Head of Science

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:                               

Head of Science

Reporting to:             

Deputy Head Academic

Tenure:                                

 Full time, 37.5 hours

Salary:                                    

Competitive

Start Date:               

September 2024

Application Deadline:     

9am, 30 January 2024

To apply online please follow the link:

https://ce0374li.webitrent.com/ce0374li_webrecruitment/wrd/run/etrec179gf.open?WVID=632029007I&LANG=USA&VACANCY_ID=690589BAkb

Job Role

We seek to appoint a candidate with outstanding qualities of leadership who will spearhead the strategic development of Science within the school and act as a lead for all five departments within the Science faculty. The post is available following the internal promotion of the present post-holder, Mrs Kimberley Salt, to the post of Assistant Head (Teaching and Learning). Breadth of vision, enthusiasm and energy to develop further the work of this successful department, to meet the challenges of the 21st century, are essential. We are looking for someone who will promote an interest in Science and who is prepared to give full commitment to the aims and ethos of the school. The post offers an exciting challenge for someone with initiative and imagination.

 Generic Head of Department Responsibilities

Guildford High seeks the highest level of professionalism in its Heads of Department. It is expected that all HoDs will display a high level of knowledge and understanding of their subject area and communicate this enthusiastically. Heads of Department should have high expectations of the members of their department and their students. It is the responsibility of the HoD to ensure that pupils encounter a stimulating and positive learning environment. HoDs should inspire confidence and trust.

Key responsibilities specific to Head of Science:        

General

• Show strong leadership of the Science Department, working closely with the heads of the individual science subjects and the Senior Technician
• Review the Science Department Handbook on an annual basis
• Prepare the Science Department Curriculum Review on an annual basis and meet with the Head and Deputy Head to discuss the Review
• Prepare the Science Department for inspection
• Assist in the interviewing and appointing of Science staff and Technicians, and the induction of new teachers.
• Organise and chair weekly Heads of Science Department meetings, and produce minutes of these meetings
• Keep abreast of Curriculum development across Science
• Complete the departmental page of the School Development Plan, where appropriate
• Attend Heads of Department meetings
• Plan and coordinate current and future staffing requirements across Science. Liaise with the other heads of individual science subjects regarding dispositions
• Ensure the consistency, quality and punctuality of tracking and reporting in line with the school’s reporting systems
• Represent the views of the Science Department to the Leadership Team
• Market the Science subjects and assist in promoting the school through taster and open days
• Organise INSET for the Science Department, where appropriate
• Respond to parental queries, arranging meetings with parents where necessary
• Pro-actively cascade information across science

Financial Awareness

• Ensure the Science department is effectively resourced by organising the Science budget in conjunction with the other members of the Science department
• Submit the annual departmental budget
• Control departmental spending through the year to remain on budget using the Focal Point finance system

Learning Management

• Ensure that lessons across Science are innovative, relevant and exciting through departmental preparation and planning and through lesson observation programme
• Develop and improve Teaching and Learning across Science
• Monitor the allocation of lessons and laboratories across Science
• Promote the use of IT in Science; keep abreast of relevant technological developments
• Keep abreast of current thinking and development in the subject area. Embed these across the sciences
• Ensure schemes of work are up to date and relevant
• Ensure teaching is enhanced through a range of relevant resources
• Ensure members of the Science department are teaching to the schemes of work and the examination specifications, in conjunction with the Heads of individual science subjects
• Work with Heads of individual subjects to ensure consistency between subject teachers in each Science and where appropriate across departments
• Co-ordinate the department to ensure that departmental areas provide a stimulating environment for teaching
• Co-ordinate the Double Award Science course including providing a timetable for the lessons (Year 10 and Year 11) to ensure even amounts of contact time for each Science as well as monitoring performance of students
• Co-ordinate support staff where necessary
• Ensure students are nurtured and supported by you and all members of your department
• Liaise with and offer support when required, to the Science Lead in the Junior School

Assessment

• Ensure that frameworks are in place across Science in order to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to inform and adapt teaching strategies across science so that pupils can continue to progress
• Co-ordinate internal exams in conjunction with Heads of the individual science subjects
• Monitor the progress of the girls in all years across Science
• Collate information about Year 9 students’ suitability for Double Award or Separate Science
• Assist the Director of Studies with the balancing of science sets (notably Year 10) ahead of the new academic year
• Ensure coursework management and moderation takes place – where appropriate
• Coordinate examination entries for Science
• Provide and monitor academic target setting for GCSE and A Level