Amanda Whitehead (Head of Biology)

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. CVs will not be accepted for any posts based in schools. Dame Alice Owen's School, NoR 1,448, Sixth form: 425 Ofsted: "An outstanding school", "Students achieve outstandingly well", "Behaviour ... is excellent" HEAD OF BIOLOGY (MPS/UPS + TLR 2b) Required for September 2021 Full time, permanent post Interview date: Monday 17 May 2021 We reserve the right to make an appointment before the closing date, so early applications are encouraged. The Governing Body of this highly successful, partially selective, mixed school invite applications for the post of Head of Biology. We seek a highly motivated and energetic candidate to join our very successful and well-resourced Science Department, as part of a team of 24 specialist science teachers and 6 support staff. Science is a very popular option at A level at the school with 26 sets in Year 12 and 13 covering all three science disciplines, including 10 Biology classes. Three quarters of GCSE students take triple sciences, with the remaining entering Combined Sciences. You will need to be able to teach students up to and including A level in Biology. The ability to teach another Science up to GCSE would be advantageous. In 2019, 96% of all students secured five or more A*-Cs at GCSE, and 84% of A level entries were graded A*- B. 78% of GCSE Triple Science results were graded 9-8, with over 97% at 6 or above; 85% of A Level Science results were graded A*-B. The school is situated on an attractive 35-acre site in the Green Belt, has excellent facilities and is committed to an extensive programme of staff development. Central London is easily reached by rail from Potters Bar and the school is close to motorway links. The Governing Body is committed to admitting the children of staff in line with our admissions procedure. Please visit https://damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk/ About us > Vacancies to download an application pack. For an informal discussion, contact Mike Jays, Head of Science, on 01707 643 441 x 338 (jaysm@damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk). To apply, please send your completed application form together with a covering letter stating why you are well placed to take this position at our school to recruitment@damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk by noon, Wednesday 12 May 2021. INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS Name of post: Head of Biology Location: Potters Bar, Hertfordshire Interviews: Monday 17 May 2021 Thank you for your interest in applying to Dame Alice Owen's School. Though much of the information we have about our school is available on our website, we have put some key information together here to help you through the application process. The school is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. Please take time to read our Safer Recruitment and Safeguarding and Child Protection policies available in the vacancy section of our website. The selection process includes scrutiny of the information provided in your application form, a request for references including a reference from your current/previous employer, teaching a lesson, an informal interview with a student panel and an interview. If you have any general enquiries about the recruitment process, or to arrange a tour or informal discussion about this position, please do not hesitate to contact Mike Jays, Head of Science, on 01707 643 441 x 338 (jaysm@damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk). Please download our Teaching Staff application form from our website to make your application. Please note that applications cannot be considered unless the application is completed in full. We are not able to accept CV's for any posts based in school. Applicants shortlisted for interview must bring original evidence of their qualifications for verification. Applicants will also be asked to complete a declaration regarding convictions and working with children as posts in schools are exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. All appointments are subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service disclosure check. Please email your completed application form together with a letter of application to recruitment@damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk by noon, Wednesday 12 May 2021. We look forward to receiving your completed application. Details of the School, Department and vacancy Head of Biology for September 2021 Full Time, permanent post Introduction Dame Alice Owen's School is a mixed, partially selective secondary school with over 1,430 registered students and a vibrant and highly successful sixth form. Our school was founded 400 years ago by Dame Alice Owen, a remarkable philanthropist with an unusually modern vision for education. She established the first school in Islington and as demand outstripped space, it moved to its current setting in the Hertfordshire countryside. Because of its roots and its close and important relationship with the Worshipful Company of Brewers, there are 20 places each year for 11 year old students from Islington. It also offers 65 places to the highest scoring applicants who sit the entrance exam each year and a further 10 places for students showing the most aptitude in music who apply for a place in Year 7. The remainder of the places, in an annual cohort of 200, go to siblings, local students on the basis of proximity to the school and to those with priority need. It is this combination of student and its truly outstanding record of achievement and added value that makes our school such a special place. It is oversubscribed by 5 applicants per place every year. Our dedicated staff, parents' association, Governing Body and school (staff and student) leaders constantly appraise and re-appraise the various aspects of school life, learning and achievement so we are never complacent. Our school faces the usual challenges of all educational establishments in the public sector, and ensuring that their impact is felt least by the students is a key objective. We were delighted to be recognised as The Sunday Times Regional School of the Decade in November 2020. Securing a place at Owen's has been described as "winning the lottery" by the Good School Guide and "the golden ticket" by Tatler. Our school benefits from some of the most able students in the country. Many of our school leavers from Year 13 have offers from top universities to choose from, including on average 20 places at Oxbridge each year. Our Foundress left a number of fields in the then village of Islington to the care of the Worshipful Company of Brewers which now generate over one million pounds of additional income for the school annually, to support the school. This creates a very special ethos and fosters the very positive staff working environment. The students and staff benefit from a number of traditions including Beer Money, staff awards and Visitation. Below are some of the key qualities and attributes we believe have contributed to the school's excellent reputation: ● Committed and dedicated staff who are responsive to change ● The value we place on collaboration, both within our school and with other schools ● Teamworking ● Energetic, curious and enthusiastic students ● A very wide range of extra-curricular activities, most notably within Music ● Excellent resources and facilities ● Forward-looking and proactive leadership ● A foundation stone of tradition and heritage; and ● Exceptional recognition by Ofsted. Our primary aim is to work in partnership with students and parents to ensure that students achieve their full potential by: ● Striving for academic excellence; ● Providing a happy, safe, purposeful and caring environment and encouraging a sense of pride in the individual and our School; ● Embracing innovation whilst maintaining our strong links with tradition; ● Providing interesting and challenging opportunities so that students enjoy their learning and maintain a desire to continue learning throughout their lives; ● Recruiting and developing outstanding staff; ● Offering high quality extra-curricular activities which involve all students; ● Promoting respect for and understanding of religious and moral values. The Science Department At Dame Alice Owen's School, Science holds an important place in the academic curriculum. It is a large department with 24 teachers and 6 support staff. Examination results are exceptional and Sixth Form study in all three disciplines is always well subscribed. Students are normally expected to secure a grade 6 or 7 at GCSE to commence A Level in a Science subject. The level of funding is generous, reflecting the support of the Trustees, and the new Science block was completed in February 2014. The new building comprises 14 purpose-built laboratories, two prep rooms and a staff workroom. The Science Department has extensive schemes of work which are very highly resourced to support the learning needs of students. Science is one of the most popular subjects in the school thanks to the high quality of teaching and learning and the opportunities provided within the Department. Teaching Programme At Key Stage 3, Year 7 pupils follow a general science course with three lessons timetabled each week. In Years 8 and 9, pupils have three lessons per week, one for each of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. At Key Stage 4, pupils opt for either Combined, or Triple Science. Approximately 75% of pupils are expected to follow Triple Science. At Sixth Form level, all three science subjects are popular: usually four or more classes per subject, per year group. The team you will join Staff teach their specialist subject where possible. Such specialisms are listed below: Biology: Amanda Whitehead (Head of Biology) Sarah Lofthouse (Year 7 Pastoral Director) Chemistry: Dr Bernard Davies (Head of Chemistry) Marina Di Franco Kika Dorotheou Mike Jays (Head of Science) Tim Leake (EPQ Coordinator) Dr David Mitchell (Deputy Head, Pastoral) Joanna Papalouca Physics: Simon Poliakoff (Head of Physics and Lead Practitioner) Kate Fradley Dr Judith Picken Psychology: Accabre Rutlin (Head of Psychology and teaches Biology) What we can offer you The school provides an excellent range of staff development opportunities. This is currently led by Lauren Common, Assistant Headteacher together with our team of ASTs/SLEs. All staff members are encouraged to continue their personal development and undertake further qualifications if they wish. We have a commitment to ensuring staff undertake minimal cover and wherever possible none at all. The Governing Body is committed to admitting the children of staff in line with our admissions procedure. We fully appreciate the time and consideration which go into applying for a new job. If there is anything we can do to help you through this process, please do not hesitate to ask. We very much look forward to receiving your application. Job Description Post Title: Head of Biology Responsible to: Head of Science Purpose of the Role: ● To lead the development, management and strategic direction of the department ensuring the highest academic standards. ● To develop the skills of those in your team so the department can continue to flourish in order to continually raise standards of teaching and learning therein. ● To be accountable for raising student achievement across the department ● To be responsible for the structure and shape of the academic timetables and extracurricular offer, deploying staff and resources to ensure opportunity for all and excellent value for money. Responsibilities 1. To set the tone and the ethos for Science education within and beyond the curriculum ensuring outstanding public examination results 2. Articulate a clear vision showing the ability to bring the department on board to work towards that vision 3. To inspire and lead the staff within and associated with your department 4. To inspire and motivate students of all abilities 5. To support students seeking to continue their education into FE/Higher Education establishments as required by the school and the students 6. To manage the departmental budget 7. Complete any additional responsibilities as reasonably required by the Headteacher Leadership and Management 1. Lead and manage the department by providing a professional, positive, proactive and creative approach to all areas of the curriculum at all key stages 2. Support the SLT in implementing whole school practice 3. Manage and delegate job roles within the department 4. Represent the views of the department at Subject Leader Forum meetings 5. Contribute to whole school strategic planning through input into the School Improvement Plan (SIP) as well as the School Self Evaluation (SSE) where appropriate as well as taking responsibility for the Department Improvement Plan (DIP) 6. Organise regular departmental meetings to discuss innovation in Teaching and Learning as well as to provide the opportunity to disseminate good practice, establish and monitor standards and evaluate the progress of all students and groups against targets as well as the impact of action plans in place to continually raise standards 7. Be aware of the health and safety of all members of the school community at all times when engaged in school activities either on or off site and to deal with or report any areas of concern immediately Through effective line management 1. Promote the wellbeing/morale of colleagues 2. Develop a team ethos 3. Provide opportunities for staff to discuss their own personal development and wellbeing 4. Support staff in receiving appropriate CPD which meets the needs of the individual, the department and the school 5. Ensure that staff are given a full range of teaching experiences and are allowed to develop different aspects of their teaching 6. Provide effective Performance Management and support staff in achieving their Performance Management targets 7. Establish effective departmental communication through the timely preparation of agendas, chairing of meetings and publication of minutes 8. Support staff who may have to deal with challenging parents 1. Assist with the appointment of new staff within the department 3. Work closely with trainees/Newly Qualified Teachers as appropriate Teaching and Learning 1. Teach well prepared, challenging lessons in accordance with Dame Alice Owen's expectations 2. Demonstrate your commitment to personal development through your actions and your commitment to your own Performance Management 3. Lead curriculum change as appropriate 4. Oversee the writing and delivery of appropriate Schemes of Work which meet the academic needs of all students 5. Ensure public examination syllabuses are taught thoroughly, keeping abreast of changes and swiftly making amendments as required 6. Review and constantly seek to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the department through implementation of the DAOS observation schedule as well as regular book reviews and careful listening to student voice 7. Encourage staff to share good practice within the department 8. Promote a stimulating learning environment, including useful and stimulating displays, which encourage students to learn 9. Develop the Computer Science page(s) on the Dame Alice Owen's Hub/Google Classroom to facilitate independent learning across the school Achievements and Standards 1. Analyse and interpret all performance and report data 2. Track and monitor individual students and different groups of students in order to develop appropriate action plans and interventions to share with necessary staff to bring about improvement where needed 3. Monitor the quality of teaching, learning and achievement through sampling of lessons, student voice and student work 4. Take responsibility for overall behaviour management within the department and across the school to ensure a safe, secure and structured learning environment General requirements 1. To carry out any pastoral support roles (including being a tutor) as required 2. Provide clear and useful feedback to students and parents/carers as required 3. To attend periodical after school meetings/events such as Visitation, Parents' Evenings, Whole Staff meetings or Senior Leadership Team meetings as required by the Headteacher and published in the school calendar 4. To check your email regularly and respond in a timely manner This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time it was drawn up. Such duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot in themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post. Person Specification Education Holds a degree (or higher) level qualification in Biology or related subject E Holds QTS E Up-to-date in-service training in subject and whole school issues E Additional qualifications relevant to the post D Experience Experience from a similar post with management responsibility within existing or previous school D Recent experience of teaching the 11-18 age range E Involvement in the professional development of staff D Experience of producing examination results to a high standard E Experience of facilitating outstanding extra-curricular provision D Experience of working in more than one previous school D Specialist skills and knowledge Strong working knowledge of the National Curriculum, issues and developments E Ability to teach another Science up to GCSE. D Excellent administration, organisation and management skills E Excellent information and communication technology skills D Knowledge of equal opportunity issues for students and staff E Clear commitment to the safeguarding of students E An innovative and exciting approach to teaching and learning with an understanding and proven practice of excellence for all E Ability to motivate and coach staff to perform to the best of their ability E Other An energetic committed individual with a clear vision and unwavering commitment to excellence for all E Open and enthusiastic E A problem solver with a 'can do' attitude E Ability to multitask, prioritise, stay relaxed under pressure and deal with numerous challenges simultaneously E Willingness and clear commitment to be involved in extracurricular activities E Excellent emotional intelligence, interpersonal and communication skills E The ability to lead and enthuse others E The ability to cooperate and coordinate with other departments E Desire and potential for future Senior Leadership Team position D A good sense of humour! 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