Teacher of Chemistry
Brighton College
Brighton and Hove
- New
- Salary:
- Brighton College has its own pay scale, above the maintained sector. All of our teachers are enrolled into the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Start date:
- Week Commencing 18 August 2025
- Apply by:
- 27 January 2025
Job overview
Brighton College is seeking to appoint a Teacher of Chemistry to start in late August 2025.
THE DEPARTMENT
Since January 2020 the department has been based in Brighton’s new £55 million School of Science and Sport. Amongst a host of other world-class facilities, the building includes six dedicated laboratory spaces for chemistry, and ample administrative and technical workspace for staff. The department has nine full-time members of teaching staff (including a Head of Department and Deputy Head of Department) and a dedicated technician. The team come from a wide variety of backgrounds, including industry and academic research (through which some hold doctorates).
THE CURRICULUM
The subject is taught throughout Years 7 to 13. GCSE cohorts average around 210 pupils, with around 80 pupils per year group selecting the subject at A-level. It has consistently been the second most popular A-level subject at the College in recent years behind maths and has a very even gender split, with girls being in a very slight majority. At present we follow the Edexcel syllabuses for both the reformed 9-1 GCSE and A-level. Public examination results in recent years have been outstanding, achieving 89% 9-8 at GCSE (including 63% 9), and 86% A*-A (including 61% A*) at A-level in 2024.
The department also has a comprehensive Oxbridge programme, with much recent success in this area: in the last four years a total of 21 pupils have left to study Chemistry or Natural Sciences at Oxbridge. Extension and enrichment activities abound in the department. Each year over 50 pupils take part in the RSC Olympiad and Cambridge Chemistry Challenge; both have seen a record number of ‘gold’ and ‘roentgenium’ awards, respectively.
Significant success is also achieved further down the school. In 2024 the Brighton College team was crowned national champions of the RSC Top of the Bench competition, and in each of the past five years a team of pupils have made it to the regional final of the Year 10 Chemistry Challenge. Weekly extension clubs for KS3, KS4 and KS5 pupils are also extremely well attended. Overall, Chemistry is one of the most vibrant and dynamic departments at the College.
ROLE SPECIFCATION
An ability to contribute towards the department’s extension programme, including a willingness to support pupils with applications to leading universities (including Oxford and Cambridge), will be a distinct advantage.
All teachers within the department are expected to assist in the development of schemes of work, as well as in the creation of teaching resources and the compilation of content for our Microsoft OneNote Notebooks and SharePoint.
Additionally, all teachers at Brighton College are expected to contribute to the school’s pastoral system, generally as a tutor in one of our 15 houses (of which six are boarding houses and nine are day). There is also an expectation that all teachers will contribute to the co-curricular life of the school, through the extensive Games programme, and/or through the leadership of one of almost 100 school societies. Candidates are encouraged to point to interests and enthusiasms as part of their application.
All staff have the opportunity to contribute to our super-curricular Masterclass programme; this a is a series of sessions focussing on an area of personal academic or cultural interest. These have included subjects such as Magical Realism, Cuisine and Culture and Great Debates in History.
All teachers joining Brighton will have the benefit of guidance by an experienced mentor, whose role it will be to provide support during their probationary period. Thereafter, all teachers are expected and supported to participate in continuous professional development, throughout their time at the College.
Safeguarding responsibilities:
• This role will involve daily contact with pupils and you will be engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.
• All staff and volunteers have a responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for who you are responsible and with whom you come into contact.
Attached documents
About Brighton College
THE SCHOOL
Brighton College is an inspiring place to work. As the leading co-educational school in the UK, it is renowned for its inspirational teaching and innovative education, whilst placing kindness and community at the heart of our approach to education. Named ‘UK School of the Decade’ by The Sunday Times in November 2020, we educate 1,300 pupils between ages 11 and 18.
Established in 1845, the College has grown exponentially in recent years. The Principal Richard Cairns, a recent Tatler UK Head of the Year, has been in post since 2006 and under his leadership pupil numbers have doubled. Results are consistently excellent. In 2024, our pupils achieved the best A-level results in the UK and Brighton College was awarded an unprecedented three accolades by The Sunday Times; UK Boarding School of the Year, Top School in the UK for A-levels and Top Academic School in South East England.
The school site in Kemptown has seen the addition of stunning new facilities, sustainably designed by leading international architects, with recent investment well in excess of £100 million. These include the Nicola Leach Music School and Sarah Abraham Recital Hall (2015), the Yeoh Building teaching complex (2017), the School of Science and Sport (2020) and The Richard Cairns Building (2024), a stunning new performing arts complex and Sixth Form Centre, with a 400-seat theatre and Global Futures hub.
World-class facilities enable us to share a huge variety of opportunities with pupils and allow for innovative and exciting approaches to teaching and learning.
We believe that we are a part of society, not apart from it, and so activism and community involvement are key parts of the curriculum. We have a thriving volunteer programme, driven by pupils, and are proud of our progressive stand on diversity, equality and inclusion.
Brighton College also has a family of schools, which includes our three Sussex prep schools, Brighton College Prep School, Handcross Park School and St Christopher’s, and our London prep school, Brighton College Prep Kensington. Overseas, we have opened schools in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore and Vietnam.
Our approach to education is regularly celebrated. As well as being named 'UK School of the Decade', we have been named ‘School of the Year’ twice by The Sunday Times, and The Week named us ‘Most forward-thinking school in Britain’ for two years running in 2017 and 2018, ‘Best in the UK for STEM’ in 2020 and 2024, and awarded us 'Best Sixth Form in Britain' in their 2025 Awards.
Our most recent ISI inspection in November 2024 gave us a glowing report and two areas of 'significant strength', the first highlighting the brilliance of the school's enriching curriculum, activities programme, focus on academic excellence and co-curricular programme. The quality of relationships across the school was also clear to the inspectors, as the culture of kindness throughout the school was identified as our second 'significant strength'.
Most importantly, Brighton College is a happy school. Staff and pupils feel fulfilled, and our emphasis on kindness lends itself to a thriving intellectual, sporting and performing arts culture. Our location in the city gives us the best of all worlds: we’re five minutes from the sea and the city centre, ten minutes from the South Downs, and in the heart of the local Kemptown community.
We hope that you will want to come and join the fantastic group of professionals who work here.
LIVING AND WORKING IN BRIGHTON
The College enjoys its location in Brighton, one of Britain’s youngest cities and one of the most vibrant and progressive in Europe. A recent national survey identified Brighton as the ‘happiest city in the UK’ and it regularly features within the top cities for quality of life nationally. With an extensive beach and seafront, and proximity to beautiful rural areas including the South Downs National Park, the opportunities for recreation and leisure are varied and numerous. Transport links are also excellent, Brighton being within easy travelling distance of London (50 minutes by train), and 30 minutes from Gatwick Airport. Brighton is also a university city, and the College has good links with both the University of Sussex and Brighton University. Our annual involvement in the Pride parade has strengthened existing links with the local community.
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