Head of Chemistry

Job description / Role

This school in the heart of Suzhou is seeking to appoint an inspiring teacher of Chemistry to establish and lead a new department. Suzhou is often referred to as the Venice of China with its canal systems that winds its way through the city. Located 100km from Shanghai it is a popular location for expats with a modern transportation system and green leafy parks.

The Chemistry department will offer a one and two year IGCSE programme and both the International AS and A Level qualifications from CAIE (Cambridge Assessment International Examinations). In addition, the department will be expected to contribute to the school programme of academic extension, the co-curricular programme and to provide academic support to students as required. The department will be based in newly renovated teaching rooms with ample provision for staff working space nearby. The Head of Chemistry is ultimately accountable to the Principal through the Assistant Principal of Academics.

The following responsibilities shall be deemed to be included in the professional duties which the post holder may be required to perform:

Management and Leadership
• To establish and lead the department in line with the school’s overall vision ‘to love learning and strive for the greater good’;
• To support the values of the school;
• To inspire and motivate students and teachers within your department and the wider school community;
• To contribute to the formulation of school policies and to ensure that they are adhered too;
• To produce the development plan for the department in line with the school development plan;
• To liaise with the Assistant Principal Academic regarding timetabling and setting (where appropriate);
• To liaise with staff at other schools within the group internationally on shared projects for student learning and professional development;
• To market the department both internally and externally as required (with support from the marketing department);
• To be responsible for producing and updating the departmental handbook;
• To hold regular formal departmental meetings, with an agenda and summarising minutes;
• To disseminate all information from Head of Department and other meetings, exam boards and subject organisations to the department;
• To provide accurate and prompt information to the exams office about the internal and external examinations and predicted grades;
• To ensure that all relevant health and safety measures are in place and adhered to in the department;
• To be responsible for the ordering and organisation of departmental resources and to ensure that they are readily available to all staff;
• To produce the annual budget and ensure effective expenditure;
• To be responsible for the quality of written reports to parents produced by the department;

Teaching and Learning
• To have a love of learning;
• To devise an inspiring and challenging curriculum;
• To contribute to and oversee the production of schemes of learning using the best teaching and learning approaches, both traditional and more innovative;
• To produce a programme of academic extension activities to inspire and challenge the students and prepare them for the next stages in their academic career ;
• To teach well-structured lessons that inspire and motivate students and ensure student progress;
• To be ambitious for the teaching and learning outcomes for all the students;
• To keep abreast of current developments in your subject area and ensure that schemes of learning are regularly updated;
• To establish departmental systems for the assessment and tracking of student achievement and progress;
• To be able to use data to identify underachieving students and to use interventions to raise achievement;
• To ensure that a vibrant and engaging learning environment is created and maintained in the subject classroom areas;
• To ensure that arrangements for coursework/controlled assessment are in place, including task setting, marking, internal moderation and despatch of samples and documentation to external moderators where appropriate;
• To organise mock exams, end-of-year exams and where appropriate scholarship and entrance exams;
• To attend parent evenings as required.

Staff
• To have responsibility for the line management and professional development of the department staff in conjunction with the Assistant Principal Academic;
• To assist with the recruitment of new teaching staff;
• To ensure the continuing professional development of the staff and contribute to staff professional review;
• To guide and support staff to ensure their effective performance and wellbeing;
• To ensure an effective team culture and set an example of professional standards of behavior.

University Guidance
• To provide individual focused advice to students on relevant university courses;
• To organise additional classes for subject based university tests and subject based practice interviews for candidates who will receive university interviews;
• To provide advice on tasks and marking of submitted work where required for university entrance;
• To seek advice from international partner schools on university guidance matters as may be appropriate.

Co-curricular
• To promote breadth and balance and contribute to the co-curricular life of the school.

Pastoral
• To oversee the academic progress, wellbeing and personal development of a small group of students by acting as a personal tutor;
• To teach the PSHEE programme;
• To play an active role in the life of the boarding house and assist with the evening supervision of boarding students (approximately once a week).

Safeguarding
• To promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young persons for whom you are responsible and with whom you come into contact.

General
• To attend and contribute to school open events and information sessions where required;
• To assist in the student recruitment and selection process;
• To support school events.

Salary:
USD 3,500 to 5,000 per month inclusive of fixed allowances.
Additional benefits: Housing allowance of 6,000RMB per month, Sponsored Legal Work (Z Visa), Airport pick up on Arrival/Accommodation Assistance, Flight allowance, Subject/HOD Bonus applies ?1500-3500RMB monthly), Private Insurance covered by the school, Full paid Public Holi

Requirements

Qualifications and Experience
• High Class Honours Degree in Chemistry or a related subject.
• At least four years’ relevant teaching experience at both (I)GCSE and A Level.
• A PGCE / professional teaching qualification (desirable).
• Previous leadership experience (desirable).
• A strong track record of academic results/value added at both (I)GCSE and A Level.
• Experience of teaching students for whom English is an additional language (desirable).
• Recent UK teaching experience or experience of teaching in a British International School overseas (desirable).

About the Company

Eurus is a teacher recruitment agency specializing in assessing, up-skilling and placing teachers into bilingual and international schools in China and beyond. Eurus aims to help hard-working, motivated teachers find the most suitable career opportunities. We work with schools, teachers and expert training partners to provide a platform to enhance the employability of our teachers and match them to the schools that require their skillset.

For our teachers when you register with Eurus you will have access to wide variety of jobs across China and beyond. Our positions cover Kindergarten through to secondary subject teachers and all curricula so that we have coverage for all teachers that engage with us. When you apply for a position your details will be assessed against schools’ criteria and we help to find you a matching position. Our expert consultants can advise you from the application process right through to hopefully signing that offer for the next step on your career path. As your career partner, we give you access to the professional development you need to get hired by the top schools in China and around the world. Schools want to hire teachers who have invested in developing their skills to be the best teachers they can be. All teachers have full access to Eurus’ learning resources, including educational articles, training opportunities and career tools to assist them in enhancing their knowledge of international curricula, improving their teaching skills and increasing their employability.