Wednesday 4 March 2009

I'm looking to hire a teacher!


I've not tried this before, but it struck me that maybe one of my blog's readers might fancy coming to work with us at Berkhamsted School.

You will need a permit to work in the UK. You should also have experience of teaching Media Studies within the British secondary curriculum, ideally using the OCR examination board.

We have a vacancy for a Media Studies teacher, with some teaching of ICT at KS3.We're an independent school with excellent resources, lovely students and beautiful surroundings, located in a town 25 minutes north of London by train. Currently we have two classes in years 12 and 13, each with about 12 students per class.

We're based in former art studios (the top floor of the left hand building in the photo) and have a room for teaching and another for filming/photography. There is a full time technician. We're kitted out with an increasing number of HD camcorders, Apple Macs (you'll get a Mac laptop), lighting rigs, MP3 recording kits, and an assortment of other kit to make your life easier and enable the students' creativity to blossom.

The classroom is equipped with an HD projector and surround sound system, plus a digital lectern, so everything you do can be delivered digitally. There is significant investment each year in the provision of new technology. Currently, the school network is being overhauled, to allow us to run audio and video at HD levels into classrooms and the outside world.

The Principal of the school chairs the Independent Schools' Council ICT committee and is a big champion of Media Studies as a discrete subject. His vision for the school includes the adoption of Media and Web 2.0 technologies across the curriculum. There is a new learning platform being installed over the next couple of months, and part of the job spec for the successful candidate will be to work with colleagues, enabling them to produce new learning materials. Currently, we are piloting using Flip camcorders and MP3 kits in a number of departments, and I'll be running Web 2.0 technologies in the classroom INSET for staff after Easter.

It's an exciting time for the school and will place digital literacy right at the heart of how the school operates.We have extensive sports facilities, incuding a fitness centre, which are available for staff use. Accommodation may be available as well.

We use OCR for A level Media Studies, teaching the TV drama option at AS, with film making as the preferred medium for coursework. The ICT will involve teaching years 7+8 only. It is possible that we may extend to offering the ECDL qualification in years 9+10 in the future, although that is subject to review. Full training would be provided.

If you're interested then please do get in touch, either with me directly - svanstraten@berkhamstedschool.org or have a look at the advert here

Please note that the advert states the teaching of ICT to A2. That is incorrect.

The closing date for applications is March 13th.

I hope to hear back from you.

With kind regards, 

Sacha