Job Description

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for the above casual cover A Level Psychology teaching role. The department is a large department and cover needs arise with some regularity. The role offers an excellent opportunity to work in a large and strong department in this highly successful sixth form college. The College holds Good Ofsted status and also Beacon status - one of the first four sixth form colleges in the country to be awarded the latter.

Personal Qualities

The successful applicant should have a good honours degree in Psychology and ideally a PGCE or equivalent teaching qualification and/or experience of teaching or lecturing.

Applicants should be hardworking and enthusiastic. They should have an interest in and focus upon fostering the learning and ensuring the success of 16-18 year old students. A high level of integrity is required.

Responsibilities of the Post Holder

The duties of the post will include the following:

a) Teaching Psychology to A Level. The teaching duties involve all those constituent duties expected of a professional teacher, such as preparation of work in line with departmental schemes of work incorporating the requirements of relevant specifications, counselling and assessing students.

b) Working with and being responsible to the Head of the Psychology Department.

Nature of the Department(s) and Courses Offered

Psychology is a very popular and large subject area at the College, offered at A Level (AQA specification) and also within the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (at both Standard and Higher levels). The department also offers Criminology (Applied General Certificate (BTEC)/Extended Certificate). A Level Psychology is much the largest course area within the department and has approximately 380 students in each year cohort. A Levels are delivered as two-year 'linear' courses. There are currently eleven teaching staff within the department.

Departmental examination results have been consistently strong (A Level results were really outstanding in 2018) as indicated by the level of pass rates, percentage of high grades and, most significantly, the levels of value added achievement and retention.

The department has good resources including excellent student study packs developed for each topic of the A Level course as well as textbooks and an e-book. An extensive range of teaching and learning materials/resources are also available. The approach to the subject is varied; it involves a wide range of teaching and learning styles and there is an emphasis on a student centred approach.

Facilities

Excellent teaching facilities are available to the Psychology department within its own self-contained suite of rooms, with projectors or interactive whiteboard facilities. The department is well-resourced with a wide range of textbooks and self-provided support materials within the classrooms as well as the College intranet. There are good IT and internet facilities within the College including the provision of the 'Moodle' Virtual Learning Environment to which the departments are fully actively involved.

Please see separate document for additional relevant information with regard to the College. Substantial details about the College and each departmental curriculum area are available on the College website: www.colchsfc.ac.uk . The 'documents' section contains the 2017 OFSTED Inspection report, the latest College prospectus and examination results amongst other materials. Course information sheets for all academic courses can be found in the 'courses' section.

To apply for this role a College application form must be completed (unaccompanied CV's will not be accepted). Application forms are available from the job vacancies section of the College website (please use the link above left of this page) and once completed should be submitted by e-mail to humanresources@colchsfc.ac.uk or if sent by mail please address to Human Resources Department, The Sixth Form College, Colchester, North Hill, Colchester, Essex CO1 1SN

Applications will be assessed as they are received and interviews may occur at any stage after applications are received. Please apply as soon as possible.

Information about the School

The Sixth Form College, Colchester is one of the largest and most successful 16-19 providers of general sixth form education in the country Our aim is to provide broad, high quality academic and general education programme Currently we have 3150 full time students on roll and the importance of the development of each individual student is recognised. Operating as a young adult environment the College provides a bridge between the worlds of school and of higher education or employment.

As a large and innovative college a great deal of emphasis is placed on career development and training for all staff with opportunities to gain further qualifications and enhanced skills. Support, guidance, and development are offered to meet particular career needs. We value diversity and we are an equal opportunities employer.