Job profile

THE PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES DEPARTMENT

Winchester College seeks to appoint a well-qualified, able and inspiring teacher of Philosophy and Religious Studies. 

The Philosophy and Religious Studies (PRS) Department at Winchester is at an exciting moment in its history. Since September 2021, Year 9 (Junior Part) Religious Studies (RS) has been delivered to all pupils, which has been designed both to develop the skills the pupils will need to succeed in their GCSEs while also retaining the breadth and cultural range that the bespoke course design affords.

GCSE RS has been introduced as an option in Year 10 from September 2022. We offer OCR Religious Studies: Philosophy and Ethics (J625) and we already have several sets of pupils pursuing this course. We study Christianity and Hinduism for the Beliefs and Teachings & Practices papers and Christianity for the religion, philosophy and ethics in the modern world paper.

In the Sixth Form we offer AQA Philosophy (7172) with the first Year 13 cohort having sat examinations in Summer 2022.

Our wider enrichment programme within the department is equally exciting and we host a weekly academic webinar series for our GCSE and A-level pupils, led by external academics and our own experienced department team.

The successful candidate will join a three-strong, expert, highly experienced and hugely supportive department teaching small classes in the historic setting of our classrooms in Flint Court. Department Continued Professional Development (CPD) is of crucial important and the successful candidate will have access to appropriate training to deliver the courses offered within the PRS department, but also to support their own interests within philosophy and religious studies in line with the department goals. All our courses, from Junior Part to A-level, are fully and creatively resourced, but with a range of options for teacher autonomy.

For the right candidate, in due course, the position of Head of Department may become available. 

ABOUT THE ROLE

Role and Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be accountable to the Head of Philosophy and Religious Studies 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.

The following summary of duties is intended to assist the Teacher of Philosophy and Religious Studies in their respective responsibilities. The successful candidate will be able to:

Teaching Timetable

• teach a set timetable per week

• set and mark work in accordance with school and department policies

• maintain accurate records of pupils’ attainment and academic progress

• be available to provide extra teaching outside the timetable where appropriate and as reasonably required by the school

Communication

• write reports on pupils as required

• monitor the progress of all pupils, giving constructive feedback from oral, written or examinable tasks

• attend meetings, including (but not limited to) staff meetings, chapel services, Professional Development days, and parents’ evenings

• communicate with parents over pupil progress both at planned school events and on an ‘as-needs-be’ basis (either by email, telephone or face-to-face)

Professional Development

• show evidence of, and a continuing interest in professional and personal development

• participate in the school’s Professional Review system

• produce, share and encourage the generation of outstanding and innovative digital resources in our Sharepoint area

• share best practice with the rest of the department

Additional Responsibilities

• be available to cover for absences both inside and outside the department as reasonably required by the Head of Department and/or the Director of Studies

• assist the Head of Department with the marking of scholarships and entrance examinations as required

• may need to act as a tutor to a group of pupils in a boarding house

• invigilate exams (internal and external) as reasonably requested by the Examinations Officer and in accordance with the regulations of the Examining Boards.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The successful candidate will possess a strong track record of achievement in:

• demonstrating and sharing knowledge of Philosophy and Religious Studies, with an intuitive awareness of classroom management skills and an appropriate rapport with pupils

• being able to understand and demonstrate outstanding teaching ability

• communicating concepts in Philosophy and Religious Studies in an articulate, positive and sensitive way to pupils across the age and ability range, developing with them a working relationship of mutual trust and respect

• the ability to use an appropriate range of resources and strategies in teaching, to facilitate good learning

• being able to design every lesson individually, to a high standard, conforming to the scheme of work laid out in the department’s working document

• the ability to organise and manage time effectively to meet the demands of the teaching week

• nurturing and supporting pupils’ wellbeing with well-developed pastoral instincts

Qualifications

Essential

• An excellent Honours degree relevant to the teaching aspects of the role.

Key Qualities

The successful candidate will be/have:

• commitment to the pastoral values of the school

• enjoyment of young people’s company

• emotional intelligence and the ability to empathise with both staff and pupils

• a welcoming and friendly demeanour for all visitors to the College

• the ability to build strong and effective relationships with pupils, parents, Housemasters/mistresses and other school-wide colleagues

• calm, patient and the ability to make decisions under pressure

• the ability to delegate and use initiative

• high levels of energy, enthusiasm and reliability

• excellent behaviour management skills

• organisational and administrative skills

• the resilience and stamina needed to deal with the demands of boarding school life

• a genuine enthusiasm to contribute to the wider life of the school, with the ability, skills, and experience to contribute in some capacity to the school’s extra-curricular activities

• commitment to promoting and embedding an inclusive culture, with equality of opportunity for all

BENEFITS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS, AND APPLICATIONS

Start date

This appointment will commence in September 2023.

Salary

Winchester has its own generous salary scale, which is above the national scale. In addition to salary, the school allocates a Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) to those with additional roles, ranging from running a sport to Head of Department or House.

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.

Private Health Care and Pension

The successful applicant will be enrolled in the school’s Corporate Health Scheme in accordance with the current rules of the Scheme. Membership of the Scheme does not extend to family members and is a taxable benefit in kind.

A generous pension scheme is offered.

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 school holidays.

Sports Facilities

The school offers staff free access to its excellent sports facilities, including gym membership, tennis courts and in 2023, 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 Philosophy and Religious Studies 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 Philosophy and Religious Studies 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 Leads.

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: 09.00 on 20 February 2023.

Please note that applications will be dealt with as they arrive. Winchester College reserves the right to appoint before the deadline passes.

Interviews are expected to take place on  Tuesday 28 February 2023.

Those wishing for an informal conversation about this role are invited to speak to Dr Elizabeth Mackintosh, Head of Philosophy and Religious Studies, ekm@wincoll.ac.uk.

If you have any questions about this vacancy or the recruitment process, please email recruitment@wincoll.ac.uk.

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: dataprotection@wincoll.ac.uk or by writing to: Data Protection, The Bursary, Winchester College, College Street, Winchester, SO23 9NA.