Recruitment
24/25

Teacher of Science

Minsthorpe Community College

Welcome
Dear Applicant

Thank you for your interest in Minsthorpe Community

College. We hope that the information contained within

this pack will help you decide if you have the right

qualities, skills, and experience to apply for our vacancy.

Minsthorpe Community College is a very special place.

Between us, we have more than 40 years’ experience

working here. When we became Joint Principals in

April 2019, we wanted to bring to life the vision and

values that we truly believe make this College and its

community the amazing place that it is. At Minsthorpe

Community College our core values of motivation,
commitment and care permeate through everything we

do. They are brought to life in all aspects of our College

life and not just put up on the walls as decoration. Our

vision for Minsthorpe will only ever happen when we

live through these values which we hold dear.

Minsthorpe’s core values are built on our response

to the following question. As a parent, looking for a
school, college, or university for our own children, what

is it that we actually look for in a place? Firstly, we want

a place where our children love to learn; somewhere

where they get up every morning and want to go to,

where they are motivated in all the subjects they study

and where there is a wide range of extra-curricular

activities for them to enjoy. Secondly, we want to find a

place where they will get a world-class education, where

teachers and students are committed to achieving
the very best to move them to the next phase of their

education. Finally, we want a place that will look after

our loved ones. A place where people care for each

other and put an arm around someone if they are in

need. We want to know that there is always an adult

available whenever needed and where children will

make friends that will last a lifetime.

Our vision for Minsthorpe is that every single person

has a part to play in strengthening our learning

community. Students, staff, parents, and governors

all have a crucial role to play each and every day. We

say to our students that we all have different talents

and whether you are an amazing mathematician or
can speak a foreign language, whether you are a great

footballer or a talented tennis player, whether you

love reading, are passionate about the environment

or have an incredible singing voice, everyone has a

part to play here. We are ambitious for our students

to be the best that they can be. We want them to be

motivated to come to College, committed to their

education and to care for each other.

We are seeking to appoint staff who will share

this vision and work with us to make it a reality.

At Minsthorpe, we invest in the recruitment,
development and retention of caring professionals

who are committed to constantly reviewing and

improving the quality of learning, teaching and

support. We expect that staff are motivated to work

collaboratively in setting high expectations for all

students with a relentless focus on student learning

and progress. In return, you will benefit from working

with caring colleagues who will support you in your

role and your personal and professional development.

If you would like to arrange a visit to the college, we

would be more than happy to show you around so

you can get a feel for who we are.

Email enquiries@minsthorpe.cc and we will

arrange a convenient time for you to come and visit

Minsthorpe Community College. We look forward to

hearing from you.

Mr Mark Gilmore/Mrs Rachael Merritt
Joint Principals

Mr Mark Gilmore & Mrs Rachael Merritt
Joint Principals

Vision

Vision & Mission

Staff
At Minsthorpe, we invest in the recruitment,

development and retention of caring professionals

who are committed to constantly reviewing and

improving the quality of learning, teaching and

support. We expect that staff are motivated to work

collaboratively in setting high expectations for all

students with a relentless focus on student learning

and progress.

XXXXXX

Mission

Students
At Minsthorpe, we motivate students through

an engaging curriculum which promotes lifelong

learning. We provide exciting educational
opportunities and an ethos of care, guidance and

support for all. We know that students learn best in a

safe, calm and orderly environment and our rewards

and sanctions support this. We expect that students

are committed to their own learning and progress

and to achieving their future aspirations.

Minsthorpe Community College:

A place where everyone plays a

part in strengthening our learning

community through motivation,

commitment, and care.

Parents and Carers
At Minsthorpe, we value the contribution our caring

parent body makes to their child’s education, as we

work together to motivate and support each student

in reaching their full potential. We want parents
and carers to work with us in ensuring their child is

safe and happy. We expect the full commitment of

parents and carers in ensuring their child attends

regularly and on time; completes home learning;

wears the correct uniform; is fully equipped and

ready to learn and behave the Minsthorpe Way.

Governors
At Minsthorpe, the Governing Body is committed

to challenging the College Leadership to secure

the highest standards of education for the

students of our community. It oversees the

financial performance of the College, ensuring that

budgets are well spent. Governors expect that all

stakeholders work together in the best interests of

the students to motivate and care for each other.

10

Minsthorpe Community College is a large, vibrant, and

inclusive community college with a student body of over 1500

students ranging from 11 to 19 years. We have six primary

schools in our pyramid and are pleased to welcome children

from neighbouring areas.

We have a highly skilled team of teachers and associate

staff that always act in the best interest of the students.
We offer excellent facilities for learning and teaching with

dedicated blocks for each subject area as well as community

dimensions including a sports & fitness centre and a

children’s centre.

Students enjoy a range of extra-curricular and enrichment

opportunities which complement their learning. Minsthorpe

Community College secures great GCSE and Post 16 results

year on year allowing students to progress into higher

education and employment.

Minsthorpe Community College places at the heart of its

development a commitment to high quality professional

development for all staff who join the college. We

understand that by investing in our staff we will create an

organisation with a shared vision and mission. "There is a focused,

purposeful atmosphere

around the school, which is

underpinned by the school’s

vision of motivation,

commitment and care.“

Ofsted, 2023

Why work at

Minsthorpe?

• The opportunity to work in a well-resourced,

forward thinking, and rewarding environment.

• Excellent facilities for learning and teaching with

dedicated blocks for each subject area.

• Free membership of our state-of-the-art on-site

Sports & Fitness Centre for full-time, permanent

employees, as well as the facility of an on-site

Children’s Centre.

• Comprehensive induction and on-going

opportunities for Professional Development.

• Excellent care and support for all staff, including

access to an Employee Assistance Programme for

employees and their immediate family.

• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme

(associate staff) or Teachers’ Pension Scheme

(teachers).

• Nationally agreed terms and conditions in

relation to pay and conditions for teaching

and associate staff.

As a college we are

committed to provide

the following benefits

for employees:

"Pupils are confident, well-
mannered and eager to

share their opinions. They

work hard in lessons and

are keen to succeed.“

Ofsted, 2023

Learning and

Teaching the

Minsthorpe

Way

Teachers and Student Support colleagues at

Minsthorpe Community College strive to plan and

deliver lessons to a consistently high standard

rooted in fundamental Core Principles of effective

pedagogy. We insist on excellent standards of

behaviour for learning from all students and it is

our daily goal to inspire students to learn & think

critically, challenge & support them to achieve and

make progress and equip them with the necessary

skills to be lifelong learners and effective members

of society.

We have high expectations of all our students

at Minsthorpe Community College and BE FAIR

EVERYWHERE supports students to understand

how we expect them to behave in lessons and

around the College site. Parents are asked to

watch the relevant BE FAIR EVERYWHERE video
with their child to ensure they are clear about our

expectations.

Be Fair Everywhere

Staff address any

misbehaviour,

including low-level

disruption to learning,

appropriately. Pupils

behave well.

Ofsted, 2023

At Minsthorpe Community College our core

values of Motivation, Commitment and Care are

at the heart of everything we do. Our curriculum

intent is to raise the achievements and

aspirations of all learners through the delivery

of a highly personalised, broad, ambitious, and

inclusive curriculum that:

• Deepens students’ understanding and

develops their knowledge and skills in

all subject areas

• Ensures students are literate and numerate

• Enriches students’ learning experiences

• Builds students’ character

• Empowers students to realise their

education and employment potential

beyond Minsthorpe Community College

Curriculum
"Teachers and pupils

are clear about

expectations and

procedures through the

‘Minsthorpe way’ … As a

result, the school is

calm and orderly.”

Ofsted, 2023

We are an inclusive Post 16 provider and cater for learners at

all levels and have an established reputation for very strong

exam performance, a passion for teaching and learning and

an unwavering focus on helping every student achieve their

best possible goals.

Minsthorpe Post 16 is committed to delivering high quality

teaching which provides challenges and opportunities for

individual learners. Students have the opportunity to be

creative, innovative and enterprising, whilst benefiting

from strong care, support and guidance. The Post 16
team continues to provide our students with support and

motivation to raise their aspirations, succeed in learning and

position themselves for a better future.

We have a well-established ethos of care and support.

Our students and staff enjoy working together as ‘Team

Minsthorpe’ and everyone is committed to ‘Learning and

Behaving the Minsthorpe Way’, because we know this

will deliver the best education for the young people. We
cannot achieve this alone, and we firmly believe in a strong

partnership between the college and everyone within our

community.

"The school has ensured that the

sixth-form curriculum meets

students’ needs and interests …

This helps sixth-form students to

progress on to higher education,

apprenticeships and

employment.“

Ofsted, 2023

Student

Support

We provide Motivation, Commitment

and Care for students requiring additional

support with the aim of ensuring that they

achieve their best possible outcomes,
transition to Post 16, and have ambitions for

jobs, further education, and careers and that

they can thrive as independently as possible,

depending on their needs.

We are parent and child centred, work in

partnership with stakeholders, and have

open, robust but respectful conversations

with colleagues as we all strive for those best

outcomes. We are a skilled, experienced,

and knowledgeable team and have good

knowledge of the complex education
system and can advise and support families

about appropriate provisions, support and

managing the bureaucratic and legislative

challenges for students with SEND.

Post 16

At Minsthorpe Community College we are

committed to the Continuing Professional

Development (CPD) and learning of all members of

staff at every career stage and level of experience.

We recognise the value of evidence-informed

training with an overall to impact positively on

students’ outcomes and experiences. We are

active partners in many local networks, including

the Wakefield and Selby Teaching School Hub.

Associate

Teams

Our core Associate staff teams consist of

Administration, Finance, IT Services, and Data

& Exams. These teams are based in The Hub,
which is a large open-plan office in the centre of

college, where they are easily accessible to offer

support, advice, and guidance to staff, students

and each other.

Our ongoing Professional Development &

Learning programme is planned and structured

to develop the knowledge and skills of teachers

and student support staff around the Core

Principles of Learning & Teaching whilst giving

them a growing awareness of key elements.
Our Early Career Teachers have full access to

the UCL Early Career Framework and leaders

engage with NPQ programmes to support their

development.

Professional

Development

Our Core Principles of Quality Learning &

Teaching are formed based on a wide range of

experience and expertise within Minsthorpe

Community College but equally through

accessing well-regarded and researched

pedagogical texts. Resultant CPD will draw on

these texts to form the basis of their content

and delivery.

CPD: The
Minsthorpe

Way

Thank you for taking the time to read

this overview of Minsthorpe Community
College. We recommend that you explore

our website to discover more about us:

www.minsthorpe.cc

Catherine Green
Director of HR & Associate Teams

January 2025

Professional

Learning and

Development

Associate Staff

Associate staff engage in whole College

statutory training e.g., Safeguarding but equally

have access to other training pertinent to their

respective roles. The list below is not exhaustive

but gives a flavour of the range of training

opportunities available:

• Access Arrangements training;

• HLTA status

• Apprenticeships

• Team Teach

• Invigilator training

• First Aid

"The curriculum is

ambitious for all pupils …

Pupils with special

educational needs and/or

disabilities (SEND) are

involved in all aspects of

school life."

Ofsted, 2023

Teacher of

Science MPR/UPR Full time

Permanent
Start Date Easter 2025

We are looking to appoint an enthusiastic and

talented classroom practitioner with the ability to

teach Science across the age and ability range. The

successful candidate will have an affinity with young

people and be outward thinking in their approach to

teaching and learning with the enthusiasm to

further develop this popular subject. The

inspirational learning and teaching shown by the

successful candidate should encourage students to

study at Post 16 and beyond.

Minsthorpe Community College is a place where

everyone plays a part in strengthening our learning

community through Motivation, Commitment and

Care. Our most recent Ofsted report (2023)

described us as a “Good college” who “invests in

staff’s development. This means that staff feel

valued and are proud to work at the school …

Leader’s support staff well and consider their

workload and well-being."”

The successful candidate will be:

• A dynamic and energetic practitioner with high

expectations.

• Passionate about their subject, able to engage

and inspire our students.

• A team player who will uphold our College

values of Motivation, Commitment and Care.

We provide:

• A well-resourced, forward thinking and

supportive Science team.

• Excellent care and support for all staff.
• Comprehensive induction and on-going

opportunities for Professional Development.

The successful candidate will have to meet the

requirements of our Person Specification and

be subject to an enhanced DBS check. A

prohibition from teaching check and an online

search will also be completed for all applicants.

Minsthorpe Community College is committed to

equality of opportunity and upholding the

principles of the Equality Act 2010. We positively

welcome applications from all sections of the

community. Only applications submitted with a

completed Minsthorpe Academy Trust

Application Form will be considered.

Full-time permanent employees are provided

with free membership of our state-of-the-art

on-site Sports & Fitness Centre, as well as the

facility of an ‘outstanding’ Children’s Centre.

Further particulars for this post can be obtained

by visiting our Web Site at www.minsthorpe.cc

If you would like to arrange a visit to the college,

we would be more than happy to show you

around so you can get a feel for who we are.

Email enquiries@minsthorpe.cc and we will

arrange a convenient time for you to come and

visit Minsthorpe Community College.

Please send completed application forms to

Cath Green, Director of HR & Associate Teams: –

cgreen@minsthorpe.cc by midday – Monday

27th January 2025

Job Description
Overall Purpose

of the Post

To carry out the professional duties of a

teacher as circumstances may require and in

accordance with the college’s policies under the

direction of the Principals.

To be an effective professional

who demonstrates thorough curriculum

knowledge, can teach and assess effectively,

take responsibility for professional development

and has students who achieve well.

All adults working in, or on behalf of the college

have a responsibility to safeguard and promote

the welfare of children. This includes:

A responsibility to provide a safe environment in

which children can learn and develop.

Identifying children who may be in need of extra

help or who are suffering or are likely to suffer

significant harm. All staff then have a

responsibility to take appropriate action to

prevent concerns from escalating, working with

services as needed.

Employment

checks required

Proof of eligibility to work in the UK

Proof of relevant qualifications (original certificates)

Two satisfactory references

DBS Enhanced Disclosure check

A Prohibition Order check and on-line search

A medical assessment prior to commencement of

employment.

Key

Accountabilities

To be involved in links as appropriate with

outside groups including feeder schools, higher

education and industry and commerce, in order to

enhance curriculum continuity and enrich the

learning experience.

To assess and mark students work

(classwork, homework etc), Key Stage tests and

Examinations and keep a record of marks in line

with subject and area policy and recording

procedures.

Complete the appropriate documentation in

the Lesson Record Folders.

To supervise the use and care of all teaching

rooms used, and areas used by the subject and

enhance them with appropriate display work.

To supervise the work of any support staff

and supply teachers as required.

To help supervise the work of any technical

staff supporting the area.

To be a Group Tutor of an assigned Group and

to carry out related duties in accordance with the

job responsibilities of a Group Tutor.

To carry out a share of supervisory duties

in accordance with published rotas.

To participate in appropriate meetings

with colleagues, parents and other

outside agencies/persons, relative to the above

duties and responsibilities.

Other duties commensurate with the grade of

the post as directed by the Principal/Line Manager.

To assist in the formulation of the aims

and objectives of the curriculum area within

the overall college aims and objectives.

To contribute to the teaching of the

subject throughout the college, providing a

learning experience which provides students

with the opportunity to achieve their potential.

To contribute to and implement methods

of student assessment, monitoring and

reporting and contribute to raising standards of

student attainment.

To review your own professional

development and maintain professional

standards

To contribute to the development of

appropriate subject syllabuses, materials and

schemes of work which fulfil the requirements of

the national curriculum, and which match the

college and area aims and objectives, taking

into account students’ aptitudes and abilities.

To support other members of the

curriculum area and students as appropriate.

To contribute to an annual review of the

subject and curriculum area and discuss with

Team Leaders/Assistant Leaders future

developments.

Actively participate and contribute to the

general management of the college by:-

maintaining good order and discipline

among students;
safeguarding their health and safety on

the premises and off the premises when

engaged in authorised activities;
contributing to discussions on matters of

college policy, curriculum and organisation.

To play a part as appropriate in

the development, consolidation and evaluation

of cross-curricular developments by close

liaison with other staff.

Duties and

Responsibilities

Person

Specification

Education, Training

and Qualifications

Qualified Teacher Status.

Recognised degree or equivalent in

relevant subject.

Evidence of continuing

professional development.

Experience

Experience and expertise in teaching Science.

Exemplary classroom practitioner.

An awareness of curriculum issues relating

to relevant subject area.

Meeting the needs of students with SEND.

Pastoral work in a school setting.

Commitment to safeguarding and

promoting the welfare of students.

Internal assessment of

controlled assessment/coursework.

Skills and Knowledge

An ability to lead and inspire students of all abilities.

An ability to establish clear expectations

and constructive working relationships amongst

staff and students.

Differentiate teaching so that all students experience

stretch and challenge in lessons.

Evidence of working through sequences of lessons and

developing schemes of work.

Set challenging targets for students and analyse data to

inform teaching.

Proven communication, organisational

and interpersonal skills.

An ability to work effectively as part of a team but also

to be able to work independently.

An ability use ICT in the classroom to create

an inspirational and creative learning environment

Personal Attributes

Confidence, flexibility, and adaptability.

Empathy for students, parents, staff, and

the community.

Good communication skills.

Energy and commitment.

High expectations of students and their behaviour.

Ability to share practice and contribute to subject

decision making.

A commitment to equal opportunities.

Maintains high professional standards.

Enjoy working alongside young people and adults.

Be supportive of the aims and ethos

of Minsthorpe Community College

Overview of

Curriculum Area

Accommodation
The Science Curriculum Area occupies the first floor of a

recent refurbished building. The accommodation comprises

14 teaching laboratories, a large central preparation area with

associated stores, and a curriculum base for staff, Head of

Science office, a small computer room, and a tutorial room

which includes a photographic darkroom. The laboratories

have been designed to a high specification and contain solid

grade laminate furniture, mobile teacher’s desk, a mixture of

white boards and interactive white boards (all labs have an

IWB), display boards, and standard laboratory fixtures.

Staffing
There are currently 12 full time and 4 part time teaching staff.

The Science Team Leaders are Matthew Sutton and Francesca

Hart. There are three staff with Key Stage and subject

responsibilities, additionally we also have a Teaching and

Learning Coordinator. There are two technicians based in the

area. The Science team work very closely together, with a fully

resourced curriculum that we are continually review and

improve. The school values of Motivation Commitment and

Care genuinely feeds throughout the department, we work as

a team to support both staff and students alike.

Curriculum
We teach to a two-week timetable with three 1 h 40 min

lessons each day. Tutors have an additional morning

registration session to deliver key messages and a pastoral

curriculum. The school day finishes at 2.30. Additionally, we

offer year 11 commitment sessions from 2.30 to 3.30 plus a

wealth of extracurricular activities between this time also.

The science team at Minsthorpe are committed to providing a

stimulating, engaging and intellectually challenging learning

environment. Through learning and teaching the ‘Minsthorpe

way’, students establish a firm understanding of practical

science along with a knowledge rich curriculum. We believe

our curriculum allows students to acquire specific skills and

knowledge to help them think scientifically, gaining a deeper

understanding of the scientific process and an understanding

of the uses and implications of science in the world around

them. We strive to enrich our curriculum with a multitude of

STEM centred clubs, activities, and off-site visits throughout

KS3-5.

In years 7 to 9 all students study Science for 4 periods per

week and follow a course based on the current AQA Key Stage

3 Programme of Study. In years 10 and 11, students follow

the AQA combined science GCSE 9-1 trilogy specification, with

6 lessons per week. At the end of year 9 students can choose

to continue to separate sciences as part of their GCSE options.

This allows for a further 3 additional science lesson per two

weeks.

At Post-16 we offer A-Level Biology, Chemistry and Physics, these are now linear courses and are

taught through year 12-13. All practical work along with the endorsement award is overseen by the

key stage and team leaders. We also offer level 2 and 3 BTEC Applied science. The breadth of our

provision for post-16 learners in science is something we are proud of as a team.

Achievements

The Science Curriculum Area continues to focus on raising standards of achievement for every

student, at all key stages. We have a rigorous approach to monitoring student progress and are

continually looking to improve our own teaching practice using the bespoke packages of CPD on

offer in department and whole school.

Enrichment
As a department we strive to enrich the Science Curriculum as much as possible, through

science lessons and across the College. We run a STEM club every Wednesday after college and

continually promote STEM with activities around school – these range from Engineering

workshops and Robotics at KS3 to external visits at KS4 introducing students to medicine via

local University partners. Post 16 have the opportunity to carryout practical work in a university

laboratory which contributes to their practical endorsement award. Our continued work through

STEM along with the exceptional support from our Careers Lead has enabled Minsthorpe to be

one of the first schools in the region to be awarded the Careers Standard for our CEG.

Culture and Ethos
The Science area is a vibrant place to work, with hard working and supportive staff. We strive to

continue to raise attainment at all key stages and promote science across college. We have high

aspirations, and we are constantly driving to be the best department we possibly can – we are

unapologetically ambitious, always demanding the best Science outcomes for the young people

in our community.

Matthew Sutton

Curriculum Team Leader
Science