The person appointed will be expected to teach across the age and ability range and to play a part, together with other colleagues, in the continuing development of the department. With the current changes to the geography curriculum, there are many exciting opportunities ahead, as the department looks to develop and enhance our current geography provision. We need a person of vision to be part of driving this forward.
Eight highly motivated and committed members of staff currently teach Geography, either exclusively or for the greater part of their working week and the Department has subject specific learning support assistants. At present there are six well equipped geography teaching rooms located close to each other and a well resourced workroom. It would be fair to say that we are one of the largest and we believe one of the most dynamic departments in the county.
Our KS3 schemes of learning and assessments deliver an exciting and varied curriculum to pupils. We place great emphasis on providing a range of active teaching and learning techniques in our lessons to engage learners. To encourage independent home learning in a creative format we provide pupils with choices of tasks in terms of both content and presentation. Our creative approach to learning and the immense progress that learners make as a result of their engagement was recognised by the Geographical Association in June 2013. We were one of twelve schools in the country to be awarded ‘centre of excellence’.
The department currently follows the AQA A GCSE Geography and AQA AS and A Level syllabuses which provides a good balance between physical and human geography. Geography is a very popular option at KS4. We currently teach 20 GCSE classes and each year the number opting for geography increases. Our Sixth Form is also growing rapidly with four groups at both AS and A2 Level.
Our external examination results in Geography at Sixth Form have been classified as ‘outstanding’ with 90% of our students achieving A-C grades. Despite these successes, we continue to strive for excellence and development. One of the department’s strengths is its strong sense of teamwork whereby all members feel able to contribute to the development of the department, through the departments file share area ‘Geognet’.
Fieldwork is an important element in the department’s teaching and several trips are arranged each year. This includes an annual AS/ A2 level trip to either Iceland or Morocco. Other more local fieldwork activities include a Year 10 trip to Christchurch Bay, to collect controlled assessment data, a trip down the River Lymington and collecting micro-climatic information in Southsea. We also encourage learning outside the classroom, with the use of Stokes Bay for coastal fieldwork and Stanley Park for investigating the characteristics of woodland habitats, both of which are on our doorstep.
We are committed to ensuring that all members of the Geography Department are able to have access to quality CPD, through both external and internal provision. The successful applicant will be responsible for a tutor group within a year system of pastoral care; tutors and their pupils move through the School with the same Head of Year. Applications from suitably experienced professionals are most welcome and a proven ability to teach a second subject would be an advantage. Applications from NQTs welcome.
How to apply
We do not accept CVs or covering letters.
Applications MUST be made on the Bay House School Application Form, available to download from www.bayhouse.hants.sch.uk. Please ensure all sections of the application are filled in and that attachments are not used as an alternative to leaving a box blank.
Contact; Applications@bayhouse.hants.sch.uk or telephone 023 92505 249.
The School is committed to safeguarding children and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure & Barring Services checks (DBS) along with other relevant employment checks. Bay House School operates a policy of equal opportunities.