Teacher of Biology and Applied Science

About us

St. Francis Xavier Sixth Form College is a dynamic and ambitious sixth form college of 1250 students situated within the London borough of Wandsworth. The College educates 16-19 year olds offering courses in A-Levels, BTECs and UAL. The College achieves excellent outcomes and positive value added and is proud to support many young people from non-traditional and disadvantaged backgrounds to successful progression into higher education and employment. We are proud to be a Catholic college for the whole community, welcoming students and staff of all faiths, no faith and everything in between. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, volunteers and governors to share this commitment.

Principal’s Welcome Message

I am delighted that you are considering applying to work at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Sixth Form College.

At St. Francis Xavier we understand the importance of recruiting talented and well-qualified staff to maintain excellence in all that the College does. We are a thriving sixth form college and this could be your opportunity to join an outstanding team of enthusiastic and committed individuals who value the welcoming, friendly and supportive environment that exists here. Both teaching and support staff are enthusiastic, creative and committed to making a positive contribution towards the College community.  Our staff are passionate about working with young people and always go the extra mile to provide guidance and support to help them succeed. If this sounds like you, we want to hear from you!

The College is a wonderful and vibrant place to work. It offers outstanding education to students aged 16-19 and we are dedicated to the pursuit of quality in teaching and learning and to the achievement of high standards in everything that we do. The College is currently in the middle of a digital innovation strategy with all teachers and approximately a third of students in possession of an iPad. It is our aim that within the next 18 months all students will be using an iPad as a core resource for their learning. Furthermore, teachers are encouraged to research innovative and creative teaching, learning and assessment strategies to engage learners and continue to improve outcomes for all.

So what can the College offer to you? Because we know that our staff members are passionate about education, learning and self-development, as a new teacher to the College you will have the opportunity to develop professionally through a programme of training developed both in-house and through external agencies. Participation and collaboration are core values and expected behaviours of staff at SFX; every staff member is a source of new ideas, useful insights and feedback; we are a highly skilled community and keen to learn from each other as well as look outwards. The sharing of materials and ideas is standard amongst teaching staff; resources are easily accessible through Google Drive. To this end, supported experiments and exchange of sound teaching and assessment strategies are encouraged, with the needs of the learner at the centre of all we do. The key to the success of SFX are its staff and the positive relationships we have with our learners.

If you are a newly qualified teacher then the SFX Induction programme for NQTs is designed with advice from Wandsworth Education which acts as the Appropriate Body for the Induction of Newly Qualified Teachers.  Those early careers teachers who need it, are supported and mentored to attain QTLS.  Secondary school work experience can be arranged for two weeks, usually in the summer term of your first year. Progression opportunities exist across the College; much of this is designed to develop young talent to achieve their potential over time.

The College is committed to the health and wellbeing of staff and offers the following range of benefits:

● Excellent training opportunities;

● Free use of our state-of-the-art gym;

● Free Fitness Classes for Staff;

● Staff wellbeing days and activities;

● Staff social activities

● Free annual flu vaccinations for staff;

● Free eye tests;

● Cycle to work scheme;

● Subsidised on-site staff massage service;

● Confidential Counselling Services;

● An on-site nursery in a supportive community environment;

● Just a 2-minute walk from Clapham South Underground Station;

● Free On-Site Parking;

We recognise and value the contribution of all staff in achieving our success. As such, the College seeks to recruit, retain and develop high quality staff. We recognise that this will be achieved by embracing equality of opportunity and promoting diversity in our staff group. We value our staff and their contribution to the College and are committed to developing and retaining our employees. If you would like to be a part of one of the best sixth form colleges in the country and join our vibrant community of teaching and support staff, then we can’t wait to hear from you!

I very much look forward to welcoming you as a member of the St. Francis Xavier College community.

Graham Thompson

Principal

Staff Development & Induction Programme for NQTs and ECTs

College Principal Graham Thompson puts staff development to the fore of his strategic planning, so that teaching and learning is developed through in-house training alongside partnerships with external agencies. Participation and collaboration are core values and expected behaviours of staff at St Francis Xavier: every employee is a source of new ideas, useful insights and feedback. We are a highly skilled, outward-looking community who engage deeply with pedagogical research, while also being keen to learn from each other.

Our induction programme for ECTs is run in conjunction with Wandle Teaching School Hub, who provide training and act as the Appropriate Body. ECTs are supported by a dedicated mentor and complete a two-year statutory induction, including topics such as safeguarding, equality & diversity, behaviour for learning, assessment for learning strategies and the use of data to drive progress. Secondary School work experience is usually arranged for two weeks in the summer term of an ECT’s second year. Teachers who have completed a post-compulsory PCET also receive a mentor for their first year and are supported to achieve QTLS. All induction activities are overseen by Head of CPD, Tom Spindler.

The college is committed to developing talent and helping colleagues achieve their career ambitions.  According to our most recent Ofsted report, “Staff feel well cared for and support leaders in the promotion of a culture of continuous improvement”. Feedback is regularly sought from colleagues using the TES Staff Pulse survey: the average scores given in response to questions concerning goal setting and support are both significantly above national averages. Reflecting at the end of their induction period, one ECT commented “I have excellent support from colleagues, my mentor and induction tutor”. When surveyed about the effectiveness of INSET sessions, staff overwhelmingly report that their training has had a positive impact on their practice.

All new staff are assigned a buddy in order to help them integrate into the college. The sharing of materials and ideas is standard amongst teaching staff: resources are easily accessible on site or remotely through Google Drive. As part of our digital innovation strategy, the college provides all teachers with an iPad and colleagues are encouraged to research innovative digital tools which can further increase learner engagement and continue to improve outcomes for all students.  A culture of pedagogical exploration is fostered through opportunities for open exchanges of teaching strategies and meaningful feedback conversations, with the needs of our learners at the centre of everything that we do. We invest heavily in our staff, because we know they are key to the continued success of St Francis Xavier Sixth Form College.