thank you for your interest. I hope you are encouraged to apply. If you do but do not
hear from us please assume your application has not been successful. We are not being rude but are
merely economizing. Should you be called for interview you will be contacted with full details as to the
date and format of the selection process. Either way, may I take this opportunity to wish you all the
best in your career.
If you wish to discuss anything about this post or the school please feel free to ring me on 01227
463971 and I’ll quite happily answer any questions you may have.
Regards,
Jon Watson
Head of School