Subject Leader - Mathematics

This is an exciting opportunity to join one of the top schools for progress in the country. We are a high performing school and have a relentless focus on high standards in all that we do. We work together to dismantle any barriers to learning and achievement and have a total belief that every student can be successful regardless of their starting point. We ensure that our classrooms are disruption-free so our teachers can focus on the main thing – teaching and learning. We have a strict discipline policy, and the senior team run daily centralised detentions so that consequences are immediate and teacher time is protected.

Paddington Academy is a mixed Academy for 1,200 students aged 11-18. The Academy was judged to be outstanding by OFSTED in 2011 and was described by the Education Minister as a ‘jewel in the crown of state education’. Our thriving and oversubscribed academy also has a large Sixth Form with over 300 students, and we have consistently been in the top 10 schools for student progress for the last six years. Paddington Academy is part of United Learning, a large, and growing, group of schools aiming to offer a life-changing education to children and young people across England. United Learning is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All positions are subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and shortlisted candidates will be subject to an online check.

Job Purpose

To develop a vision and to set a direction for your subject and its contribution to the learning experience of all students. To build a subject team that delivers high quality teaching and learning and that collectively raises standards including levels of engagement, aspiration and attainment. To ensure that Academy policies are fully developed, communicated, implemented, monitored and evaluated.

Responsibilities:

• To set high expectations for standards of teaching and learning and to model excellent practice.
• To promote the building and sharing of good practice and successful innovation across your team.
• To ensure the consistent application of teaching and learning strategies that meet the needs of all learners.
• To lead curriculum masterclasses to support subject knowledge development and subject pedagogy.
• To ensure that all teachers develop their classroom practice.
• To lead the ongoing development and evaluation of appropriate specifications and learning maps and ensure these are followed by all teachers.
• To create knowledge organisers and ensure that retrieval practice is mapped carefully throughout the curriculum.
• To monitor and evaluate standards of teaching and learning through classroom observation, sampling students’ work and student feedback.
• To oversee effective assessment, recording and reporting of student progress.
• To monitor and evaluate standards of attainment through the collection, analysis and reporting of performance data.
• To contribute to regular school and department self-evaluation.
• To ensure the efficient and effective selection and deployment of staff and resources.
• To create a stimulating learning environment across your subject area that promotes its identity and its contribution to the whole academy curriculum.
• To create, implement and regularly update your subject development plan.
• To develop effective departmental policies, communicate them through a departmental handbook and ensure they are consistently implemented.
• To keep up to date with current research and use this to inform practice across your department.
• To keep abreast of national developments in your subject area and apply them where relevant.
• To carry out any other relevant tasks and duties as may occasionally be required.

Links

• To regularly report to your senior line manager.
• To build and maintain an effective team of staff.
• To ensure your team is kept fully informed and have the information they need.
• To provide subject information and an additional link with parents and others in relation to work in your subject area.
• To support and supervise all the members of your subject team and ensure their ongoing professional development via effective training and performance management.
• To support and supervise support staff based wholly or mainly in your area.
• To ensure effective induction for new staff and support for trainees.
• To develop cross curricular links.

Person Specification

The successful candidate will have demonstrated the following in their application / interview:

• Be an outstanding teacher.
• Be committed to continuous improvement.
• Have evidence of supporting or training other colleagues and of working with students beyond those that they teach.
• Have knowledge of current educational issues, legislation and an appreciation of the context of the Academy.
• Be a team player.
• An unshakable belief that every student deserves the best and can achieve the best.
• A belief that there are no barriers to success that can’t be dismantled.
• The ability, time and energy to go the extra mile, no matter what.
• To be able to hold people to account in a fair, emotionally intelligent, honest, open but rigorous manner.
• To be endlessly positive and optimistic.
• To be solution focused and never give up.
• To be charismatic and have the ability to bring out the best in any student or adult.
• To have a relentless focus on high standards and an eye for detail.

This document is considered to provide an outline of the areas that this role involves. This document does not preclude the post holder developing systems and structures not specifically mentioned but related to his/her broad areas of responsibility. The roles outlined above are indicative and do not preclude anything else which may be reasonably requested commensurate with the post held and duties undertaken.