EXPIRED

Teacher of Chemistry

Freman College, Buntingford, Hertfordshire, SG9 9BT

This job expired on 15 April 2024 – see similar jobs

Start date details
September 2024 with July start available for ECT
Closing date
15 April 2024 at 9am
Date listed
27 March 2024

Job details

Job role: Teacher
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Key stage: Key stage 4, Key stage 5
Subject: Chemistry
Working pattern: Full time: Full time, permanent
Contract type: Permanent
Pay scale: MPS / UPS fringe

What skills and experience we're looking for

“A mature and harmonious learning environment.” – Ofsted

“There is flexibility to do what I want in my own classroom. There isn't any red tape so I am free to teach in whatever way I think will work best.” - Staff Questionnaire

A hidden gem in the Hertfordshire countryside - just a quick drive from Stevenage, Baldock, Royston, Cambridge, Bishops Stortford, Hertford and Ware.

Midway between London and Cambridge.

Generous relocation package available.

Required September 2024

TEACHER OF CHEMISTRY

Salary includes London fringe allowance

An exciting opportunity to join a high achieving and very popular department teaching enthusiastic students with outstanding behaviour in an over-subscribed 13-18 upper school.

If you love your subject and enjoy A level teaching – this is the perfect job!

Our experienced and very successful Science Department enjoys 8 purpose-built labs and excellent ICT facilities. GCSE are consistently significantly positive both in terms of attainment and progress. We have a large Sixth Form and science A Levels are extremely popular.

This role offers excellent scope for an enthusiastic and inspiring teacher – whether experienced or an ECT - to work in a supportive, energetic and high-achieving school where students are making excellent progress.

An excellent ECT induction programme and July start is available.

The school is located on the A10, a convenient distance from both London and Cambridge.

Read our fantastic Ofsted report to find out more about us.

For further details, visit our website

https://www.freman.org.uk/the-college/people/job-vacancies

To apply please complete the teaching application form and accompany it with a covering letter detailing how your experience, skills and qualities equip you for the post. Applications can be posted to the college or emailed to admin@freman.org.uk.

Deadline for applications: 9am, Monday 15th April 2024

Freman College is an equal opportunities employer. The college has a commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. The successful candidate will be required to undertake child protection screening including online searches, checks with past employers and an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

What the school offers its staff

Freman College is a successful and high achieving school with results that place it amongst the top schools nationally. We welcome applications from ambitious teachers who are committed to excellence for both themselves and their students.

We seek colleagues who are prepared to make a full contribution to the continued development and success of the college and who wish to take full advantage of the opportunities provided to develop their own skills and expertise.

In return we offer exciting opportunities to all teachers, be they ECT, middle or senior leaders, or aspiring to those positions. We also offer some significant staff incentives.

Introduction

Freman College was established in the rural town of Buntingford in 1971. As an upper school it was designed to be a centre for the life of its community and to provide quality, fully comprehensive education for students aged between 13 and 18. This remains the case today. There are currently 1,000 students on roll, including over 240 in the Sixth Form. Demand for places from outside the catchment area is high and as a consequence the college is oversubscribed every year.

Students at the college are ambitious and hardworking. Relationships between teachers and students are relaxed and friendly, and students are pleasant and rewarding to teach.

Buntingford is a picturesque town in rural East Hertfordshire which is situated just off the main A10, 35 miles north of London and 20 miles south of Cambridge with easily accessible transport links to both cities.

Status

The college held specialist status in Humanities jointly with its partner middle schools, Edwinstree and Ralph Sadleir. In 2009 it left LA control to become a Foundation school before becoming one of the first wave of schools to take the opportunity to convert to Academy Status in 2011. These initiatives have attracted significant extra funding over recent years which has helped to ensure the college’s stability and the development and improvement of its facilities.

Academic results and performance

The college is fully comprehensive, taking students from across the full ability range. It achieves very good results.

Each year, the progress made by our KS4 students puts us amongst the top 5-15% of schools nationally. Levels of attainment in many subjects are significantly above the national results. For example, in both English and Mathematics in 2017 and 2018 Freman students’ results, at Grade 4 and above, were over 10% better than the national average.

The college’s A Level results are consistently high. In 2018 over 80% of our students achieved the grades necessary to move on to their first choice of University, a large proportion of which belong to the prestigious Russell Group.

However, success is measured not just in terms of academic qualifications but also in students’ personal development and their achievements in extra-curricular activities such as drama, music, sport and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, all of which thrive in the College.

Broad education

The college’s formal day runs from 8.40am to 3.15pm with 5 timetabled lessons of 60 minutes each.

Students complete Key Stage 3 in our partner middle schools and begin aspects of Key Stage 4 in Year 9. In addition to maths, English and science students have four GCSE option choices with most students taking history or geography and at least one language GCSE.

In the Sixth Form students have 25 A Level options. In addition, we also offer 4 Cambridge Technical courses.

Students will also spend up to 35 minutes each day in their vertical tutor groups which, combined with the strong House system sit at the heart of the college’s pastoral care. The House system supports a well-established range of inter-house competitions in sport, music and drama which are largely organised by senior students. This is indicative of the emphasis the college places on enabling students to exercise initiative and take on responsibility within the college community.

Extra-curricular provision

The college provides a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Clubs exist in a wide range of fields ranging from music to drama to sports to Minecraft to Art. A large number of students take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. The college welcomes staff whose interests and expertise allows the extra-curricular provision to grow and flourish.

Students also benefit from a large number of recreational and educational visits. Ski trips, trips to Greece, Rome, Belgium and France are a regular feature of college life as well as regular field trips to and visits to the theatre and art galleries.

Accommodation and facilities

Located on an extensive site on the edge of Buntingford and surrounded by attractive countryside, the college’s buildings have undergone considerable expansion in recent years. The curriculum areas all have their rooms grouped together. The college boasts eight science labs, a suite of specialist art rooms, specialist music practice rooms, a drama studio and a magnificent sports hall with specialist teaching rooms for PE, two fully equipped IT suites and a fitness suite.

The extensive playing fields include hard tennis courts, netball courts, an excellent cricket square and a multi-use games area just outside the college gates. Plans are well advanced for a new 3G pitch with community use.

The Sixth Form have their own accommodation which includes private study and social areas.

ICT provision

The college has invested heavily in ICT for a number of years and is committed to developing the very best provision in order to enhance teaching and learning. The college ICT strategy is developed by a highly capable and motivated Network Manager in consultation with the Senior Leadership Team.

We run a Windows network with a wide range of applications, including Microsoft Office and subject-specific software programmes. We also provide home access to the college network for all staff and students. This has given staff a greater flexibility in spreading their workload over the day as well as enabling students to legally use the full range of college software without having to purchase the usual licences.

All classrooms have a ceiling mounted projector linked to the network and several curriculum areas are fully equipped with interactive whiteboards. We have approximately 600 computers comprising PCs, laptops and tablets. Our systems are reliable and effective.

The wireless network, which covers the entire site, allows for staff and students to bring their own devices into college to work from – something which the sixth form students in particular find essential for their studies.

The staff

There are around 90 staff at Freman College who are all committed to providing the very best education for our students. It is note-worthy that the children of a quarter of the staff at the college have been or are currently being educated at the college; a powerful statement about our belief in the quality of education we offer.

The staff includes a well-qualified and extremely capable team of teaching assistants who work closely and supportively alongside teachers. The staff room at the college is a vibrant space where colleagues informally share information on individual students as well as classroom practice – and cake at Cake Club every Thursday!

The college is committed to the professional development of all its staff with many teachers and support staff involved in taking further professional qualifications in addition to the wide range of in-house training that takes place. It is a rewarding and supportive environment in which to work.

Staff incentives

Financial benefits

Freman College pays its teaching staff on the London Fringe payscale. This means that Freman College pays its teaching staff an additional £1,100pa on their basic salary.

Where there is a need the college will pay for staff to complete their minibus driver training and / or assessments. The college has 3 minibuses.

The college actively promotes the on-going professional development of its staff and, when agreed in advance, will make a contribution to the costs of studying further degrees courses.

Staff are permitted to use the fully equipped fitness suite before or after college. There is also a subsidised yoga class once a week and access to a free early morning swim at the adjacent pool.

The college also runs a Cycle to Work scheme which enables staff to make considerable savings on purchasing a bike for commuting; and we have a discount scheme with a local garage for car servicing and MOTs. Staff are able to sign up to CSSC through Freman College in order to gain benefits of membership including discounted cinema tickets and meals, access to Royal Palaces and English Heritage sites.

Relocation expenses

In exceptional circumstances successful candidates may be eligible to claim relocation expenses. The maximum payable will be

Main scale Teachers - £800
Middle leader roles - £1,500
Senior leadership - £2,500

The expenses may be available to any teacher who lives more than 30 miles from the college at the time of appointment and wishes to move closer in order to take up the role. If eligible the expenses may be claimed against invoices for removal costs or solicitors’ fees.

NQT July appointment opportunities and induction programme

The college encourages NQTs to take up their post in July. When NQTs take up this option they will be paid from their start date to 31st August on Unqualified Teachers Scale point 4 (currently £24,341 FTE), before their substantive contract begins on 1st September. We have an excellent programme for NQT induction with mentor support from a member of SLT and a commitment to continuing your professional development.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

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