Kingdown Community School Science Faculty
Information for Applicants – March 2011
Kingdown has a highly successful Science Faculty. We pride ourselves on the excellent standard of
our teaching, our results, and the enjoyment we get from working in a stimulating, supportive and
friendly atmosphere. I hope you gain a clear impression of our Faculty from these pages, and that
you feel this is the type of work environment which would suit you. I look forward to receiving your
application!
NATHALIE HILL
Head of Faculty
1. Faculty Structure and Main Responsibilities
We are the largest Faculty in the school - there are currently 14 teachers in the Science Department,
supported by a team of 5 technicians. Teaching and Learning Responsibilities (TLR’s) in the Science
Department are as follows:
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Head of Faculty:
Deputy Head of Faculty/Head of KS3 Science:
Head of KS4 Science:
Head of Vocational Science:
Head of KS5 Science :
Nathalie Hill (Biology)
Gemma Felgate (Biology)
Katie Thompson (Biology)
Bernie Garforth (Applied Science)
Dave Thompson (Chemistry)
A number of smaller responsibilities also exist within the Department (e.g. SEN co-ordinator, Science Week
Co-ordinator, Nature Area Manager, AG&T Co-ordinator, Heads of Subject), which are currently
undertaken by colleagues with a particular interest in these areas. Our Head of Physics (Dave Locke) is also
an Assistant Headteacher: School Improvement.
Each of the ‘A’ Level subjects has a dedicated technician who is responsible for monitoring and maintaining
equipment, ordering new stock and providing day to day support (particularly during periods of research
investigations). The role of the technicians has been expanded, to incorporate more extensive in-class
support in addition to the ‘traditional’ preparation and maintenance of apparatus.
2. Professional Development
Kingdown prides itself on the quality of the professional development opportunities it offers to both its
own staff, and to others. We have a comprehensive NQT induction programme, including regular
professional development, INSET meetings and training, and the allocation of a subject mentor (from the
Science Faculty) and a teaching ‘buddy’ (a recently qualified teacher from a different Faculty), to offer help
and support during the first few months in teaching. The Science Department also has very close links with
Bath University and acts as both a 'Home School’ and a ‘Complementary School’ to between two and four
PGCE Science students each year. All of the Faculty become involved in their training and we pride
ourselves on giving them a very supportive environment in which to begin their teaching careers. We are
also often asked to give both UK and International students a ‘taster’ of what teaching is like in a successful
British comprehensive school, and have run INSET courses for other schools recently on a range of aspects
of learning and leadership in Science.
Newposts /Teacher of Science: Faculty Information
3. Curriculum
Key Stage 3
We have recently re-worked our KS3 curriculum cutting it down to a 2½ year scheme. Our ethos is to teach
fun, practical filled lessons that deliver skills as well as content so that our learners enter KS4 as more
independent learners. We use a Kingdown produced scheme as the basis for our teaching, but we
encourage teacher autonomy as long as the required content is covered and the assessment scheme used.
The scheme is extremely detailed, including learning objectives, suggested teaching plans and starter and
plenary ideas on a lesson-by-lesson basis. We are also teaching APP through topic based projects that are
peer assessed. All staff adapt schemes and add resources as the year progresses and we are incredibly
proud of the quality of our schemes. Progress is monitored by a series of end of topic tests based on SATs
questions, levelled homework’s and the peer levelled APP.
We teach pupils in mixed ability sets in Year 7 apart from two groups called 7S5 who are identified as
advanced learners from Primary school. In Year 8 we have four higher ability ‘extension’ groups, four
‘standard’ groups, and one ‘foundation’ group. In Year 9 we set all 10 teaching groups on ability from 9S1
to 9S10.
Our KS3 SATs results have been consistently strong, with the Faculty remaining within the top 10% of
schools nationally on a value-added basis for the past three years. In 2010 the percentage of students
achieving Level 5+ was 86.5% with 16% at Level 6 and 15% at Level 7.
Key Stage 4
We are currently redesigning our curriculum in light of the government changes to Education and the new
AQA Science GCSE’s launched this year. We aim to provide an appropriate and stimulating curriculum for
all our students, whether they wish to obtain the English Baccalaureate or not.
We have three bands of setting. The top sets are those pupils who have chosen to study the Separate
Sciences and will do Biology, Chemistry and Physics taught by specialist teachers over 2 years.
The rest of the year group will study Science in Context (Science B AQA) which we are writing as an applied
style course with plenty of controlled assessment practice. In Year 11 we expect around 25 pupils to opt to
study Additional Science in order to obtain the English Baccalaureate qualification along with those doing
the separate sciences. The rest of the cohort will follow the fun, motivational AQA applied course,
Additional Applied Science. This course leads on to the ‘A’ Level in Applied Science, but not ‘A’ Level
Biology, Chemistry or Physics. Finally, we have one foundation level group, who will study the Science in
Context over 2 years.
All staff are capable of teaching all three main Sciences at KS4, although we ensure that our higher ability
sets have modules taught by subject specialists wherever possible. We have a wide range of teaching
materials available, and follow our own detailed teaching schemes which we plan to rewrite for the new
GCSEs in the summer term.
In the last exam series we collated results from the seven different science GCSEs that we offered.
Students performed at or above their target levels in all courses. These results place us amongst the
highest attaining schools in Wiltshire; our value added scores place us amongst the highest performing
Science faculties in the country.
Key Stage 5
With the curriculum remodel at KS5 from September 2008, we have adopted AQA as our examination
board for all ‘A’ Level courses. This will offer the many students who take two and often all three
Newposts /Teacher of Science: Faculty Information
‘traditional’ sciences at KS5 a commonality of approach and vocabulary, as well as significant overlap on
ISAs or EMPAs, which will be of great benefit to these students.
In a climate of students opting for what they think are ‘easier’ ‘A’ Level subjects it is a challenge to us to
ensure that our numbers opting for the sciences remain high. It is therefore crucial that we have a
passionate desire to teach our specialist subject, and have a talent for imparting this information to the
most able students in a fun and challenging way, not only at ‘A’ Level standard, but lower down the school
as well. The numbers of students taking the Sciences at Kingdown has more than doubled over the past
four years – in direct opposition to national trends!
4. Faculty Accommodation and Resources
The Science Faculty is housed together in one block and comprises 12 laboratories, a large main prep-room
and 5 smaller rooms which double as prep-rooms and office space. All full time science teachers in the
Faculty have their own room in which they teach and we are on a rolling programme of laboratory
refurbishment for our oldest laboratories. We have good facilities, including the use of several computers
for staff use only (in addition to a staff computer/projector in each classroom), and a wide variety of
resource materials – including a number of class sets of different text books and a selection of videos now
on the media server so they are easy to show in class. In addition, we have a purpose-built science
datalogging laboratory (30 fixed PC’s and 30 wireless laptops).
5. Extra-Curricular Activities
In the past few years we have been running a successful Science Club for the Gifted and Talented. This has
involved the use of computer simulations and a range of practical work, working towards the BA Crest
Awards at Silver and Gold level. One of our students has been so successful at this scheme that he has
been invited to Downing Street to discuss his views on Science teaching in the UK! We also participate fully
in National Science Week, where we take KS3 off curriculum in lesson time to fulfil a fun competition
project.
6. Further Information
The Ethos of the Science Department
The Science Faculty at Kingdown is a successful, dynamic, forward thinking and risk-taking Faculty. We are
keen to embrace new developments which enhance the learning experience we provide for our learners.
We aim to instil a life long interest in science in our pupils, and provide them with skills they can use no
matter what their future profession. The Faculty has a supportive, friendly atmosphere where new ideas
and approaches are welcomed and openly discussed. We always aim to make our science lessons
challenging, stimulating and fun and achieve this through careful planning and creating high quality
resources.
OFSTED Report, March 2008
The most recent Ofsted inspection of the school rated Kingdown as an ‘Outstanding’ school. You can read
the report in detail at www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_reports/display/(id)/94695, or via the link on the school
website (www.kingdown.wilts.sch.uk).
We underwent an internal self-evaluation week in November 2007, which also resulted in the Science
Faculty achieving an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the Senior Leadership Team.
Newposts /Teacher of Science: Faculty Information
What Sort of Person Do We Want?
The focus for our Faculty is firmly on ‘teaching and learning’, and looking at ways of improving and
enhancing the learning experience our students receive. We are therefore looking first and foremost for
an excellent classroom practitioner who can bring new ideas and approaches to the Faculty. We will also
require enthusiasm, hard work and a sense of humour. In return we will offer you support when you need
it, excellent career progression and training, as well as a stimulating and vibrant working atmosphere. If
you are looking for a new challenge in a supportive environment with a like-minded team of professionals
then we would love to hear from you – and will look forward to meeting you at interview. Applications are
welcomed from both NQT’s and experienced colleagues alike, specialising in 'A' Level Physics.
Job Description
Teacher of Science and Physics
We are looking for an enthusiastic and innovative Teacher of Science and Physics to join a strong,
successful and hardworking Faculty. The successful candidate will above all have excellent classroom skills
and be able to play a full role in the development of Science and Physics within the school. The detailed
role will be subject to negotiation.
The successful applicant will:
1. Be capable of excellent quality teaching, working with others to develop Physics within the Faculty;
2. Contribute to the development of teaching modules at KS3, KS4 and KS5;
3. Actively contribute to the aims and ethos of the Science Department.
The successful applicant will be:
1. An excellent classroom practitioner - one who utilises a range of successful teaching
methodologies, but also someone who is open to new ideas, and who is willing and able to
share these strategies with others.
2. Someone with an enthusiasm for Science, and Physics in particular, and who is able to convey that
enthusiasm to pupils of all ages.
3. Someone with a good understanding of the more complex concepts in Physics, and who is able to
communicate these simply and effectively to students.
4. Someone who is ambitious, will be willing to take extra responsibility when the need arises, and
who is looking to develop their career further.
5. Someone who can work well in a team, and can share ideas both informally and formally.
6. Someone who is competent and enthusiastic about the use of ICT in Science.
7. Someone who knows when to stop, relax and say ‘no’ in a difficult and demanding job.
8. Someone who is willing to take a share in extra curricular responsibility in the
form of clubs, trips and lectures etc., and be able to organise these successfully.
NB: SCHOOL PROSPECTUS
Should you wish to view a copy of the School Prospectus please go to www.kingdown.wilts.sch.uk 
Documents  School Prospectus
Newposts /Teacher of Science: Faculty Information