St Birinus School
A Specialist Language & Technology College
An Academy from September 2012
Inspiring Excellence
Dear Applicant
March 2013
Appointment of two Advanced Skills Teachers (Salary L8 – 12) for September 2013
Thank you for the interest you have shown in the very exciting positions of Advanced Skills
Teachers at St Birinus School. I hope this information pack allows you to form a clear view of the
school and encourages you to submit an application for these high-impact roles. I am enclosing
with this letter an application form, a copy of the person specification for the post, our most recent
OFSTED Report (February 2012) and some details and information about the school.
I was delighted to become the Headteacher at St Birinus School in September 2010. The school
was judged to be Good in all areas during its last OFSTED visit under the new framework and, with
my background in having worked within outstanding schools, linked to the very strong capacity to
improve that already exists within St Birinus, our remit is very clear. The Advanced Skills Teachers
appointed will play a key role in achieving this.
The vacancies offer the ambitious, energetic and highly capable applicant the opportunity to play a
very significant part in the future strategic development of the school into a truly excellent place to
learn and work. The governors, staff, students and parents are committed to continuing to serve
our community by developing the academic performance of the school, allied with our inclusive,
‘can-do’ ethos. If you feel you could contribute to our ‘highest qualities’ and ‘no excuses’ vision, we
would be very pleased to receive your application.
St Birinus became an academy in September 2012. We are a school that caters for 1000 boys
within Years 7 to 11, with a shared and mixed-gender Sixth Form of approximately 400 students.
In this Sixth Form partnership, we work very closely with Didcot Girls’ School. St Birinus is nondenominational. With our current Year 11, the 5A* - C including English and Maths, we are on
target to hit our FFTD figure of 65%. It is anticipated that our current Year 10 cohort will cross the
70% mark in 2014. In 2009, the figure was 49%, which shows you very clearly how the school is
rapidly moving forward. Our A2 target for this year is for 61% of grades to be A* - B.
The two innovative AST roles can be split into two very distinct areas. The AST for ICT will play a
lead role in overseeing the school’s use and development of ICT across the school. The school is
currently appointing a partner company to work with the school within a professionalised managed
service contract – and therefore a key part of this role will be to have operational management of
this exciting and transformational development within the school. More than anything, it will be
about overseeing the impact that ICT can have in augmenting and developing the very highest
standards within Teaching and Learning. The e-learning vision is extremely exciting – and we see
ourselves as becoming a true beacon of excellence. As a teacher, you will also be expected to
teach ICT and Computer Science within our very successful ICT curriculum team.
The AST for Literacy/ English will play a pivotal role in strategically leading the school-wide
approach to literacy. We entirely believe that literacy underpins all other learning. It is crucial that
close ‘best practice’ liaison takes place with our feeder primary schools and that the early years of
Key Stage 3 is where literacy skills are secured and developed. As well as being a leader of
literacy across the curriculum, you will also be an outstanding teacher of literacy and will
contribute significantly to showcasing best practice and teaching within the English Faculty. You
will also work alongside our Assistant Headteacher SENCo and English Faculty Leader in identifying
and working with groups of students who need extra intervention. Impact will be very important
because we know that literacy skills affect school and life-chances.
More than anything in terms of both roles, we are looking for two outstanding practitioners who
will have a very large impact on the further development of this school and on the standards of
education provided.
The persons appointed will:
Be passionate about educating young people
Be a teacher of high calibre, who is fully able to role-model and coach
Be able to inspire and motivate students and staff to give and achieve their best
Be a team player who has excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Have high levels of motivation and commitment: a ‘self-starter’ who espouses a ‘can do’
and ‘no excuses’ attitude
 Currently be an outstanding middle leader
 Be ambitious about becoming an Assistant or Deputy Headteacher as your next-step
career move





We are interested in drive, energy, vision and enthusiasm. We require people with high
expectations of themselves, of the staff and of the students. We are interested in people who
deliver – and who have a track-record of delivering.
In conclusion, St Birinus School celebrates an ethos based firmly in raising the academic and
personal achievement of all our students. It has a friendly, supportive and enthusiastic staff. In
short this school and these posts offer an outstanding opportunity for the right candidates.
The Application Process
If you would like to apply, please return the following by 4pm on Thursday 14th March, 2013.
1. A fully completed Application form
2. A letter of application which should be no longer than two sides of A4 (word processed and
using size 12 font) and which should address the following areas:
o
o
o
Which AST post appeals to you and how your personal qualities and experience todate make you the right person to fulfil this role at St Birinus School
A flavour of your vision for the role, with an emphasis on impact and raising
standards
Any other relevant supporting information.
Please return your completed application form via email to vacancy@st-birinus.oxon.sch.uk or by
post to:
Alwyn Richards
Headteacher
St Birinus School
Mereland Road
Didcot
Oxfordshire
OX11 8AZ
Finally, may I thank you for your interest in the posts. I hope you are encouraged to apply. If you
do, please know that I appreciate the time and effort needed to complete such applications.
Should you be called to interview, you will be contacted with full details.
Yours sincerely
Alwyn Richards
Headteacher