Teaching Opportunities

• Excellent mentoring and pedagogical development – including training graduates (recent and career changers) so that they have the opportunity to gain QTS without incurring the fees associated with a PGCE.
• A culture of rapid promotion for talented staff - we have an excellent record of developing outstanding teachers and preparing staff for Senior Leadership.
• Relocation expenses
• Easy access to central London
• Extensive parking on site for free
• Access to sports facilities
• A two-week October half term break and summer term ending on July 15th in 2022
• Membership of the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) or Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Childcare Vouchers
• Staff accommodation may be available

• The scheme opens for the following academic year. Telephone conversations and email enquiries are very welcome. Visits to the school will be possible throughout the year.

• Fulfilment of national expectations
• Qualifications which suggest an ability to teach the subject to the highest academic level
• Strong levels of spoken and written English

• Have secure knowledge of the relevant subject(s) and demonstrate the potential to maintain pupils’ interest
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the subject and promote the value of scholarship
• Demonstrate an understanding of and a commitment to promoting high standards of literacy, articulacy and the correct use of standard English, whatever the teacher’s specialist subject

• Establish a safe and stimulating environment for pupils, rooted in mutual respect
• Commitment to stretch and challenge pupils of all backgrounds and abilities
• Demonstrate consistently the positive attitudes, values and behaviour which are expected of pupils, including tolerance of others

• Ability to impart knowledge and develop understanding through effective communication
• Potential to promote a love of learning and develop children’s intellectual curiosity
• Willingness to reflect systematically on the effectiveness of lessons and approaches to teaching

• be entirely committed to a career in teaching
• support the values and ethos of Wilson’s School
• be a cheery and optimistic presence around the school
• make a positive contribution to the wider life of the school
• develop effective professional relationships with colleagues
• take responsibility for improving teaching by welcoming and responding to advice and feedback
• communicate effectively with parents, staff and outside agencies about pupil progress and well-being.

Staff testimonials

The goal is the change effected in the thinking and practice of our colleagues so that change improves the experience and learning of the students

— Vivienne Porritt

Developing Classroom Independence and Resilience

Tasks may be inherently challenging, but unless the student invests and engages in the task, it may not be challenging for them … [the] positive creation of tension underlines the importance of teachers in encouraging and welcoming error, then helping the students to see the value of this error to move forward

– John Hattie
 

Our Teaching and Learning focus for this year is developing practical strategies in each subject area to boost independence and resilience in our students. Our starting point will be the Learning Challenge Model (Concept > Conflict > Construct > Consider), with colleagues integrating wider reading and classroom research of their own in order to discuss and debate a range of associated principles.

Teaching and Learning Mentor for new staff

Sharing Teaching and Learning Excellence

Supporting New Middle Leaders

Aspiring Middle and Senior Leaders

• The lesson has activities which are sequenced logically and which are relevant to the objectives of the lesson (these being relevant to the curriculum as a whole); the place of the lesson in the wider context of the curriculum is made clear.
• Retrieval practice is enacted effectively; key ideas and concepts are reviewed, with evidence of retrieval and spaced practice over time.
• The links between activities are made explicit to the students and appropriate timings are shared (where appropriate). Care is taken to reduce distractions – e.g. talking while pupils are working – and to avoid overload.

• Explanations are delivered with clarity; knowledge is presented in a meaningful and relevant way and complex material is broken down into smaller parts.
• Possible misconceptions are identified in advance and there is a plan to prevent these forming; there is careful use of analogies, illustrations, examples or demonstrations.
• There is attention to the characteristics of teaching that enable students to embed key concepts in their long-term memory; silent, independent work is a regular feature of lessons.
• The teacher manages questions from pupils effectively so that pupils are reassured and encouraged but the structure of the lesson is not adversely affected.

• Clear objectives are shared with the students towards the start of the lesson; these objectives are then revisited as the lesson progresses.
• Knowledge and understanding is checked systematically and effectively throughout the lesson in order to anticipate where intervention may be necessary; Tasks and timings in the lesson are adjusted to address areas of weakness that the teacher identifies.
• Teachers ask a large number of well-planned, "hands down" questions to range of students in order to check understanding, diagnose misconceptions and boost students' confidence.

• Expectations for what students can do are high and the teacher is fully aware of their capabilities, prior learning and understanding.
• Differentiation is carefully planned and skilfully executed allowing students of different abilities to access suitably challenging work.
• Students (including the most able) are placed outside of their comfort zone.

• Scaffolding is provided where required. All pupils have an opportunity to experience success.
• Academic support is available to students inside and outside of lessons; they know how and where to access this. Over-reliance on the teacher in lessons is avoided.
• Praise is carefully targeted and explained to students so that they know what they are doing well.

• High-quality spoken language is modelled and required; students respond to questions in a formal manner, making use of relevant technical vocabulary; unfamiliar vocabulary is taught carefully and explicitly.
• Pupils’ literacy is developed by, e.g. modelling reading comprehension, and teaching different forms of writing by modelling planning, drafting and editing.
• Instructions for activities (timings, collaboration, groups, rules, intended outcomes) are absolutely clear and insisted upon.
• Language is used by the teacher to ensure that individual students are pushed towards a particular course of action rather than allowed to ‘opt in’.

• A positive learning environment is created whereby students feel valued and respected and in turn they value and respect one another, as well as the teacher as the subject expert.
• Students are highly engaged from the very start of the lesson, including during whole-class teaching; they are prepared to take risks and make mistakes and there is a sense of collective endeavour in the classroom.
• Students demonstrate excellent concentration and resilience when working independently and collaboratively; teachers do not talk too much at these times.