BRIEF INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYMENT APPLICANTS
Brune Park Community College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young
people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
GOSPORT
Gosport is a town of about 80,000 people and lies on the south coast of Hampshire, facing the Isle of Wight.
Across the harbour is Portsmouth and the historical Naval Base. Beyond Portsmouth are the South Downs.
Fareham lies a few miles northwest of Gosport, beyond which is Southampton and the New Forest. The railway
stations at Portsmouth and Fareham provide good links to London and other parts of the country. The M27
motorway runs to the north of Fareham.
Gosport owes much of its growth to the Royal Navy and there are several large shore establishments in the
borough (for example, HMS SULTAN and CENTURION Building). It would, however, be wrong to describe
Gosport as a “naval town” for there are a number of thriving light industries - electronics, chemicals and
engineering. A wide variety of housing is available in the area.
THE COLLEGE
Brune Park Community College is one of three 11-16 education providers in the town. The college moved to its
current premises in 1965 and expanded rapidly: there are currently some 1700 students from ages 11 – 16.
The main building includes a four-storey teaching block which houses the English and Mathematics Departments,
together with a Hall and the administration block. Beside this, and surrounding an open quadrangle, are two
single-storey blocks which form the Geography and History Departments. A third single-storey block holds the
Library and Information Centre. Modern Foreign Languages is housed in a separate two-storey building.
Facing the main building are blocks which provide specialist facilities for Drama, Art, Food and Textiles
Technology, Science, Design and Technology, Music, Information and Communications Technology and
Religious Education. This includes a new ICT Music suite. The college has a superb sports hall, two gymnasia, a
heated indoor swimming pool and a Youth Wing. A new Dance Studio, Dining Room extension and new
electricity substation was recently completed.
ACADEMIC ORGANISATION
The college makes every effort to teach the national curriculum in an imaginative way, with programmes of study
designed to match the abilities and interests of the children. Spanish and French are the two modern languages
taught from Year 7 to Year 11. Close liaison with Sixth Form Colleges and primary schools ensures continuity
and progression between key stages.
The college has thirteen forms of entry, with each year group having up to 351 students. Year 7 is largely taught
in mixed ability groups but setting by ability is the norm for all students in the majority of subjects from the middle
of the first term upwards.
COMMUNITY EDUCATION
As a community college, Brune Park offers adult education, sports and leisure pursuits all year round. A number
of after-college and weekend clubs are available for children from 5 - 16 years, and playschemes are organised
each holiday and include sport, music and drama.
Adult education courses cover numerous GCSE, ‘A’ level and RSA syllabuses and have produced excellent
examination results. Sport is well represented by a wide range of courses held during the day and in the evening,
including use of the multi-gym, badminton, swimming and aquasize.
GENERAL
The college is a large, thriving community which puts learning at its heart and aims to promote excellence for all
within a caring and supportive environment. The staff demand high standards of work and behaviour from
students and are a committed, enthusiastic and highly professional team. Extra-curricular activities, including
music, drama and sport, enhance the educational experience offered to students and help to ensure their
development as well-rounded human beings.
As a college, our main concerns focus on:
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Setting standards
Creating Opportunities
Raising Achievement
Developing the college as a focus for learning in the Community.
The college’s existing strengths are as follows:
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Impressive levels of college improvement
An effective climate for learning
Good facilities
A high level of staff commitment and expertise
Secure pupil numbers
A high quality of planning
A high level of pupil interest and commitment
The capacity for even greater improvement.
As we continue to build upon the existing strengths and achievements at Brune Park Community College, it is
important to consider a longer-term vision. This is especially important if we are to develop Brune Park even
further as a place of learning and opportunity. Brune Park Community College has a trend of outstanding
improvement in all aspects of its work and our projections of pupil progress and attainment, attendance, the level
of inclusion and community involvement are even stronger than ever. Again, it is down to the professionalism and
commitment of the staff, as well as the quality of leadership and management, which will enable us to make
Brune Park a highly effective and respected college.
We have established an effective infrastructure to support our additional role in teacher training, professional
development and mentoring and research. To facilitate this, there are close links with University College
Chichester, University of Portsmouth and the University of Southampton.
The Senior Leadership Team
The college’s Senior Leadership Team currently comprises the Principal, 3 Vice Principals, 2 Assistant Principals
and a College Business Manager. Together, the team is responsible for overseeing, developing, monitoring and
evaluating the work of the whole college in order to ensure the highest quality of teaching and learning. The SLT
line manage between them all middle management teaching and support staff. The SLT also provides support for
teachers in dealing with difficult students through an “on call” supervision system. The team meets at 8.00 am
every day for fifteen minutes to prepare for the day ahead, and weekly after college to deal with day-to-day
business and strategic planning.
A compressed day allows staff and students to focus on classroom learning with fewer distractions. The day
begins at 8.30 am and ends at 2.30 pm with two twenty minute breaks providing opportunities for refreshment.
Staff receive coffee or tea free of charge from 8.00 am each day and during both breaks.
The Application Process
Candidates who feel that they wish to participate in all the challenges and opportunities offered by appointment to
Brune Park Community College are invited to apply on the relevant application form only.