Head of Social Sciences

About Us SPH is a co-educational 11-18 Catholic comprehensive school, which in April 2017 helped form the Bosco Catholic Education Trust. Bosco CET currently consists of nine dynamic, supportive and excelling Catholic schools. The school and Trust’s ethos is based on its Catholic character, with supportive relationships and high standards being central to our work. As a consequence, both students and staff are happy, positive and enjoy their time at school. Academic standards at SPH are outstanding with students achieving very well at all levels. This summer, GCSE progress scores have exceeded 0.7 with over 85% of students achieving 5 or more GCSEs at 4+. The pass rate at A Level is always high and usually 100%, with over 70% of grades being at A*/B. Despite the fact that these results place us in the Top 10% nationally and one of the top schools in Sussex, we have the belief that “getting better never stops” We are determined to be outstanding in all aspects of our work as a school and pursue this goal relentlessly. There is a great team here at SPH; we are all determined to be the very best we possibly can be and hope that you will be up for this challenge too. A great deal of emphasis is placed upon enrichment activities at SPH and outside the formal curriculum there are numerous opportunities for students to take part in a wide range of activities: drama, sport, music, exchanges, days of reflection, Duke of Edinburgh and trips, both nationally and internationally. We would expect you to contribute in some way to this important side of school life should you be successful in your application. SPH is heavily over-subscribed and is highly regarded in the local community. Whilst students and staff are well supported, expectations of them are high. We are determined to recruit the very best members of staff and those with great potential, to support and develop them in their roles and prepare them for promotion. That is why we invest heavily in professional development. Our staff are our number one asset and must be cherished if we are to succeed in achieving our goals. Being part of a wider group of schools has afforded staff a wealth of opportunities for training and career progression. We prioritise staff wellbeing with employee benefits such as additional inset days, discounted gym membership, employee assistance and an elective car lease scheme. We have a relentless focus on learning and the quality of teaching and student outcomes are placed at the heart of all we do. We were delighted to be graded as ‘Outstanding’ in every category at both our 2016 and our recent 2021 Ofsted Inspection, and believe this to be great affirmation of what we are trying to achieve. I hope you will take the opportunity to access the report on our school website. As a strategic lead within the Teaching School Hub, we are able to engage with other schools, share best practice and provide school to school support; all things which help to enrich the experience of working at SPH. I believe SPH is a fantastic place to work and I am always excited about the prospect of appointing colleagues to help drive the school forward. There are great opportunities here for the right candidate. I would be delighted to meet you in person or to discuss over the phone any aspects of the role, so please do get in touch. I hope you decide that SPH is the right school community for you and I look forward to meeting you soon. Job Details Salary: MPS/UPS, TLR (commensurate with experience) Contract Type: Permanent Working Pattern: Full-time Location: Barnham, West Sussex Interviews: TBC What You Need to Succeed The Governors are looking to appoint an ambitious, hardworking and talented Head of Social Sciences, to be part of a great team and deliver high-quality lessons. This role will provide a first-rate opportunity to demonstrate your ability to lead and make a measurable impact on the success of the school, enabling you to progress to assistant headship, should this be your ambition. This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic, innovative and vibrant school as it continues to push on from its ‘outstanding’ Ofsted judgement. If you want to work with wonderful students, committed staff and a forward-thinking leadership team, this is the school for you. We are always striving to improve and we want you to be part of this journey. GCSE results are always well-over 85% for those achieving grade 4+, with progress scores regularly placing the school as the highest in West Sussex. We have a thriving and growing Sixth Form. A Level results and progress scores place us first in West Sussex. We are rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in all categories. We are a strategic lead in the Xavier Teaching School Hub and play a leading role within the Bosco Catholic Education Trust. The school is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to the safeguarding and protection of children and young people. This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. It is illegal to apply for a role requiring an enhanced DBS if you are on a barred list that prohibits you from working with children. As part of our safeguarding processes and due diligence for recruitment at St Philip Howard Catholic School, we may conduct an online search in addition to our standard background checks to assess your suitability to work in an educational setting. Should any concerns arise during this search, you will have an opportunity to address them if you are invited to interview.