Job Introduction

Chemistry is a flourishing subject at Westminster. Most pupils at Westminster relish a challenge and enjoy Chemistry for this reason; we want them all to tackle problems that they find demanding and to learn to deal with them independently.

As such, stretch and challenge are pervasive in all lessons and practical work is used as an investigative opportunity as much as it is for its benefits in embedding theory.

There are eight teaching members of the department and two technicians. The Chemistry Department is situated in the Robert Hooke Science Centre, some five minutes’ walk from Dean’s Yard, and teachers have shared use of four teaching laboratories, a theory lab, a dedicated research lab (with UV-Vis, IR and GC equipment), and two fully-equipped prep rooms.

Most pupils are able to exceed the requirements of GCSE in the Lower School, although we do not enter them for these examinations early. Our policy focuses on enrichment rather than acceleration. We currently follow the Edexcel IGCSE syllabus at this level. In 2024, 88% of students achieved a grade 9, with 97% achieving grades 9-8. Currently, the Sixth Form is studying CAIE A-level Chemistry, and in 2024, 77% of candidates obtained at least an A* grade, with 97% achieving grades A*-A.

The Department strongly encourages pupils to take part in co-curricular Chemistry, for example the Chemistry Olympiad. In each of the recent years around 40 pupils have achieved Gold Certificates and a handful have been invited to take part in Round 2 and the possibility of representing the UK in the International Chemistry Olympiad. The School as a whole expects some 70-80 Oxford and Cambridge places each year, and many who study Chemistry will be preparing for entrance in the life sciences, engineering or medicine.

We do not specialise: all our teachers cover the whole range of the syllabus including new developments as they arise, and we expect members of the department to teach throughout the School at all age and ability levels. The department provides a very supportive environment in which to start one’s teaching career, and more experienced teachers enjoy the lively discussion of chemistry and of its teaching and learning that characterises it. Sharing resources and ideas is very much an everyday practice and teachers thrive from the lively discussion of topics.

About the role

We are looking for a well-qualified Chemistry graduate, who will be able to teach Chemistry throughout the School at all ages and ability levels. They will inspire enthusiasm in their pupils as well as helping to maintain Westminster’s very high academic standards. Experience in teaching is a positive attribute, but the successful candidate might not have taught before and we welcome candidates who are new to teaching. We have previously employed both qualified and unqualified teachers, and there is a great deal of support within the department for people looking to begin a career in teaching. As well as teaching Chemistry at all levels within the School, the successful candidate must be calm under pressure, well-organised, efficient and able to work effectively with staff, pupils and the wider community. They would be expected to take a proportionate share in the teaching timetable of the department and extra-curricular activities as directed by the Head of Chemistry. In addition to their academic teaching, the successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the pastoral and co-curricular life of the School.

Line manager

The Teacher of Chemistry reports to the Head of Chemistry. All Teachers are responsible to the Deputy Head (Academic) on academic matters, to the Under Master on matters of discipline, pastoral, welfare and safeguarding, and ultimately to the Head Master.

Role Responsibility

The Teacher of Chemistry is expected to:

• Ensure the quality of teaching and learning is consistently excellent across the School.
• Apply, where appropriate, technology capability to enhance learning and teaching
• Plan, prepare, teach and evaluate lessons, activities and learning and teaching strategies in line with Schemes of Work located on our Intranet
• Provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment in which consideration is given to the individual development of all pupils
• Differentiate learning and teaching and associated resources in a manner that challenges and interests the pupils and is appropriate to their needs and skill levels
• Apply any recommendations and guidance for pupils with specific learning or welfare needs or disabilities, as directed by the Head of Learning Development, or on the pupil’s personalised learning plan
• Contribute to and maintain consistency with internal and relevant external marking schedules and moderation procedures
• Engage pupils fully in the assessment and self-evaluation process
• Carry out a range of formative assessments of pupils’ attainment to acknowledge and inform progress
• Record and report on pupil progress and achievements in accordance with the School’s requirements, including formal reporting points such as parents’ evenings and written reports

All teachers at the School are expected to:

• Promote and support the School’s Aims and Vision and School Development Plan
• Adhere to and support the School’s policies and procedures
• Accept responsibility for the welfare and care of all pupils, at all times
• Undertake break and supervisory duties as designated by Senior Management
• Cover classes for absent colleagues as directed by the Head of Department or Senior Management
• Attend staff meetings, parents’ evenings and other meetings and school events, such as the Carol Service and school concerts, outside normal hours.
• Attend relevant school trips, normally including one residential visit per year.
• Undertake any other duties or tasks as the Head Master, the Under Master or the Governing Body may reasonably require
• Engage positively in and contribute to INSET activities offered by the School.
• Be involved in new initiatives within the School as part of ongoing professional development.
• Take an active interest in maintaining subject knowledge, learning networks and current educational research.
• Respect all members of the school community, irrespective of position, gender, age, ethnic background or any other protected characteristic
• Pastoral care and pupil management
• Put pupils at the centre of everything you do, taking a pastoral interest in pupils around the School, so that they feel valued and cared for.
• Take the role of Form Tutor or Form Support Tutor within a year group.
• Monitor the welfare of class pupils, providing guidance, advice and support, and fostering self-esteem.
• Motivate pupils through praise, while being firm.
• Actively maintain the high standards of behaviour and uniform of pupils in the classroom and in all school locations and activities.
• Write and maintain relevant records for individual pupil files and writing reports
• Communicate, respond to and consult with parents on a regular basis maintaining records, as appropriate
• Communicate and consult with other departments or members of staff to implement recommendations, policies or guidance

The Ideal Candidate

Please refer to the below (attached) person specification.

Equal Opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer. We therefore encourage candidates to apply irrespective of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender identity, sex or sexual orientation.

Safeguarding and Child Protection

Westminster School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Package Description

Required for: September 2025

Location: Dean's Yard - Westminster School

Contract: full-time, permanent

Salary: Westminster School has its own salary scale, and new members of staff are placed at a point relevant to their qualifications and experience. Details of salary will be discussed at interview with those candidates who are short-listed. 

The deadline for applications is midday on Monday 24th February 2025. Interviews will take place on Tuesday 4th March 2025.

About the School

Working at Westminster

Westminster School is a busy, purposeful and vibrant place to be and an excellent workplace. The community is made up of 750 pupils, 120 teaching staff and 108 support staff.

Our teaching staff — the Common Room — are friendly and welcoming and all new teachers quickly become part of the rhythm of life here, both inside and outside the classroom. Common Room social events are regular and varied, with plenty of opportunity to socialise outside working hours.

It also does not matter where you come to us from. Some teachers come to us straight from university or having just taken a PGCE. Some have taught in independent schools before while others come from the state sector, or another industry altogether. The common ground is that all our teachers have a great knowledge and love for their subject and are willing to be fully involved in the life of the School and the lives of the children who study here. The School has a vibrant co-curricular programme that offers a wide range of opportunities beyond the academic curriculum. We welcome candidates who can contribute their energy and expertise to the co-curricular life of the School as well as the academic.

At Westminster we will always select the best candidate for every position. However, we know we can only truly choose the best person on every occasion if a broad and diverse pool of candidates see the job advertised and are encouraged to apply.

As such, we continue to work on how our job roles are encountered, and particularly welcome applications from groups who have traditionally been underrepresented here.

Westminster School is for everyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic. We hope you are encouraged to apply.

The School

Westminster School is an independent day and boarding school for boys aged 13-18 and girls aged 16-18, with a long history, a distinctive ethos, and a unique sense of place in the very heart of London. Pupils achieve exceptional examination results and entrance to some of the top universities in the world. It is a busy, passionate and purposeful place where independent and deep thinking is enjoyed, encouraged and respected by all, and where holistic excellence is nurtured and valued.

While the School is one of the foremost centres of academic excellence in the country, its commitment to academic life does not make it a hothouse for passing examinations. Pupils’ success at examinations and entry to leading universities is instead a result of their enjoyment of academic enquiry, debate and search for explanation, well beyond published syllabuses. Pupils are intellectually, socially, ethically and politically engaged and our aim is to ensure that their enthusiasm for learning is developed further, allowing them to take full advantage of the opportunities presented to them in the future. At Westminster, pupils have the freedom to lead on projects outside of the classroom and embrace a whole range of extra-curricular activities and interests. A host of pupil-led societies take place every week at the School, often with expert guest speakers, and pupils can choose to study an additional language, play an instrument or two, volunteer in local primary schools, row along the Thames, take part in plays and musicals, and much more. 

The School’s ethos resides in the enduring values of the liberal tradition reflected in the 1560 Charter of Westminster’s Elizabethan foundation, where it is stated that: ‘the youth which is growing to manhood, as tender shoots in the wood of our state, shall be liberally instructed in good books to the greater honour of the state’. Whilst academic and cultural attainments are highly prized at Westminster, the School is fully committed also to each pupil’s spiritual, moral, emotional and physical development and wellbeing – with a particular emphasis on drawing out individual talent wherever it lies – and to prepare young people for fulfilled private and public lives.

From September 2028, the School will welcome both girls and boys at 13+ entry, offering a Westminster education to all. By 2026, Westminster Under School will have opened its brand new pre-prep for girls and boys at 4+ and girls will have joined boys in Years 3 and 7, at the 7+ and 11+ entry points. By 2030, all year groups at Westminster School and Westminster Under School, from ages four to 18, will be fully co-educational, reflecting the School’s dedication to inclusivity and excellence. 

Westminster School