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Drama Booklet

Information for Applicants

Job Title:
Teacher of Drama 0.9
Closing date for applications:
12.00pm 8th June 2011
e-mail:
jobs@stbrn.ac.uk

ST BRENDAN'S SIXTH FORM COLLEGE

St Brendan's Sixth Form College opened in 1979 following the re-organisation of Catholic Education within the Bristol area, on the site of the former direct grant grammar school. The College has grown consistently since then and now has over 1700 full-time students and approximately 190 members of staff.

St Brendan's is a designated institution under the 1992 Further and Higher Education Act and continues to operate under the Trust Deed held by the Diocese. The majority of the Governors are appointed by the Trustee, the Bishop of Clifton. The College has a full-time Chaplaincy Leader and part-time Catholic and Anglican chaplains.

The College has a well qualified, experienced and highly committed staff who create a friendly, welcoming and disciplined environment in which students can succeed. The overall aims of St Brendan's are found in the mission statement reproduced below:

St Brendan's mission is:

St Brendan's seeks to serve the Catholic and wider community by providing advanced, intermediate and foundation level education, underpinned by Christian values and ideals, principally for sixth form students.

The College strives for excellence in teaching and learning, to act in the spirit of the gospel, to provide experience of a Christian community and to support each individual as a unique creation of God.

As part of our Catholic ethos we believe in respect for all individuals. We recognise and celebrate the enrichment that diversity brings to us all. We welcome staff from diverse backgrounds, traditions and faiths including those from under-represented groups and minorities.

THE COLLEGE

St Brendan's is a Catholic Sixth Form College located on the A4 between Bristol and Bath. We are a multi-cultural, multi-racial community with staff and students from a variety of backgrounds and religious traditions. All are equally welcomed and valued. The College is designed to provide education for students, principally for sixth form students. We welcome prospective sixth form students from a wide region in a radius of approximately 20 miles. These come mostly from our Collegiate schools and other local secondary schools in the Bristol, Bath and South Gloucester area, but a number come from farther afield and some from abroad.

The College strives to live up to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council that:

"All, of whatever race, condition or age, because of their dignity as human persons, have an inalienable right to education. This education should be suitable to the particular destiny of individuals and adapted to their ability."

The College, therefore, works hard to offer all students an individual programme of study tailored to their personal needs. The majority of St Brendan's students progress to Higher Education at institutions throughout the UK, including Oxford and Cambridge. Others embark on their career at the conclusion of their studies.

The College aims to provide an experience of Catholic education and of a community which will enable students to develop intellectually, emotionally and spiritually as well as academically. Besides those from the Catholic community, students from all the world's major faiths, the other Christian denominations and of no faith are welcome to the College. All students take part in the Spiritual Journey programme. In addition to the four main partner schools, the College draws its intake from over 70 other schools.

Staffing and Structure

The College Management Team consists of a Principal, Vice Principal, Assistant Principal, Finance Director, Director of Information Services & IT, two Directors of Curriculum and two Directors of Student Services.

Each Director of Curriculum works with a team of five Curriculum Managers and has a specific whole-college responsibility related to curriculum matters. Each Director of Student Services is responsible for seven or eight Student Support Managers and has a specific whole-college responsibility related to student matters. Each Student Support Manager is responsible for a number of tutor groups (usually five each year).

The work of the College is supported by Administrative, Finance, Human Resources, IT, Marketing, Library, Technical, Student Support Service and Premises staff. The dedicated Learning Support team provide critical support to students with learning disabilities or difficulties.

Students and Courses

Students are admitted through a central College admissions procedure. Each student is allocated to a tutor group in the care of a Student Support Manager. The Student Support Managers are responsible for the welfare, progress and achievements of their tutees.

The College offers a broad range of GCE A/AS level and BTEC Level 3 and Level 2 courses together with a limited number of essential 'key' GCSE programmes and a Foundation Programme of Learning. We are also excited that the International Baccalaureate qualification has been introduced in September 2010. In addition, an enrichment programme incorporating Spiritual Journey, Special Interest courses, Careers, Personal and Social Education, Functional Skills - English and Mathematics and ICT (levels 1 and 2) is provided. Students are required to follow a broad educational programme, drawn from curricular options and elements from the enrichment programme outlined above.

There is a Students' Union with its own committee which arranges social events and student facilities within the College. The Governing Body includes two elected student members (in addition to the two staff members).

Physical Resources

The College is situated in spacious, pleasant grounds on the outskirts of Bristol. The new main building opened to students in September 2009 includes:

  • Extensive specialist teaching spaces for Science, Art & Design, Photography, Drama, ICT and Computing
  • Well equipped classrooms for many other subjects and tutorial activities
  • New learning resource centre, offering access to the internet, intranet and student email, plus an impressive book stock and a range of journals and newspapers
  • Learning support suite
  • Chapel at the heart of the College
  • Modern, open refectory and coffee shop selling a good range of nutritious meals, snacks and drinks
  • Open IT suites to support subject delivery and student 'drop in' study
  • Offices, server rooms and other space essential for support of teaching

In September 2008, a new multipurpose facility (E building) opened which includes:

  • a county standard sports hall with facilities for tennis, volleyball, basketball, badminton, indoor football, etc
  • a fully equipped dance studio with sprung flooring
  • a commercial standard fitness suite
  • changing facilities
  • teaching rooms

Staff can join the gym at Brendan's for a one-off payment of £15 (payable to Finance Department) and receipt of a passport sized photography. This payment is required to cover the cost of the compulsory induction session. The gym is open to staff Monday – Friday 07.00 – 08.55 and 16.00 – 19.00, outside of your normal working hours.

Both buildings have been designed with the environment in mind and will utilise ground source heating, rain water harvesting (for flushing toilets), photovoltaic cells to general electricity and systems to control ventilation and room temperature.

In addition, the older retained existing building has been refurbished to provide excellent resources for Modern Foreign Languages, Media and Film Studies. The retained buildings include further specialist provision for Performing Arts, including recording studio and practice rooms and provision for other classroom based subjects, such as English. All the buildings have been designed to facilitate physical disability access and, with the exception of E building, are joined together at first floor level.

Staff can join the gym at St Brendan's for just £15 a year (payable to Finance Department). A short induction session is necessary on receipt of payment and one passport size photo. The gym is open to staff Monday – Friday 07.00 – 09.00 and 16.00 – 19.00.

These and other general facilities make St Brendan's an enjoyable place to work and study.

Equality and Diversity

All employees, students and guests to the College, are entitled to expect a positive and welcoming environment. The College seeks that the employment experience of staff and learning experience of students will be based solely on merits, abilities and potential regardless of race, gender (including transgender), ethnic or national origin, religion, political beliefs and affiliations, socio-economic background, marital status or family circumstances, physical attributes, disability, sexual orientation and age (students are subject to age related admission criteria).

The College has an Equal Opportunities policy and Equality Scheme which are both published on the College website.

Safeguarding Children

The College is wholly committed to Safeguarding Children. As part of the recruitment procedure, referees will be contacted for applicants who are shortlisted for interview. The offer of employment is subject to a satisfactory enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check, and from November 2010 all new employees will require an Independent Safeguarding Authority number before commencing employment at the College.

New starters at the College will conduct online Safeguarding training as well as being trained regarding the College's own safeguarding procedures.

CURRICULUM AREA - Performing Arts and Media

The courses offered in this area for September 2011 are:

  1. AS/A2 Media Studies
  2. AS/A2 Film Studies
  3. AS/A2 Dance
  4. AS/A2 Drama
  5. AS/A2 Music
  6. AS Extended Project (Media and Performing Arts)
  7. BTEC Extended Certificate/Subsidiary Diploma Music Technology level 3
  8. BTEC Extended Certificate/Subsidiary Diploma in Music (Performing) level 3
  9. BTEC Extended Certificate/Subsidiary Diploma/Diploma in Performing Arts (Musical Theatre) level 3
  10. BTECExtended Certificate/Subsidiary Diploma in Performing Arts (Acting) level 3
  11. BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Performing Arts
  12. BTEC Level 2 Diploma Media Studies

All of Performing Arts and Media are now either fully refurbished or purpose built, accommodating a new Music studio and Technology Suite, a new Theatre, a new Dance studio and refurbished Media and Film classrooms with a stand alone editing suite. We also have a massive range of video and library material to support all subjects. Courses are supported by two professional Performing Arts and Media Technicians.

A range of enrichment activities are also offered. These are determined by student demand and staff interest. These include a choir, a jazz/soul band, a college production, film competitions and also a Dance Company.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Post:
Teacher of Drama 0.9
Salary Scale:
Salary will be on the Sixth Form Colleges’ Teachers pay spine, currently £21,256 - £36,279 per annum, pro rata for part time positions, including Performance Standards Payment, where applicable, pay award pending.
Job Aim:
To implement and deliver an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum for students and to act as a subject leader as appropriate. To monitor and support the overall progress and development of students.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Responsibilities, Duties and Tasks

  1. To participate in the development of appropriate syllabuses, resources, schemes of work, marking policies and teaching strategies in the curriculum area, and to lead the delivery of specific courses.
  2. To teach, according to their educational needs, the students assigned to you, including the setting and marking of work to be carried out by the student in College and elsewhere.
  3. To asses, record and report on the attendance, progress, development and attainment of students and keep such records as are required to provide, or contribute to, oral and written assessments, reports and references relating to individual students and to groups of students.
  4. To participate in the preparation of students for public examinations and in the assessment and moderation of students¿ work and progress for the purposes of such examinations; recording and reporting such assessments; and to participate in arrangements for examinations, including invigilation.

PASTORAL RESPONSIBILITES

(currently not required of Curriculum Managers or teachers, but the College reserves the right to require teachers to undertake these duties if required)

Other than Curriculum Directors, under the direction of the appropriate senior member of staff.

To be a Personal Tutor to an assigned group of students and to carry out the following duties:

  1. To promote the general progress and wellbeing of individual students and of the Personal Tutor group as a whole. To register students, accompany them to assemblies, encourage their full attendance at lessons (including Spiritual Journey and other Enrichment Studies) and their participation in other aspects of College life (including the spiritual and religious).
  2. To provide guidance and advice to students on educational and social matters and on their further education and future careers, including information about sources of more expert advice on specific questions.
  3. To undertake regular personal review interviews with the students assigned to you to assist them in evaluating their progress and development and in identifying and monitoring personal action plans.
  4. To evaluate and monitor progress of students and to keep up-to-date the individual student file in the College office, and other records as may be required.
  5. To contribute to the preparation of Progress Files and other reports, including the drafting of references.
  6. To alert the appropriate Curriculum Director and/or senior member of staff to problems experienced by students and to make recommendations as to how these may be resolved.
  7. To communicate and consult, as appropriate, with the parents of students, and with persons or bodies outside the College concerned with the welfare of individual students, after due consultation with the appropriate Curriculum Director.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION

We are looking for the following qualities in applicants.

Qualifications and Experience - Essential

  • A teaching qualification recognised under the Further Education Teachers Qualifications (2007)

Background - Essential

  • Successful experience of teaching Theatre Studies A Level (preferably Edexcel)

Background - Desirable

  • Experience in teaching on BTEC Courses, especially on Performing Arts courses at either level 2, or Performing Arts (Acting or Music Theatre) at level 3.
  • Skills in Theatre Production, including some of the following: Directing, Devising and Adapting.
  • Skills and experience in back stage production, set design, lighting, sound or stage management would also be highly desirable.
  • Specific areas of expertise within the theatre.

Personal Qualities / Strengths - Essential

  • Organisational ability - to organise and plan for oneself and for working with others.
  • Confidentiality - ability to maintain confidentiality of information, particularly in relation to personal and sensitive information.
  • Communication skills - strong written and verbal communication skills, including on telephone and face-to-face communication.
  • Flexibility and creativity - ability to adopt a creative and flexible approach to work, especially in the use of time.
  • Attention to detail - thorough, detailed approach to work, incorporating patience and versatility in responding to change.
  • Working with young people - good rapport with 16-19 age group.
  • Catholic ethos - sensitivity and support for the ethos of a Catholic Christian college.

EMPLOYEE WELLBEING

The following details are intended as a summary, more detailed information is available from the HR Manager at the College.

Pensions

Saint Brendan's Sixth Form College makes an employer contribution for all employees who join the relevant pension fund recognised by the College, as outlined below.

Teachers Pension Scheme (Teachers)

A Final Salary, defined benefits scheme. All teachers join this scheme, making a monthly contribution deducted from their salary, unless they choose to opt out of the scheme. Details are available at www.teacherspensions.co.uk

Avon Pension Fund (Support Staff)

A Final Salary, defined benefits scheme. All support staff employees join this scheme, making a monthly contribution deducted from their salary, unless they choose to opt out of the scheme. Details are available at www.avonpensionfund.org.uk

Death in service

If you are a member of the following pension funds then the following applies in the event of death in service.

Teachers Pension Scheme (Teachers)

The TPS will pay a lump sum death grant if:

  • you die while you are employed in pensionable employment;
  • you die while you are paying current added years; or
  • you die within a year of leaving pensionable employment (because of ill-health) and you have not been receiving an ill health pension.

In these cases, there is no minimum qualifying period and the death grant will be 3 x your average salary.

Avon Pension Fund (Support Staff)

This generally applies to those people who are still in employment and are active members of the scheme. If you die under these circumstances, then your dependants will get a cash lump sum of 2 x final pay, or if you are part time 2 x actual final pay.

Full details are available from the Teachers Pension Fund (www.teacherspensions.co.uk) or Avon Pension Fund (www.avonpensionfund.org.uk).

Ill health and retirement

If you are unable to work and retired through ill health as a result of illness or injury, in certain circumstances a pension will be payable to you if you are a member of a pension fund.

TRAVEL TO WORK

Season ticket loans

Interest free loans are available to staff for the purchase of season tickets for public transport, to aid with travel to work.

Cycle to work scheme

The College is currently investigating the new government scheme, which means that the College may be able to provide staff who cycle to work with a bicycle for a reduced payment due to savings made through exemptions for tax and national insurance.

WORK LIFE BALANCE

Annual leave

The holiday year runs from 1st September to 31st August.

Term time only employees, including teachers contractually take their holiday entitlement during College holidays.

The entitlement for support staff is as below;

Length of service and entitlement

Less than 2 years: 23 days + 8 days Bank Holidays

More than 2 years: 25 days + 8 days Bank Holidays

More than 5 years: 28 days + 8 days Bank Holidays

More than 10 years: 29 days + 8 days Bank Holidays

Holidays for part time members of staff are calculated on a pro rata basis.

Maternity Leave

All pregnant employee regardless of their length of service or hours of work, are entitled to take a period of maternity leave and to return to work thereafter.

Paternity Leave

Paternity leave is granted to a male employee for two weeks at the time of birth of his child. Five working days are granted at full pay, and five at statutory paternity pay.

Compassionate / Special Leave

There are a number of situations where Compassionate or Special leave may be granted to a member of staff, in addition to their annual holiday, maternity, parental and adoption leave entitlement.

Flexible Working

Employees who are caring for a dependant are entitled to request a flexible working arrangement. This will require a formal letter to the HR Manager outlining the reasons for the request and proposals from you as to how the flexible working can be managed.

Parental Leave

Parents of children under the age of five are entitled to take a period of unpaid leave in keeping with legislative guidelines.

Childcare Voucher Scheme

The scheme allows qualifying individuals to make savings on the cost of their childcare. Childcare vouchers are a means of paying for childcare, using a 'salary sacrifice' scheme. The employee will be supplied with childcare vouchers which can be used to 'pay' a childcare provider. This happens through a fixed arrangement between an individual employee and the College, whereby the employee agrees to 'sacrifice', or exchange, some of his or her taxable income for childcare credit (vouchers). As this sacrifice is from gross income, individuals pay less Income Tax and National Insurance contributions.

COLLEGE FACILITIES

Library

All staff are entitled to borrow books and videos from the library. For more details please contact a member of the Library staff.

Refectory

Employees are able to use the College refectory. Reasonably priced hot meals are provided throughout term time, whilst the café bar provides a selection of coffees and snack foods.

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APPLICATIONS

Applications must be made using the official application form:

In order to view the application form you will need either Adobe Acrobat Reader or a Word Viewer.
These are available as free downloads from:
 
Adobe's Website or Microsoft's Download Page.
Alternatively, you could phone or email the college to request an application form.

If you are using assistive technology you may find it useful to use 'Access Adobe' to translate the .pdf file. This online service can be found at:
Access Adobe's Page.

There is no online facility for completing the application form. So please either:

  • Download the Word or PDF version of the application form, print it off, fill it in using black ink and post it to the College. Please ensure you use the correct postage to return your application form. Mark the envelope for the attention of the HR Administrator.
  • Download the Word version of the application form and fill it in on your computer, save your changes and email the document(s) to jobs@stbrn.ac.uk.
  • Download the Word or PDF version of the application form or obtain one via post from the college, fill it in by hand, scan it and email the scanned documents to jobs@stbrn.ac.uk.

You may also enclose a CV if you wish. Candidates should note that the successful applicant will be appointed to the service of the Governors. Applications to be sent to the Principal at the College by 12pm on Wednesday 8th June 2011.

A map and directions to the college can be found on the website.

Should you have any questions which are not addressed in these details please contact the College Reception (01179 777766).

Back to the top or Back to the Vacancies Page.