THE CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT
The Science Department is housed in a neo-Queen Anne building overlooking the playing fields and water meadows. The laboratories are well equipped and a highly-skilled team of technicians maintains the apparatus. There is a well-resourced library and IT is used extensively in all levels of teaching, but so are pen, paper and practical experimentation!
The vast majority of Wykehamists study Chemistry to GCSE level, a third of the each cohort go on to study A-Level Chemistry. We currently prepare pupils for the EXDEXCEL IGCSE examination.
The Chemistry department comprises 10 members of staff and 2 full-time technicians. The range of specialist interest areas among them enriches the learning experience of pupils. There are 5 fully-equipped and networked teaching laboratories, allowing us to support advanced level teaching with well-resourced practical experience.
The subject enjoys an excellent academic record. Each year pupils from Winchester go on to study Chemistry and related subjects at Oxbridge and other top universities.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Role and Responsibilities
This role is a part time teaching role predominately lower-school pupils, with flexibility required. The successful candidate will be accountable to the Head of Chemistry for the quality, success and development of their teaching, all routine activities throughout the working week and providing feedback on any pupil, staff or organisational issues; and for external examination results.
They will have an enthusiasm for the subject and for teaching. Upon joining the department, they will take responsibility for a number of classes across the age and ability range of the pupils in the school.
They will be expected to:
Teaching Timetable
Communication
Professional Development
Additional Responsibilities
PERSON SPECIFICATION
The successful candidate will possess a strong track record of achievement in:
Essential
Key Qualities
The successful candidate will have:
Start date
This appointment will commence as soon as possible
Salary
Winchester has its own generous salary scale, which is above the national scale.
Accommodation
Accommodation may be available with this position.
Induction and Continuous Training and Development
The school is fully committed to the induction and training of all staff. All staff are well supported when they arrive, with help and advice available from Heads of Department, Housemasters, the Director of Studies, and the Director of Teaching and Learning, who has specific responsibility for overseeing the induction process.
All members of the Common Room are encouraged to subscribe to external CPD courses. In addition, we deliver a range of training, run by both our own staff and external providers, ranging from highly practical First Aid courses to seminars and learning lunches on many aspects of teaching and learning.
There is an annual Professional Development Review offering the opportunity to reflect on professional practice and development opportunities.
For those new to teaching there is the opportunity to work towards a PGCE whilst working with us.
Pension
A generous pension scheme (either Teachers’ Pension Scheme or Defined Contribution (DC) Scheme) and Life Cover (4 times salary) are part of the package.
The successful applicant will be automatically included as a member of the TPS, where both the employee and employer will each meet their statutory contribution rate to the scheme.
At Winchester College, where teachers choose to participate in the TPS, the cost to the College of employer pension contributions is capped at 23.68%. Employer contributions rose in April 2024 to 28.68%, and the 5% differential is deducted from the employee’s gross salary with effect from this date. Should the successful applicant opt out of the TPS and elect to join the DC Scheme, there is no corresponding reduction in salary. The default employee and employer contributions are 9% and 21.5% respectively.
Probation and Notice Periods
The first twenty-four months of employment will be a probationary period. Regular reviews with line managers take place over the probation period with the opportunity to discuss progress, identify any areas for action and ensure there is appropriate guidance and support in place to enable successful completion of the probationary period.
During the probationary period, the notice required by either party to terminate employment will be one month within the first term of employment. After the first term, the notice required by either party to terminate employment will be one full term.
Once employment is confirmed, the notice period will be one full term.
Annual Leave
This is a Teaching position which benefits from the school holidays.
Sports Facilities
The school offers staff free access to its excellent sports facilities, including gym membership, tennis courts and in 2025, a new 25m swimming pool. Exercise classes, including spinning and circuits are also available.
Enhanced Disclosure Check
As Winchester College is an educational establishment, a condition of employment will be that the successful candidate must consent to the school obtaining an Enhanced Level Disclosure Check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This will reveal all spent and unspent convictions, warnings, cautions and bind-overs. A policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders is available on the school’s website.
Safeguarding is one of the primary responsibilities of this role. The jobholder is responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom they are responsible, or with whom they come into contact with, and will need to adhere to and ensure compliance with the school’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy at all times. A Teacher of Chemistry should be conversant with the responsibilities and procedures detailed in this policy and with the Department for Education’s Keeping Children Safe in Education. If, in the course of carrying out the duties of the post, the Teacher of Chemistry becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the school, they must report any concerns to the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead or in their absence the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead.
References and Other Pre-employment Checks
The appointment will be dependent upon the receipt of a successful medical check and satisfactory references. The College will usually seek references from shortlisted candidates before interview and may approach previous employers for information to verify particular experience or qualifications. At least one referee must be the current or most recent employer. Where applicants are not currently working with children but have done so in the past, one referee must be the person by whom they were most recently employed when working with children.
How to Apply
Only applications completed on the school website will be accepted. Please attach a full CV and covering letter with your application.
Closing date for applications: Noon, Friday 4th October 2024.
Please note that applications will be dealt with as they arrive. Winchester College reserves the right to appoint before the deadline passes.
Those wishing for an informal conversation about this role are invited to speak to either Dr Jamie McManus, Head of Chemistry or Mr Matt Rogers, Head of Science via [email protected] in the first instance.
If you have any questions about this vacancy or the recruitment process, please email [email protected].
Further information about the school can be found at www.winchestercollege.org.
Data Protection
Winchester College collects and processes relevant personal data as part of its everyday operations and is obliged to process it in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Act 2018. The school is the Data Controller of this data under the Act and is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office. Its registration number is Z5751669.
If you have any queries or comments about this policy or how personal data is processed by the school, please contact the Bursar and his team by emailing: [email protected] or by writing to: Data Protection, The Bursary, Winchester College, College Street, Winchester, SO23 9NA.
PART V: ABOUT WINCHESTER COLLEGE
In February 2021, Winchester announced a bold new vision and a significant programme of change. ‘Winchester College in the 21st Century’ describes the School’s ambitions for its future and heralds the start of an exciting new phase in Winchester’s development.
Winchester was a pioneering institution when it was founded in 1382 and this new vision will ensure the School continues to be a leader and influencer of great education on the modern global stage. The commitment to provide an intellectual education of exceptional quality and breadth remains unaltered, as do the values which have underpinned Winchester since its foundation. ‘Winchester College in the 21st Century’ will build on these strengths and bring multiple benefits to current and future generations of Wykehamists.
Winchester currently has 735 pupils. Over time, the School plans to admit each year a minimum of 30 day pupils into the Sixth Form (of whom roughly half will be girls) and up to 50 girl boarders. The School will be some 900 pupils, roughly the same as Rugby and Harrow, but smaller than Sevenoaks, Oundle, Wellington and Eton. The number of pupils boarding at the College will remain the same.
The new vision for Winchester includes the following significant changes:
Increasing Access
Academically, Winchester is among the very best schools in the country and is sought after for its combination of superb teaching, pastoral care, sports and activities.
At all levels Winchester encourages pupils to look beyond the curriculum. Div is our unique programme of general cultural studies and offers an excellent preparation for university study. In these lessons, pupils engage with a wide range of subjects, from English Literature to Ancient History to the History of Science.
Pupils in the Sixth Form study linear A-level courses and will ordinarily study three A-level subjects and an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) alongside Div. Linear A-levels are complemented by the flexibility of the EPQ where pupils are able to more deeply explore their cross-curricular research interests. The EPQ encourages pupils to develop first-class research skills, to synthesise information from a variety of differing sources, and to become accustomed to the demands of independent study.
Music has been central to life at Winchester ever since its foundation, and the school is unique in having maintained its Choral Foundation to the present day. The Music Department is now one of the leading departments in the country, and offers outstanding opportunities to all.
Sport is a major part of Winchester life. There are many fixtures against other schools, and in late 2024 the redevelopment of the sports facilities will see a state-of-the-art complex open that will allow all pupils to enjoy and participate in a variety of sports, whilst simultaneously enabling the most talented and driven pupils to train and compete at the highest level.
Much energy is also invested in the Combined Cadet Force, the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Community Service, and in links with local primary and secondary maintained schools. This commitment provides pupils with many opportunities to work for the benefit of others, inside and outside the classroom, developing the knowledge and skills, and the rights and responsibilities, which will enable them to grow into valuable and productive members of society.
Pupils eat all meals in their boarding houses, talking with their Housemaster/mistress, and interacting with friends, visitors and teachers. We believe that conversational ability, developed both inside and outside the community, equips pupils to talk to anyone, about anything, in practically any situation.
This unparalleled combination attracts pupils from across the world, making Winchester a truly international and diverse community which celebrates every pupil’s individuality, passions and potential.
Winchester College is committed to maintaining the founder’s original intention of offering an outstanding education to any pupil who would benefit from it, regardless of their financial circumstances, and many of the pupils in the College are being helped financially through the school with substantial bursaries.
Winchester College embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace and is committed to promoting a fair and supportive environment for all our employees. We work hard to create an inclusive culture where different perspectives are recognised, and our staff feel valued for their individuality and share a sense of belonging. Our aim is to reflect the diverse nature of society and of our pupil body. We are seeking to attract a diversity of talent at all levels, so that our pupils understand and benefit from the breadth and depth of such a diverse community. This means recruiting from the widest possible pool of talent.
Sustainability
Both staff and pupils at Winchester College are committed to being the most sustainable school possible. You can learn more about our goal of creating a more sustainable school here.
Full details about the school may be found at www.winchestercollege.org.