Teacher of Social Science (Psychology and Sociology)

About Us

Harris Academy Orpington opened in September 2016, joining the highly successful Federation of Harris academies in London and the senior leaders here are experienced in creating and running great schools and that is what we are doing in BR5. We are a community school that serves families in and around Orpington and we are well on our way towards providing an outstanding education for the students who come here. We want out students to succeed and have choices in their lives; to take control of their futures and achieve beyond their dreams. We are ambitious, tenacious and enterprising and committed to helping our students succeed. Our work as a Health Science Specialist school, with students being given access to recognised professional qualifications, work experience and careers is unique and is designed to help and support the whole community who are regularly invited into the Academy to hear from guest speakers.

We have the most incredible facilities; with brand new science labs, 3 Main Halls, Dance Studios, 3 Astro Turfs, Drama Studios, dedicated Art and DT blocks, we are incredibly proud of the work that our students do here. We have developed a curriculum that is ambitious and broad. We believe in the need to nurture an appreciation of human creativity and achievement and have designed a curriculum that does just that.

We aim to ensure that every student is inspired and supported to achieve his/her personal best and learning comes first. Our motto is "Together We Can" and if you are interested in joining us, we would be very keen to meet you.

Summary

We are currently looking to appoint a dedicated and inspiring Teacher of Social Science (Psychology and Sociology), to cover a maternity leave.

At Harris Academy Orpington, you will join a passionate team of teachers and staff supporting our vibrant students. If you are looking for an opportunity to grow, inspire and develop, this may be the role for you.

We are looking for a Psychology and Sociology teacher who has the ability to stimulate their pupils and keep them engaged and curious in classroom activities. You should possess the understanding that pupils perform at their best when they feel inspired and motivated to learn by challenging their critical thinking around the study of the human mind, behaviour and society.

Our new colleague should be a dedicated and highly motivated teacher that shares our school's values, vision and ethos.

Main Areas of Responsibility

The purpose of your role will be:

• To implement and deliver an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum for students and to support a designated curriculum area as appropriate.
• To monitor and support the overall progress and development of students as a teacher/form tutor
• To facilitate and encourage a learning experience which provides students with the opportunity to achieve their individual potential
• To contribute to raising standards of student attainment
• To share and support the academy's responsibility to provide and monitor opportunities for personal and academic growth

Your main areas of responsibility will fall under the areas of:

• Operational and strategic planning (including lesson planning, developing resources and syllabuses, and contributing to the departmental plan)
• Curriculum planning
• Staff development (including continuing professional development and engaging fully in the Performance Management Review process)
• Quality assurance (including contributing to the process of monitoring and evaluating the subject area)
• Management of information (including maintaining appropriate records and tracking student progress)
• Communications with students, parents and other stakeholders
• Pastoral system (including being a form tutor to a selected group of students)
• Teaching, ensuring a high quality learning experience for students

Qualifications & Experience

The successful candidate will:

• Hold QTS (or equivalent) and a relevant undergraduate degree
• Have successful teaching experience at secondary level (can be teaching practice), ideally including experience in multi-ethnic urban schools and of working in an 11-18 school
• Understand the theory and practice of effective teaching and learning
• Understand the importance of high expectations and equality of access for all students, and of being a tutor
• Have knowledge of National Curriculum requirements at KS3 and KS4, and of writing lesson plans, developing resources and assessing students' work
• Be able to work as part of a team and to develop and maintain positive relationships with all staff
• Have a good level of ICT skills, ideally including innovative use of interactive white boards
• Be able to create a motivating and safe learning environment for all students
• Be able to communicate positively with parents, carers and other external agencies where necessary
• Have good written and spoken communication skills
• Be able to lead and manage their own work effectively
• Have excellent time management skills
• Be able to motivate students and raise their aspirations through a range of strategies

Rewards & Benefits

Teacher Development

At Harris, we have curated professional development pathways that will guide you towards achieving your career ambitions. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. With a strong network of passionate educators, expert development initiatives and a multitude of opportunities for career progression, your journey with Harris could be the most rewarding one yet.

We offer a wide range of high quality teacher professional development programmes via the Harris Institute of Teaching and Leadership. Find out more here.

Flexible Working

We are committed to fostering a positive and supportive working environment for our staff, recognising that achieving a balance between professional and personal responsibilities is essential. We understand that each individual's circumstances are unique, which is why we offer flexible working options that can be adapted to meet the needs of both the academy and our employees.

Benefits

In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance (usually £2,000 for Inner London and £1,500 for Outer London), a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Teachers Pension Scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan, Employee Assistance Programme, and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact us via e-mail, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. You will need this when completing your application.

Please note: we may hold interviews as and when applications are received and we reserve the right to offer to a candidate prior to the closing date. We only accept applications submitted online via our careers website and which are completed before the closing deadline. With this in mind, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible and advise you check the job information as per the listing on our careers site.