Head School Keeper

Introduction

Founded in 1842, Eltham College is a thriving, co-educational day school located in south-east London. The school was originally formed as the The Boys’ Mission School, in a large town house in Walthamstow, which was at that time a quiet village in rural Essex and later changed its name to ‘The School for the Sons of Missionaries’.

Following its opening, there were just ten boys on the roll. Over the next 15 years, the school occupied premises in Stockwell, Buckhurst Hill and Camden Town (1, Mornington Crescent). It moved in 1857 to purpose-built accommodation beside Blackheath railway station. In 1910, the school purchased the former premises of the Royal Naval School in Mottingham and moved there from Blackheath in 1912. It has occupied the site ever since.

Today, there are around 1,080 pupils at Eltham College and Eltham College Junior School. After accepting girls into the Sixth Form for more than 40 years, in September 2020 it also opened Years 3 and 7 to girls, and in September 2024 became fully co-educational, with girls now in every year group. Eltham College and Blackheath Prep merged in September 2023 to create the Eltham College Family of Schools

Eltham College is a top co-educational school and ranked in the Top 20 UK Schools by The Sunday Times in 2024.  The 2022 ISI Regulatory Compliance & Educational Quality Inspection rated Eltham as ‘Excellent’ in all areas and the full Report can be read here.

Whilst holding strongly to its ethos of providing a balanced education for its students, the School places a deliberate emphasis on academic success and the School is now regularly found amongst the leading academic schools in the country in terms of results and value added. It also boasts many county and national players in a range of sports, as well as exceptionally talented musicians, actors, authors, scientists, economists, and artists.

Eltham College has a distinctive character, born out of its Christian heritage. It upholds its founding Christian principles, whilst accepting students of all faiths and none. The School has its own chapel and all students and staff from Year 6 upwards are expected to attend a weekly service led by the Chaplain, a member of the senior staff, or by students.

Alongside its emphasis on academic achievement, the School continues to focus on care for each and every pupil. Strong pastoral care, an energetic House system that promotes collegiality, and a relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere make Eltham College a happy and vibrant place for students and staff alike. Students also benefit from an impressively wide range of opportunities outside the classroom through an ambitious co-curricular programme across sport, music, drama and art, and community outreach and enrichment.

Alongside our ambitious and balanced programme for students, the School also places a strong emphasis on staff support and development. Many teaching and non-teaching staff choose long careers at the School, whilst others are prepared and trained for future promotion in leading HMC schools.

Our seven School Aims encapsulate our relentless focus on maintaining this rich and balanced educational experience for our students and a rewarding working environment for our staff.

Location

Eltham College occupies a 70-acre site in the London Borough of Bromley. The campus is an assembly of architectural styles from the Georgian mansion house main building to striking contemporary buildings.  Colonnades around the quad help link the traditional with the modern in terms of both architecture and ethos.

The School’s location in the London Borough of Bromley sits adjacent to the Boroughs of Royal Greenwich and Lewisham. There is easy access to the Kent countryside and the M25, which is just 15 minutes away. Parking is available on site. Mottingham and Grove Park stations are within walking distance and there are frequent fast trains to London stations as well as a range of local bus routes. The majority of students live locally, but the catchment area is large and students are drawn primarily from Bexley, Blackheath, Bromley, Canary Wharf, Chislehurst, Croydon, Docklands, Dulwich, and parts of Kent.

Facilities

Eltham College enjoys superb facilities which have been improved considerably in recent years. In September 2024 the Science and Technology Centre was extended and opened four brand new science laboratories, with plans to fully modernise the Centre continuing; there are also plans to further develop the Junior School, the Art department and sports facilities. In 2019, the Turberville Centre for Mathematics, Languages and Music departments was opened, along with a new Sixth Form Centre and a dedicated medical and wellbeing facility.

Extensive and well-maintained sports facilities extend across the 70-acre site, including Astro and hard-court venues, and large indoor sports centre and swimming pool. There is a drama theatre and a modern art gallery.

The School is organised so that each department shares a suite of classrooms, studios or laboratories and most have a departmental office adjacent to their teaching space. Academic departments are extremely well-resourced, and all teachers are provided with Microsoft Surface tablets which can connect to display screens in each classroom. There are several departmental technicians and dedicated specialist staff support teams provide assistance to all. All teachers and staff have access to the well-stocked Mervyn Peake Library.

Admissions

Pupils are mainly admitted at the ages of 7, 11 and 16 via the School’s own entrance examinations. The College is academically selective and heavily over-subscribed with between five and ten applicants for every place (depending on entry point). Priority is given to siblings of existing students.

Approximately half of those joining the Senior School at 11+ come from external candidates drawn equally from local primary and prep schools. The remainder come from the School’s own Junior School where students enjoy a smooth transition to the Senior School.

Students represent a vibrant and broad social mix thanks, in part, to a Bursary scheme which provides financial assistance for those unable to afford the full fees. In the most deserving cases, remission of up to 100% of fees is available. Scholarships are offered to strong candidates in Art, Music, Drama, Sport as well as Academic attainment.

Academics

The ISI Report (March 2022) said the school was “Excellent”. It reported that: “Pupils’ attitudes to learning are outstanding. They engage with enthusiasm in lessons and work well together collaboratively within and beyond the classroom. Pupils are prepared to take risks, free of negative peer pressures, regarding mistakes as a way to improve. Pupils are fully prepared to take responsibility for their learning from the youngest years and relish opportunities to show their exceptional initiative.” ISI Regulatory Compliance & Educational Quality Inspection Report 2022.

Curriculum

A broad and balanced curriculum is provided at all ages, incorporating both traditional and modern elements, and is designed to excite pupils and propel them to academic success.

In the Junior School, forms have between 18 and 22 pupils at Year 3 and 4, with a maximum of 24 pupils in Years 5 and 6. In all years, these are divided into smaller sets for subjects such as Maths. In the Senior School, class sizes are capped at 24 in Years 7 and 8. For GSCE, sets are often smaller than the ceiling of 22 pupils. A Level classes typically range from 6 to 14 pupils.

Most pupils take ten GCSEs and three A Levels, chosen from a wide range of subjects. Subject clinics and targeted interventions are widely available for those who need additional support to achieve their academic potential. The School’s scholarship programme promotes academic enrichment in the senior school and Sixth Form and in activities outside class time for all age groups.

Results

In 2024, 38% of GCSE grades were 9s and nearly two-thirds of results were 9/8 grades and 88% of all grades were 9/8/7. For the full set of GCSE results please click here.

At A Level in 2024, 29% of grades were A*, while 68% were either A* or A.  Nearly 91% of A Level grades were A*- B.  For the full set of A Level results please click here. 

“Pupils achieve excellent results in public examinations with significant improvements since the last inspection resulting from a focus by governance and leadership on raising academic standards. Pupils’ attainment at A Level has been consistently high and far above national norms.” ISI Regulatory Compliance & Educational Quality Inspection Report, 2022

Destinations

Almost all leavers go on to Russell Group universities with over 95% of leavers securing their first choice at university or college, conservatoires and specialist colleges and in a wide range of degree courses from the Arts to STEM subjects and many others.  These include Engineering, English, Drama, Law, Medicine, Music, and Sports Science.

“A glittering array of highlights from the science department. The physics department is recognised as a centre of excellence by the Institute of Physics with stellar grades. The School regularly produces Arkwright scholars who go on to study engineering at the country’s most desirable destinations.” The Good Schools Guide

Sport, the Arts and Co-curricular Activities

Eltham College pupils are fully engaged in an impressively wide range of opportunities outside the classroom. The College has an enviable reputation in Sport, Music, Drama and Art. Several international and Olympic standard sports coaches are on the staff; the quality and range of Music compares favourably with specialist Music Schools; and audiences are frequently treated to spectacular drama productions in the purpose-built theatre.

The College is unusual in having its own art gallery – the Gerald Moore Gallery – a contemporary facility that promotes learning and wellbeing through art, both to the College’s pupils and to the wider community.

Sport

The picturesque on-site playing fields span the generous 70 acre site and two Astroturf hockey pitches and hard-courts for netball, so no pupil has to travel anywhere other than to away fixtures. Rugby, netball, hockey and cricket are the main competitive sports and recent achievements include U18 Kent 7s champions for rugby; Kent netball champions; U15 Kent cup for cricket; and hockey teams at all ages regularly qualify for the Kent finals.

A further wide range of sports are on offer for both individuals and teams, from swimming and water polo, to golf and skiing, plus plenty of opportunities to try new sports like climbing and sailing. For those with a more recreational interest in sport, there are clubs and societies for activities such as table tennis, basketball and pilates.

The School’s most famous former pupil is Eric Liddell, the Olympic athlete who won a Gold medal in the 400m at the 1924 Paris Olympics and who was immortalised by the film Chariots of Fire. As well as a large gymnasium, the impressive Eric Liddell Sports Centre houses on-site indoor cricket nets, a 25-metre pool, climbing wall, dance studio and fitness suite.

Music

Eltham College has a heritage of outstanding music, with almost two-thirds of our students playing a musical instrument and many progressing to Grade 8 or Diploma level. Students regularly secure places at leading music schools, with recent alumni attending the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Royal Northern College of Musick and the Guildhall School of Musica & Drama. The Music Department boasts five separate choirs, multiple instrumental ensembles, and over twenty chamber ensembles and bands. Performances take place across London, including at the Blackheath Halls, St John’s Smith Square, the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Naval College, Ronnie Scott’s, St Alfege’s Greenwich and even beneath the hull of the Cutty Sark.

Drama

Drama is on the curriculum for all years and the drama department produces a major musical of a remarkably high standard every year, with a student-led orchestra. Pupils also direct, act, manage and tech their own productions. There are regular trips to perform, for example at the Edinburgh Fringe and Shakespeare festivals. Many pupils achieve distinctions in LAMDA exams and the School is as proud of the number of students going on to study Drama at leading Drama schools – RADA, Mountview, Birmingham Conservatoire, LAMDA, ArtsEd, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and GSA.

Art

The Gerald Moore onsite Gallery was voted by The Guardian newspaper as among the top 10 small galleries in the country. It hosts fabulous exhibitions and private views of artworks created both by College students and specialist external artists, with the internal ones helping Eltham pupils to achieve offers for top graphic design, fine art and architecture courses. All the art teachers and technicians are artists and pursue their own practices and an artist-in-residence has a studio within the department.

Co-curricular Activities

Pupils enjoy an extensive number of clubs and societies including The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, Debating Society, Chess, Climbing Club, Eco-Eltham, Rocket Club and Water Polo. Many of them are student led.

The School places great emphasis on helping the community it serves. In this regard, students are encouraged to help those less fortunate than themselves by participating in charity fundraising events, and the Lower Sixth Formers take part in a Community Service scheme.

Trips and expeditions are a major feature of school life, ranging from traditional UK visits to more ambitious overseas trips, which in recent years have included Nepal, Uganda, Italy and China. Language trips and exchanges are also encouraged. Sports, drama and music tours are frequent occurrences, and have included the Europe and the Middle East.

All teaching staff are expected to involve themselves fully in the co-curricular life of the College and they give of their time extremely willingly and generously. There is no classroom teaching on Saturday mornings, but many sports fixtures and other activities take place at weekends.

“Around 35 external speakers a year across the arts, sciences, politics, humanities – you name it, they’ll find a household name to present on it.” The Good Schools Guide

Pastoral Care

People and the relationships they forge are what makes Eltham College a special place and the pastoral care at Eltham is second to none. All members of the community are valued as Individuals. It is this personal care that promotes wellbeing, ensures that pupils feel supported and go on to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Within each year group, pupils are under the daily care of their Form Tutor, who works closely with other staff, as well as the Heads of Year and Section, to ensure a coordinated and holistic approach. For those experiencing difficulty, support can be found in a range of places, from the school nurses and school counsellor to peer mentors and the Chaplain.

Staff and Professional Development

The College employs around 200 members of teaching staff (including teaching support roles) and approximately 150 general support staff. All are highly committed to helping students achieve their full potential and form a lively Common Room with a good balance of age and experience. The maximum teaching load is 78% and this is reduced for staff with additional responsibilities.

Professional Development

There is a strong professional development programme which is encouraged and generously financed for teaching and non-teaching staff. This includes external courses, an internal CPD programme of lunchtime and twilight sessions, speakers being brought in to deliver in-school sessions and learning from peers and colleagues

The Headmaster is personally committed to staff development and spearheads the Devolved Leadership Programme, which is open to all academic and support staff. This enables ambitious and talented staff who are seeking either senior leadership experience or career development to undertake a whole-school project, with mentoring from a current senior leader.

The School offers an in-school programme for graduates undertaking teacher training, and full induction for Newly Qualified Teachers, enabling them to gain Qualified Teacher Status. It also encourages and funds support staff to undertake relevant professional training in their area of work.

Pay and Benefits

Eltham College has its own generous salary scale for teachers and offers competitive salaries for non-teaching staff.

All staff are eligible to join the School's defined contribution pension scheme (subject to the terms of the scheme).

All staff under the age of 70 are entitled to death in service benefit at three times their annual salary.

Lunch is provided free of charge during term time for all staff, in addition to free refreshments available in the Common Room.

All staff also have free membership of the Eric Liddell Sports Centre, giving family access to the swimming pool, fitness room and other facilities at designated times.

There is also a cycle to work scheme, interest free season ticket loans, free eye tests and flu vaccinations. An Employee Assistance Programme is also available for all staff, offering free, confidential, support on a range matters such as financial and legal support and counselling for home-life issues.

The School has a limited number of single occupancy rooms in shared flats which can be made available on a time-limited basis for new staff members while they settle in the area and look for local housing.

Children of staff can be educated at the School if they meet the entrance standards and, at the discretion of the Headmaster, may receive a tuition fee reduction for both Junior and Senior Schools.

Safeguarding

Eltham College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. All applicants should read the School’s Safeguarding Policy and Privacy Notice (available on the school website) and are required to declare any criminal convictions or cautions, or disciplinary proceedings related to young people.

Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Further details are given on the application form.

Equal Opportunities

Eltham College is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Candidates will be assessed against relevant criteria only (i.e. skills, qualifications, abilities, experience).

The Application Process

Candidates should read the job description for the specific role they are applying for, and complete the application form via the TES website (Eltham College - Tes Jobs),

Applications will be considered in the order in which they are received, and the school reserves the right to make an appointment prior to the closing date.

Short-listed candidates will be invited to attend an interview with senior staff which will explore each candidate’s ability to perform the duties of the post, subject knowledge, ability to relate appropriately to students and colleagues, organisational and pastoral skills, and willingness to contribute to the school community. Applicants for academic positions will also be required to teach a lesson.

Safer recruitment checks will be made at all stages in the recruitment process.  Online searches may be undertaken as part of due diligence checks.

Contact Information

For more information about the application process please contact a member of our HR Team by telephoning 020 8857 1455 or via email at hr@eltham-college.org.uk

Further details about the School can be found by visiting our website: www.elthamcollege.london

How to Find Us

The School is easily accessible by road and public transport:

• By Rail:  Mottingham station is a 10 minute walk from the School and is served by frequent fast trains from London Bridge, Cannon Street, Charing Cross and Waterloo East (15-20 minutes), and many stations in Kent and the South East.  Grove Park station offers an alternative, and is a 25 minute walk from the School.
• By Road:  Postcode for satnav: SE9 4QF.  The location of the School gives easy access to the Kent countryside and the M25 (15 minutes away), and is easily accessible from across south east and south London.

Eltham College

Grove Park Road

London SE9 4QF

www.elthamcollege.london