Teacher of Science (Chemistry specialism)

Welcome to Dunottar School

Dunottar is a vibrant, co-educational independent secondary school in Reigate, Surrey. We have 460 pupils across Years 7-13 (ages 11-18) and are part of United Learning's family of schools. We celebrated our centenary in 2026, marking 100 years of our school's rich history, and we are also entering an exciting phase of growth, having recently been granted permission to expand our roll to 600 students.

At Dunottar our aim is to bring out the best in every pupil, enabling them to be the very best they can be. Pastoral care is at the heart of everything we do, and we pride ourselves on our warm and nurturing, family environment. In addition, we offer an outstanding education to our pupils and, through excellent teaching and high levels of individual support, seek to enable them to achieve added value which is comparable with what is achieved in the top schools in the UK.

We are delighted that you are considering working at Dunottar School. We are a close-knit team where every professional's impact and input is valued. As a rapidly developing school, I am looking for staff who pride themselves on the highest possible professional standards, are keen to immerse themselves in school life and who relish the creativity of the opportunity that is provided here.

In return, you will enjoy an exciting and rewarding professional life where you will genuinely feel that you are shaping not just the futures of the children we teach, but the school itself. As part of United Learning's family of schools, your professional development opportunities are second to none. Our staff benefit from the expertise that comes from working with other dedicated teachers and staff from a variety of different schools and contexts; so whatever stage of your career you are at, I am confident that you will continue to learn and develop by becoming part of our team. Duncan Peel, Interim Headmaster

Duncan Peel, Interim Headmaster

Our People

We aim to appoint the very best teachers who have a passion and enthusiasm for their subject and, beyond that, for teaching itself, so that pupils at Dunottar are inspired to achieve their very best. Enjoying the opportunity of teaching children with a range of academic ability, our staff feel that their vocation is in enabling every child to gain the best possible outcomes. Success is not measured in raw results, but in how much more each child has achieved than might have been expected.

We create a culture where teachers take pride in exchanging ideas and in talking about teaching. Our staff seek out new ideas from each other and from the United Learning network in a quest for continuous improvement, and are able to blend interrogation of data with understanding the needs of their pupils, equipping them to challenge and care for their pupils in equal measure.

Dunottar is a school with a distinctive atmosphere and it is an exciting and dynamic place to work, Teaching and support staff work collaboratively in an environment where fun and hard work go hand in hand. It is a school where you can have real impact and where there are rewarding career opportunities for motivated, talented teachers.

The Department Overview

Dunottar has a well-established Science department. In Year 7 and 8 pupils are taught science, from Year 9, pupils commence their Science GCSEs taking AQA science in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. At A Level the AQA specification is followed in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The Science department has good facilities with six spacious, well-equipped laboratories and two preparation rooms.

Beyond the Classroom

The Science Department organise and promote Dunottar School Science Week and British Science Week annually in March, with activities such as a mobile planetarium and a House Science competition.

Pupils are encouraged to participate in thought-provoking co-curricular offerings such as our Café Scientifique Club, Dissection Club and Science Club to stimulate curiosity and an interest in science across all the key stages, as well as participating in the inter-school SATRO Problem Solving Competition. Practical activities are the very basis of making our lessons as fun and engaging as possible and our weekly clubs reflect and reinforce this. The successful candidate will be expected to make a contribution to these initiatives as well as to the co-curricular programme.

The Role

We are seeking to appoint a high calibre and enthusiastic Science Teacher to join this successful and friendly department. The ideal candidate will inspire curiosity and foster a genuine passion for the sciences, while fully embracing the aims and ethos of both the Science Department and Dunottar School. The role will involve teaching Science at KS3, and Chemistry at KS4 and KS5. This is a fixed-term position for the period January 2027 to December 2027.

Main Responsibilities

The applicant will be expected to fulfil the usual professional responsibilities of a teacher at Dunottar including:

• Have high expectations of pupils
• Create a stimulating and positive learning environment
• Show a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainment of the pupils, and that these have been taken into account when planning lessons
• Attend staff and departmental meetings
• Maintain up-to-date records of attendance, assessment, planning, reports and communication with parents
• Contribute to curriculum planning, including the development of schemes of work
• Contribute to the departmental co-curricular and extra-curricular programme
• Participate in ongoing professional development related to new developments in the sciences

Person Specification Professional Qualifications and Skills:

• A record of excellent academic achievement including a relevant honours degree
• PGCE/QTS

Personal Qualities:

• High levels of personal and professional integrity
• Self-confidence, personal energy and dynamism
• Personal warmth, good rapport with pupils, colleagues and parents
• Excellent organisational skills
• Excellent oral and written English skills
• Appropriate levels of personal presentation

Teaching and Learning:

• Enthusiasm for, and an excellent knowledge of, the relevant curriculum
• Evidence of creative and innovative approaches to teaching and learning including the appropriate use of ICT
• Commitment to improving, monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning
• The ability to teach all Sciences at GCSE, and Chemistry up to A level
• The ability to teach and support our Oxbridge pupils would be an advantage
• An ability to make all pupils feel valued and involved in your lessons
• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• To keep abreast of educational research and pedagogy so that lessons enable all pupils to make progress

Philosophy & Ethos:

• A commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people
• High expectations for pupil attainment, personal development and conduct
• Commitment to best practice in pastoral support and student welfare
• Commitment to helping with extra-curricular activities and curriculum enrichment

Part of United Learning

Dunottar School is part of United Learning, a large, and growing, group of over 100 schools aiming to offer a life changing education to children and young people across England.

Our schools work as a team and achieve more by sharing than any single school could. Our subject specialists, our Group-wide intranet, our own curriculum and our online learning portal all help us share knowledge and resource, helping to simplify work processes and manage workloads for an improved work-life balance.

The Package

• Salary: Appropriate point on the United Learning teachers' pay scale
• Pension: Contributory pension scheme
• Remission of fees: For your children at the school (in line with the usual admissions policy)
• Tailored Continuous Professional Development
• Employee benefits: A variety of benefits including gym, cycle and car lease schemes; access to an Employee Assistance Programme which provides independent, confidential advice 24 hours a day; money backs towards the cost of essential healthcare; a range of discounts, including retail and entertainment discounts
• Dining: Free school lunch
• Sports and leisure: Use of the swimming pool, the Courtyard Gym and tennis courts (at specific times)
• Wellbeing: Staff access to confidential advice, staff social events

Our Location and Facilities

Dunottar School is based in a handsome Palladian-style mansion set in 15 acres of beautiful grounds, just outside Reigate town centre. In addition to the main Mansion House, the school has modern wings housing classrooms, a university-style Sixth Form Centre with rec room and café. The school has a £4.5m Performing Arts Centre, with music practice rooms and a 500-seat theatre, art and DT studios. Our sport facilities comprise of a 25m indoor swimming pool, a large Sports Hall with 4-lane cricket net system and three new floodlit outdoor netball courts. Rugby and football fixtures are played at Old Reigatians RFC and South Park FC, where we have use of extensive and well-maintained rugby and football pitches.

Contact Information

Dunottar School, High Trees Road, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 7EL Tel. / email.