TrinitySchool /

Trinity School, Carlisle, Cumbria

TEACHER OF MATHS

Main Scale

When you have read the details, and if you decide that you like the sound of us, please let us have your completed application form by 12.00 noononTuesday20 May 2014, along with a letter, explaining why we should be thinking about appointing you.

AThe School

Trinity School began in 1968, from the joining together of the Carlisle Grammar School, The Creighton School, and The Margaret Sewell School. All three had buildings more or less next to each other and they were simply joined together. We have a city centre site, but one bounded by the River Eden and green fields beyond to Rickerby Park. The old grammar school is a lovely building in red sandstone. More recently, we completed the redevelopment of our swimming pool and a fitness centre.

In September2010 we opened the first phase of our rebuild project which has given us state of the art Science, Technology and ICT rooms. September 2011 saw the opening of the second phase, with new Art, MFL, Humanities and SEN rooms with the third phase, a new entrance, completed in April 2012. The £20 million we have been given is very nice indeed, but not quite enough. With it we have set about rebuilding the 11-16 school, and, in due course, we hope, we shall be able to complete further works in the Sixth Form. We think we shall have a lovely school in which to work. There is much delight in what we have achieved already.

Trinity School has 1550 students; this makes us one of the largest Church of England schools in the country. We gained academy status with effect from 1st September 2011 and so we are now a Church of England Academy. If you are worried that this might be too big and impersonal for you, then don’t be: this is a very friendly school, which functions as a community, and as a series of smaller communities within the main school.

There are four houses – Amazon, Nile, Everest and Kilimanjaro – and the pastoral system is run by the Heads of House, each supported by a House Tutor. Form tutors make sure that they know their forms well and monitor their progress through the year. Discipline in the school is good, and a firm line is taken on all matters of misbehaviour. Our classrooms are pleasant, well ordered places.

Each department has its own area in the school, with its own facilities, but thankfully the central staffroom still works as the main meeting place for staff. We are not a quiet place: there are school plays and concerts; Senior Prize Giving takes place in Carlisle cathedral; Sports Day happens at the Sheepmount every year, and we have a wide range of sports and team games going on; the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme is flourishing, with more Gold Award winners last year; of course, we have a big programme of visits to the continent; our Adult Education programme is flourishing; we have an award winning partnership project with two schools in Uganda...

…and yet this is a place where the emphasis will always be on the quality of teaching and learning. We have high academic ambitions for all our students, and enjoy a very supportive relationship with parents, and with governors.

We like working here, even though, as everywhere else, there is so much to do and time seems short. You will need stamina and energy if you join us. We try to make a difference, and we are aware of the importance of what we do in shaping young people’s lives.

We aspire to being a place where human values are at the heart of what we do. We try to have simple policies (e.g. No bullying) and to value the contribution of all the people in the school. While we are a Church school, there is no requirement in our admissions policy for pupils that they must be churchgoers to come here. Similarly for staff – we would like you to be in sympathy with the aims and ethos of a church school, but there are members of staff of many different persuasions working here.

In becoming an academy, we have sought to ensure the best future continuation of the school which we have been building together. We are supported by the diocese of Carlisle, and the Trust which now oversees us has the Bishop, the Dean and the Archdeacon on it, along with the Diocesan Director of Education and our Chair and Vice Chair of Governors. They have our best interests at heart, as do the Governors themselves, who support and encourage and celebrate the school.

BThe Inspections

Having been found to be a Good school in May 2009, we were not expecting them to come again so soon, but they did: a full Osfted inspection of the school on 1st and 2nd February 2012. We are a Good school and our capacity to move forward looks very strong as always. You may well have looked this up on our website or through Ofsted, but here are some highlights anyway:

‘Trinity School is a good school. The headteacher, senior leaders and the governing body have high ambitions for students. They are determined in their pursuit of excellence, with clear action plans based on accurate self-evaluation. Staff share their ambition. Collectively, they provide the school with a strong capacity for further improvement.

‘The school has a very positive ethos and a supportive learning environment. ‘Students are happy, settled and enjoy all aspects of school life’, and ‘teachers bring out the best in students’ are typical comments from parents and carers.

‘All students are known personally by their teachers, support staff, senior leaders and the headteacher, who takes a keen interest in their well-being and achievement.

‘Exemplary behaviour modelled by staff has a positive impact on that of students.

‘Behaviour around the school is very good, maintaining an orderly and safe environment. Behaviour is good in the large majority of lessons. There are rare occasions when the behaviour of a few students interrupts the learning of others but school leaders are dealing with this. Behaviour gets better as students get older and settle into the Trinity way of life.

You may not have been able to get at our SIAS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican Schools) report. However, you may have to be prepared to take my word for the following:

‘Trinity School is rapidly gaining momentum in its journey as a church school. The exceptional quality of care for each student and member of staff reflects its core Christian values. The curriculum pays attention to the breadth of human experience and the importance of faith. This enables young people to grow into compassionate and responsible citizens motivated to take responsibility for their own learning.

‘Exemplary pastoral care of staff and students is recognised by everyone involved in the school community and beyond. The headteacher knows students personally and adds his own comment to all reports. Students are treated as unique individuals and no-one is forgotten.

‘The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students is a strength of the school. This is because teachers across all departments take every opportunity to relate the content of their lessons to moral, global and ethical issues both in past times and in contemporary society.’

Two inspections each time .. but some lovely truths about our school are captured for us here.

C The Mathematics Department

The Mathematics department at Trinity School is staffed by a dedicated team that comprises strong mathematicians and able practitioners. The department prides itself on the way it works together to continue to be a most successful department. The team meets regularly to share ideas and all members are willing to try, develop and create innovative ideas to push the department forward.

On entry at Year 7 pupils are set into 10 groups which are taught simultaneously. During Years 7 and 8 the course is set up to promote the learning of mathematical skills and to accelerate pupils towards an early start to GCSE. From Year 9 onwards pupils study Edexcel GCSE with entry in summer of Year 11.

In Year 11 pupils are reset to allow them the option to refine their GCSE grade and prepare for further education.The pupils take GCSE statistics whilst our most able students study the level 2 Certificate in Further Mathematics. The department has Epson Interactive whiteboards throughout and a range of electronic resources. Use of these interactive resources would be a common feature of maths lessons.

In recent years GCSE A*-C results have risen from around 60% to over 70% and indications are that this year will continue that trend.

A Level Mathematics is taught to the AQA specification and we attract around 35-40 pupils each year. This year there will be over 40 entries in AS mathematics making it one of the most popular A level subjects. Pupils can choose to study single or double mathematics to AS or A2 level.

DThe Post

The post would suit a well-qualified, enthusiastic and innovative Maths specialist, either a newly qualified or more experienced teacher. The ability to teach ‘A’ level would be a significant advantage.

EWhat to do next

We hope that the details we have sent you have helped you decide that you would like to apply for this post. Please fill in the application form, in black as we will photocopy it, and write a letter of no more than two sides about your work so far, and what we would gain if you joined our school.

Send the completed package to Mrs Chris Waddell, Deputy Headteacher’sPA,Trinity School, Strand Road, Carlisle, CA1 1JB or email 12.00 noon Tuesday 20 May 2014.

Please make clear the date you would be able to join us, if you were to be appointed.

We do not usually acknowledge applications received by post. Please enclose an s.a.e. or contact us by email if you want us to let you know that we have received yours.

If we have not contacted you within three weeks of the closing date please assume you have not been selected for the next round of our recruitment process.

You are welcome to contact us informally in advance if you would like to know more about us, or have other questions about the post, the school or the area, before you come for interview.

We look forward to receiving your application.

Alan Mottershead