Appointment of
TEACHER of SUPPORT FOR LEARNING
Required for August 2013
George Heriot’s School seeks an appropriately qualified, enthusiastic and committed Teacher of Support for Learning to join our successful SfL Department in a full-time capacity from August 2013.
The School
The beginnings of George Heriot’s School go back to 1628, when George Heriot, jeweller and goldsmith to King James VI, bequeathed the majority of his estate for the founding of a ‘hospital’ in his native city, whose purpose was to be the upbringing and education of fatherless sons of Edinburgh burgesses. The Foundation has continued without interruption to the present day, and the present roll includes around 70 children of widows who receive free education at Heriot’s as Foundationers.
While the Foundation continues to be at the heart of Heriot’s, parallel provision is available for the children of widowers through James Hardie Bursaries, and five children currently benefit from this. Apart from the Foundation and James Hardie Bursaries, there is an extensive range of other forms of assistance with fees (mainly means tested bursaries and some scholarships), which currently support around 180 pupils.
George Heriot’s School flourishes today as an independent, co-educational day school catering for just over 1600 children from Nursery to Sixth Year. The Senior School comprises 1000 pupils. Demand for places is high.
Heriot’s has long been regarded as one of Scotland’s leading schools and it enjoys a high reputation for its academic standards, pastoral care and extra-curricular life. The School is attractively situated in its own grounds close to the city centre and within easy walking distance of bus and rail terminals. A number of bus routes also service the School. Edinburgh Castle forms a magnificent backdrop, and Edinburgh's flourishing financial centre, the University of Edinburgh, the College of Art, the National Library and the Royal Scottish Museum are located close by. The original building has been carefully preserved and, as a historic monument, is open at certain times to the public during school holidays. Over the years, a succession of new buildings and upgradings has provided the full complement of educational facilities. The most recent additions include a Nursery, a Junior School extension and an ICT Resource Centre. Similarly, improvements and additions have been made to provide excellent sports fields and facilities at Goldenacre. The School has sole use of an outdoor centre in the Scottish Highlands.
The School has recently acquired the former Grassmarket Campus of the Edinburgh College of Art, which lies immediately adjacent. A long term strategic plan for development of the whole school campus incorporating the Grassmarket premises is in place. In the first phase of this plan, a new Centre for Sport and Exercise situated on the Grassmarket Campus has just been completed and opened in March 2012.
Further information on George Heriot’s School, including links to the latest HMIE and Care Commission inspection reports and the School’s own Standard and Quality Reports, can be obtained from the Heriot’s website at www.george-heriots.com.
The Post
The Department
The Support for Learning Department has seen significant development in recent years and enjoys an excellent reputation, which reaches beyond the School itself. The Department currently consists of the Principal Teacher, two full-time members of the Department and three part-time members. The school also benefits from a full-time Educational Psychologist.
The Department serves the whole school from Nursery to Senior 6, offering support across the curriculum. This support is given either in small groups withdrawn from classes or within the classroom. The Department can provide advice and resource materials for colleagues throughout the School.
Support for Learning is a busy Department working with pupils in the Junior School and Senior School. Through its assessment and referral system, it identifies pupils experiencing difficulties at an early age and aims to establish profiles of learning needs, prioritising key areas to target. By giving advice to teaching staff and parents and by working co-operatively in pupils’ classes or by extracting the pupils, it aims to meet these needs and work towards allowing the pupil to demonstrate their knowledge as independently as possible.
It values the knowledge and experience of the class and subject teachers and aims to enhance those skills by ensuring that teachers are familiar with strategies which may help their teaching of pupils who may need a more structured approach.
Candidate Profile
Applications will be welcome from both Primary and Secondary backgrounds and experience in the Early Years may be an advantage. Most important, however, is an enthusiasm for enabling all children to achieve their potential.
The successful candidates will also have:
· previous experience of working with pupils who have additional support needs and knowledge of the field of Specific Learning Difficulties
· qualifications in the field of Support for Learning or a willingness to undertake appropriate training
· knowledge of current legislation in the field of additional support needs
· familiarity with assessment material to aid in the identification of pupils’ needs
· ability to foster good relationships with pupils
· ability to communicate effectively with pupils, staff and parents
· flexibility
· computer literacy
All the members of the Department play an active part in the wider life of the School. This enables them to work with pupils of differing abilities and skills and to place our pupils in a meaningful context. All members of staff at Heriot’s are expected to contribute to the School’s extra-curricular programme, and the present members of the Support for Learning Department have a strong record of participation in this area. The School has an impressive range of extra-curricular activities, including games and sporting activities, a large number of clubs and societies, the CCF and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme. These are an important part of the School's philosophy of educating the whole child, and they greatly enrich the life of the School. The ability and willingness to assist with the coaching and refereeing /umpiring of team games would be particularly advantageous but it is open to candidates to indicate the activities to which they could contribute.
Terms and Conditions
a) Applicants must currently be registered or eligible for registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland.
b) The person appointed will be party to a Contract of Employment between him/herself and the Governors of George Heriot’s Trust.
c) Salary is based on the SNCT Scales with a Heriot’s enhancement.
d) The position is pensionable under the Scottish Pensions Agency teachers’ scheme.
e) The person appointed will require to complete the Application form and be a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme; we will require to be satisfied with any disclosures in the form and under the PVG Scheme.
f) Residential accommodation is not provided.
g) George Heriot’s School is a non-smoking campus.
h) Parking on site cannot be guaranteed.
Appointment Procedure
Applications should be submitted by letter, to the Headmaster at the address below, enclosing a CV. A completed copy of the Application Form appended below is also required, together with the names, addresses and, if possible, email addresses of two referees. Please also tell us where/how you became aware of the vacancy.
Letters of application and CV’s may be submitted in electronic form, but the Application Form, which requires a signature, must be submitted as hard copy.
Applications should be submitted as soon as possible and not later than Monday 18th March 2013.
George Heriot’s School, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9EQ
Tel: 0131 229 7263 Fax: 0131 229 6363 email:
George Heriot’s Trust is a Charity registered in Scotland – Number SC011463
George Heriot’s Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer and we welcome applications from all sections of the Community
GEORGE HERIOT’S TRUST
APPLICATION FORM – TEACHING STAFF
The following information will be treated in the strictest of confidence
PERSONAL DETAILS
Please use block capitals
SURNAME: ______
FIRST NAME: ______
ADDRESS: ______
______
TOWN/CITY:______POSTCODE: ______
HOME TEL: ______MOB NO: ______
EMAIL ADDRESS: ______
FULL DRIVING LICENCE: YES / NO
ENDORSEMENTS: YES / NO
If yes to endorsements, please provide further details including dates:
______
Are you involved in any activity which might limit your availability to work or your working hours (eg: Local Government) YES / NO
If YES please give full details:
______
Are you subject to any restrictions or covenants which might restrict your working activities? YES / NO
If YES please give full details:
______
It is a criminal offence for barred individuals to apply to work with children or vulnerable adults in Regulated Work.
Are you a PVG Scheme Member? YES / NO
PVG Scheme Membership Number: ______
Have you any convictions, including both spent and unspent convictions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974? YES / NO
If YES please give full details:
______
Copies of the Trust’s Equal Opportunities Policy & Disclosure Information Policy is available on request
If offered employment, you will be required to complete a Medical Questionnaire. Are you prepared to undergo a medical examination before starting employment?
YES / NO
Are you a member of/ eligible for membership of GTCS? YES / NO
Membership Number:
______
Have you ever worked for George Heriot’s Trust before? YES / NO
If YES please give full details:
______
Have you applied for work with George Heriot’s Trust before? YES / NO
Do you need a work permit to take up employment in the UK? YES / NO
Where did you hear of this vacancy?
______
DECLARATION
I declare that the information given in this form is complete and accurate. I understand that any false information or deliberate omissions will disqualify me from employment or may render me liable to summary dismissal. I understand these details will be held in confidence by Heriot’s, for the purposes of ongoing personnel administration and payroll administration in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998. I undertake to notify Heriot’s immediately of any changes to the above details.
Given the nature of the job for which I have applied, I understand that any offer of employment will be subject to receipt of a satisfactory PVG Scheme Record or Scheme Record Update from Disclosure Scotland. I am aware that George Heriot’s has an Equal Opportunities Policy, which includes information relating to the recruitment of ex-offenders and that I can request a copy of this if required.
Signed: ______
Printed: ______
Date: ______
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