part-time position from August 2009

Please read in conjunction with Notes for applicants and Additional information for teachers of IB courses.

The post

This post is for a part-time teacher of Mathematics on International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) and Preparatory IB (Pre-IB) courses. The number of hours available will depend on enrolment but is expected to be between 4 and 7 hours per week.

Class size is a maximum of 15 and the students are invariably well-behaved and keen to learn. These are optimal conditions for a teacher to plan and deliver excellent lessons in a supportive and collegial environment.

Maths is a required subject for all IB and Pre-IB students (about 260 students). Maths teachers are expected to teach Maths HL, Maths SL and Maths Studies on the IB Diploma Programme as well as contribute to teaching on the Pre-IB course.

The Pre-IB course is a College-devised programme which offers up to one year of preparation in subjects and English language (as necessary) to students not yet ready to begin the IB programme. While some students come for the whole year, others join the programme for one or two terms. We also accept a number of students, principally from Brazil, who are taking a study break from their own schools, to which they will return to complete secondary education. Up to 40 students are currently enrolled on this programme.

The IB Diploma requires students to study Mathematics, and three programmes are offered: Higher Level Maths, and Standard Level Maths and Standard Level Maths Studies.

• Higher level Maths is a demanding programme for competent students, and would normally be studied by students interested in the subject itself, or requiring a strong Maths programme to support other subjects, e.g. Physics.
• Standard level Maths is advised as a support subject for students who are studying other subjects with mathematical elements, or require a strong Maths foundation for future study e.g. sciences, business.
• Maths Studies is seen as less demanding, and is the option studied by those who are unlikely to require Maths for subsequent study, or who are unable to meet the demands of other courses.

Maths is the only subject required of all IB students (around 200 in the two years), and it therefore occupies a particular place within the IB. The Maths department has an opportunity to work with all students, and to continue their mathematical development. However, the range of abilities, aptitude and degree of enthusiasm for Maths is variable. In part, this reflects the very different educational backgrounds and traditions of students drawn from over 40 countries.

Maths is an important component of the Pre-IB Maths course and is compulsory for all students. Students are streamed according to ability. The course forms an essential preparation for the IB course.

All students are assessed in Maths on arrival, and their placing in an IB Maths course is determined by the other subjects in their study programme, their future study plans and their assessed abilities. Teaching groups are timetabled so that students may change between groups (usually to a less demanding course) during the earlier part of the course.

Maths is also offered as part of the IB Summer courses, a programme of revision and preparation courses in July / August for students from all over the world. While teaching on this programme is not required, there are openings for members of the department to undertake this.

Some information on subject content can be found at www.stclares.ac.uk/ib/ibsubjects and in our IB Guide.

Maths department

Currently there are four members of the department, including the head of department. There are three full-time Mathematicians as well as the Dean of Students who teaches up to 0.5 of a full timetable.

Maths is taught in a group of well-appointed classrooms. Each is equipped with a whiteboard, digital projector, video player and DVD player. One of the rooms has an interactive whiteboard.

Maths teacher

Essential requirements

• degree and PGCE (or equivalent)
• experience of teaching IB or equivalent
• an excellent and innovative classroom practitioner
• willingness to contribute to the life of a busy boarding school
• efficiency and flexibility

Desirable

• experience of working in an international environment
• experience of working with students of different language / educational backgrounds

Terms and conditions

Salaries for full-time teachers are based on the St. Clare's pay scale (in excess of the main professional scale for maintained schools), according to qualifications and experience. For part-time posts, the salary will be hourly paid (currently £32.70 per hour including holiday pay) based on the number of hours taught. Salary is subject to income tax and National Insurance deductions.

The academic year for IB teaching is 35 weeks from the start of September until mid-June (with appropriate breaks that are largely synchronised with local schools). The successful candidate would be expected to teach throughout these weeks. It is highly desirable if s/he could also attend relevant meetings before and after the academic year as well as on occasional Wednesday afternoons.

Classes are timetabled between 09:00 and 16:15, Monday to Friday. A reasonable effort will be made to accommodate the timing of classes to the availability of the teacher.

Teachers are provided with free lunch in the dining room or café on working days.

Further enquiries and applications

Please apply by detailed letter enclosing

• a full CV to include a full employment history with names, addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of all previous employers where you have worked with students aged under 18
• details of three referees to include addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers (please ensure they know they may be contacted and will respond promptly)

Tom Walsh, Vice Principal
St. Clare's, Oxford
39 Banbury Road
Oxford OX2 7AL
Tel: +44 (0)1865 517368
Fax: +44 (0)1865 310002
Email: tom.walsh@stclares.ac.uk

Closing date for applications: 12 June 2009
Please note that CVs without a suitable accompanying letter and/or details of referees with be discarded.