Job Introduction

A rare opportunity has arisen for an outstanding Science Teacher to join Westminster Under School.

We are looking for a bright, caring and enthusiastic individual with a real passion for Science who will relish the opportunity to teach at Westminster Under School. The school is a busy, passionate and purposeful place, where pupils greatly enjoy the activities of learning and are given the support and guidance they need to develop as intelligent, compassionate and inquisitive individuals. Science is very important within the School and pupils, who work far beyond their chronological age, attach great importance to their achievements in the subjects.

The Science department has excellent facilities with two well-resourced laboratories and a part-time lab technician to help with the preparation of equipment and resources. The Head of Department and four other teachers currently teach Years 5 to 8 (Years 3 and 4 are taught by pupil’s Form teachers). The pupils are taught a very wide curriculum and love the practical side of the subject. Away from the classroom, we enter all manner of competitions, from the National Quiz Club Science Competition to the Imperial College London Science and Innovation Competition. We are also lucky enough to have access to the observatory at Westminster School with an ‘Astronomer in Residence’.         

Role Responsibility

Line Manager: Head of Science

Teaching and learning

• Plan, prepare, teach and evaluate lessons, activities, learning and teaching strategies in line with Schemes of Work
• Work collaboratively with colleagues within the Science department, delivering a high level of teaching and contributing to the smooth running of the department
• 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
• Assist in other areas outside of formal lessons, such as helping with support clinics and with the running of external competitions.
• Apply any recommendations and guidance for pupils with specific learning or welfare needs or disabilities, as directed by the SENCO, or on the pupil’s personalised learning plan
• Apply, where appropriate, technological capability to enhance learning and teaching
• 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

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 but fair
• 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 the writing of 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

All teachers and other staff 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 the Senior Management Team
• Cover classes for absent colleagues as directed by Senior Management Team
• 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
• 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

Whilst every effort has been taken to provide a comprehensive list of responsibilities, the post holder may be asked to complete other duties which could be considered relevant to the role, as directed by the Master.

The Ideal Candidate

Please refer to the 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 Under 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 2024.

Location: Vincent Square - Westminster Under School

Contract: full-time, permanent

Salary: Westminster Under 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 closing date for applications is midday, Friday 15th March 2024. Interviews will take place on Wednesday 20th March 2024.

About the School

Working at Westminster Under School

Westminster Under School is a busy, purposeful and vibrant place to be and an excellent workplace. The community is made up of 292 pupils, 43 teaching staff and 50 support staff.

Our teaching staff are friendly and welcoming and all new teachers quickly become part of the rhythm of life here, both inside and outside the classroom. 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 come here.

At Westminster Under School 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 Under 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 Under School is a great environment for happy and purposeful pupils, and for the staff who teach them. Our aim is to produce well-rounded individuals with a love of learning and an enthusiasm for life. We expect the boys to be hard working and active participants in their lessons, but we place equal importance on the boys embracing extra-curricular activities at the School.

We want our pupils to enjoy their time at School and we believe that one of the best ways to achieve this is by providing stimulating, challenging lessons. The boys are encouraged to think for themselves, to engage fully in classroom discussions and to take pride in their work. We aim to foster a love of learning in all our pupils and a love of teaching in those who educate them.

The Under School is a day school with approximately 292 pupils aged between 7 and 13. The School was founded in 1943 in the precincts of Westminster School in Little Dean’s Yard, just behind Westminster Abbey. The 17 boys with whom it began rapidly became 60 in number and by 1950 there were 80 boys in the Under School. The boys had to compete for space with the senior school pupils who had returned from evacuation at the end of the war, but in 1951 the Under School acquired its own premises in Eccleston Square. Numbers of pupils continued to rise during the 1960s and 1970s and in 1981 the School moved once again to its present site overlooking the Westminster playing fields in Vincent Square. A stone’s throw from the same Square is the striking Art Deco Sports Hall, which is used by both Westminster Under and Westminster Great School pupils.

To this day, the Under School enjoys a strong and important bond with Westminster Great School. Both schools foster a deep sense of the importance of independent thought and the ethos of a liberal education, giving them a unique shared identity. It is usual for Under School pupils to be offered a place at the Great School, and the vast majority accept their offers, continuing on until they leave the School in Year 13.

Westminster School