UWCSEA has a vacancy for August 2025 for a Head of High School Biology and Science teacher on East Campus. The appointee will lead the Team of Biology teachers and also teach IB Diploma Biology and UWCSEA Grade 9/10 Science courses. The successful candidate will also be a mentor for 14-18 students and join a high school grade level team.
The Biology Department is composed of enthusiastic and dynamic teachers who work in a very well-resourced environment for learning. Teaching takes place in dedicated science classrooms that are part of a large, vibrant Science faculty at UWCSEA. The appointee will join the other Science Heads of Department in shaping and leading a cohesive and student-centred team.
At UWCSEA we are looking for an educator who is committed to the UWC mission and in modelling the UWCSEA values: commitment, compassion, inclusion, integrity, openness, responsibility, trust. We strongly believe all faculty and staff are mentors to our students in the classroom and beyond. We are searching for individuals committed to the holistic growth of students, and committed to participate in the five key elements of a UWCSEA education: Academics; Activities; Outdoor Education; Personal and Social Education and Service. We are also looking for an educator who is positive and enthusiastic about creating and contributing to a school that is evolving.
Main Responsibilities
- Teachers should be willing to contribute positively to the collaborative culture of the Science and broader High School teams.
- Teachers should construct learning experiences that challenge students, support the diversity of learners in each classroom and demonstrate a strong commitment to concept-based teaching and learning.
- Teachers should ensure assessments support ongoing learning and provide timely, relevant and appropriate feedback to students on formative and summative assessments.
- Teachers should demonstrate effective classroom management that shows an understanding of the academic, social and emotional dimensions of learning.
- Teachers should keep parents informed about the learning of their children, and be proactive in communication with parents.
For the Head of Biology position:
Effective Leadership – Leading across all five areas of the learning programme
- Puts student learning at the forefront of all decisions and planning
- Has a clear vision for the department and translates this into practical and achievable plans
- Ensures that the learning programme in the department is consistent with the UWCSEA mission, the UWCSEA Learning Principles, the UWCSEA profile and with the strategic goals of the school, campus and College
- Ensures that the learning programme in the department develops and changes as necessary to match developments in technology and educational practice
Professional Development – Supporting the professional development of staff they lead
- Identifies and utilises the full potential of staff in the department by being alert to professional development needs
- Mentors staff within the Professional Learning Programme, and coaches where appropriate so that they work most effectively
- Organises and/or runs informal/formal Professional Development opportunities for the department as individuals or as a whole
Collaboration – working collaboratively within teams
- Enthuses and motivates staff and fosters an environment where creativity and collaboration flourish
- Involves people in decisions, and delegates interesting and challenging tasks
- Gives, expects and acts on constructive feedback, and acknowledges error
- Assumes shared and individual responsibility for successes and problems and is happy to be accountable for the outcomes
- Sets clear boundaries and expectations providing freedom for the team to work effectively
- Acts and leads ethically and with integrity
Communication – communicates effectively within and beyond their team
- Relates well to individuals and deals sensitively with potentially difficult situations with colleagues/students/parents and has effective sensitive and/or difficult conversations
- Chairs meetings effectively and ensures opportunities for more informal communication to take place within the department
- Is clear and articulate in both spoken and written communications with students, colleagues, parents and the wider community
- Is proactive in making appropriate information available to colleagues, pastoral teams, parents and the College community
Expectations and Standards
Person Specifications
- A good degree in Biology or a closely related discipline and a recognized teaching qualification or certification are expected.
- Academic expectations include enthusiastic participation in Professional Learning
- Pastoral expectations include the leadership of a mentor group unless the teacher is exempted due to other responsibilities
- On average the College expects a yearly contribution of 1.5 sessions per week in each season to Activities and/or Service.
- Teachers should be willing and eager to participate in the five key elements of a UWCSEA education: Academics; Activities; Outdoor Education; Personal and Social Education and Service
- The College expects that teachers will participate enthusiastically in the curricular Outdoor Education experiences which are relevant to their students and will also occasionally volunteer for holiday Outdoor Education trips.
- A commitment to diversity and inclusion is essential alongside a willingness to adapt and develop pedagogy to meet the needs of our learners.
Applications
The UWC Mission is to make education a force to unite people, nations and culture for peace and a sustainable future. We are committed to creating a community in which all members feel safe and secure, and know that their authentic selves and individual differences are accepted with respect and care. At UWCSEA, we acknowledge that diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) is an ongoing and evolving process and strive to create and sustain a sense of belonging for all members of our community, past, present and future. All qualified applicants, including those who identify as a part of marginalized group(s) and individuals with (dis)abilities are all encouraged to apply. Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all the students in our care and expects all applicants to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices and all appointments are subject to interview, satisfactory references, identity and criminal record checks.
