Job Description

Canford School is seeking to appoint an inspirational Head of Psychology with excellent subject knowledge and the ability to engage students in their learning. Applications would be welcome from candidates who are already currently a Head of Department or those looking to move to Head of Department. The successful candidate will need to have solid experience of teaching Psychology with a background of securing impressive academic A-level results for their classes.



We wish to appoint for September 2026 an enthusiastic, committed and well-qualified teacher to set up and lead our new Psychology Department. The successful candidate will be able to launch and shape our new Psychology department. Having surveyed our pupils, we know there is a great appetite and excitement for studying Psychology at A level.



These are exciting times for Canford Sixth form, with the new Hub already in use and the Upper Sixth residential block opening in September 2026, this is the perfect opportunity for us to widen our Sixth form curriculum and add this important, popular subject to our offering.



The successful candidate will be an inspirational teacher of Psychology; modelling excellence in teaching and learning, ensuring enthusiasm for the subject and leading to high results for our pupils in external examinations. They will have a passion for innovative pupil learning and will be able to stretch our brightest pupils.



We are seeking an inspiring teacher with experience of delivering Psychology, and the ability to develop a strong positive rapport with our pupils. The new Head of Department is also expected to promote Psychology throughout the School.



The successful candidate will be given significant autonomy, as well as being well supported in terms of resources and time to successfully build and embed Psychology into our school curriculum and culture over the next few years. The department will be housed in a specialised teaching area.



Our School has a long tradition of success in public examinations. Results in both A level and GCSE have been consistently very good, and often outstanding, over the years and we have a strong and aspirational academic culture. Our School headline figures for A level examinations 24.1% A and 85.5% A/B, similarly, for GCSE 29.8% of all grades were 9 and 87% of all grades were 9-6.



Canford is a very successful co-educational boarding and day school with 648 pupils aged 13 - 18, of who about a third are day pupils. There are 286 pupils in the Sixth form. It has one of the most beautiful settings of any school in the country and is a very enjoyable and exciting atmosphere in which to work. The pastoral side of the school is very strong, and applicants should be willing to play a full part in the co-curricular life of the school.



Canford has its own salary scale and offers an excellent benefits package.

Head of Department

The responsibility of the Head of Department is to facilitate excellent pupil outcomes by leading and managing their department in support of the school's vision, aims and ethos.

Heads of Department are accountable for:

Teaching and Learning

Staff Leadership, Management and Development

Planning and Strategy

Administration

Marketing and Admissions

Heads of Department will:

Teaching and Learning

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Learning Culture

- Develop a distinct and positive learning culture within their department.
- Foster and promote passion and enthusiasm for their subject.
- Promote and facilitate excellent outcomes for all pupils in public examinations.
- Establish high standards and clear expectations within their department that inspire and motivate both pupils and teachers.
- Promote and model best practice in the classroom.
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Enrichment

- Devise strategies to develop and foster intellectual curiosity within and beyond the exam-based syllabus.
- Organise departmental trips, events and speakers when appropriate.
- Provide guidance, advice and preparation, in their subject areas, for applications to higher education.
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Assessment and Tracking

- Assess and monitor pupil progress, within their department, in such a way that it can inform school wide assessments and that strategies are in place to ensure that assessment informs learning.
- Analyse external exam performance to identify trends, strengths and areas of weakness including the creation of exam results reports for the Headmaster and Deputy Head Academic.
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Intervention

- Implement appropriate intervention strategies.
- Appropriately record and communicate concerns and interventions clearly with parents and relevant staff.

Staff Leadership, Management and Development

Leadership

+ Seek to inspire and motivate all members of their team, leading by example to create a positive, productive and dynamic working environment.

Management

+ Build strong, productive, relationships within their team and across all departments and the wider school community, by communicating clearly, sensitively and appropriately.
+ Have responsibility for the appraisal, or contributing to the appraisal, of all staff within their department.
+ Play a full part in the recruitment of new staff to their department.
+ Identify, record and, in conjunction with SLT recognise excellent performance within their department.
+ Identify, record, and in conjunction with SLT, challenge and address underperformance within their department.
+ Have responsibility for the departmental induction and support of new members of staff and NQTs.

Development

+ Promote and nurture a culture of reflective practice and continuous professional development within their departments.
+ Foster an open classroom culture by observing their team on a regular basis and encouraging them to observe each other.
+ Prepare for the Departmental Review process and respond to subsequent advice.
+ Ensure that members of their department are offered support and guidance to help develop their careers including directing them to appropriate external inset.
+ Plan and hold regular department meetings.
+ Plan effective use of all other protected department time such as at the start of term and during allocated Staff Development Hour slots.

Curriculum and Planning

Strategic Planning

+ Have responsibility for strategic planning within their department, in conjunction with the school's strategic vision, systems and processes: to include the production and monitoring of all appropriate planning documents.

School-wide

+ Participate in the shaping and implementation of the academic policy of the school by contributing to meetings and working groups as required.
+ Actively promote their subject within the framework of the school wide curriculum.
+ Coordinate with other departments on cross-curricular initiatives when required by the school-wide curriculum.

Curriculum Management

+ Ensure their departments understand and are up to date with the requirements of their examination syllabuses and ISI regulations.
+ Ensure there is a clear and documented curriculum in place with accompanying Schemes of Work in their department handbook.
+ Ensure appropriate provision regarding SEND/AEN/EAL is embedded within the curriculum.
+ Ensure pupils have the opportunity to develop ICT, literacy and numeracy skills within the curriculum.
+ Oversight of all departmental resources and the Departmental SharePoint space.

Administration

Exams

+ Arrange the production and administration of all internal exams.
+ Develop, implement, mark and moderate external coursework as required.
+ Collate target and UCAS grades.
+ Confirm and correct public examination entries with the exams officer.
+ Be available to provide advice and support on exam matters when required.

Bursarial

+ Liaise appropriately with relevant departments to implement the school's Health and Safety, Safeguarding and all other school policies within their areas in line with all regulatory compliance requirements.
+ Have responsibility for producing and administering an annual departmental budget in conjunction with the relevant members of the finance team.
+ Liaise with the school shop regarding the ordering of text books
+ Organise the recharge of pupil costs to parents as and when appropriate.

5.

Marketing, Admissions and Outreach

Admissions

+ Devise and mark entrance tests or conduct interviews as appropriate.
+ Write comments on pupil performance, and complete exam reports as required.

Marketing

+ Assist in the marketing of the school and their subject by planning and delivering appropriate activities when required.
+ Compose departmental reports for the school publications when requested.
+ Have responsibility for the content of their Departmental section of the school website.

Outreach

+ Facilitate the delivery of outreach activities when required.

No job description can fully encompass every aspect of this role and duties and responsibilities may vary from time to time.

Head of Department Selection Criteria

Essential:

An honours degree in a relevant subject A track record of achievement and ambition Excellent subject knowledge Experience of classroom teaching Excellent communication skills Expert classroom management skills & rapport with pupils A considerable work rate and high degree of administration efficiency Love of working with young people Enthusiasm to participate in the School community, supporting a wide range of activities Strong, dynamic character Excellent interpersonal skills with good pastoral instincts Stamina, emotional intelligence and resilience Proven aptitude for organisation and quick logical thought Attitude, style and presence of a role model for pupils

Desirable:

A recognised teaching qualification such as a PGCE Good/effective ICT skills Ability and experience working in co-curricular areas such as sport, music, drama etc

Please ensure you include details of referees in your application. Please also upload a covering letter and full curriculum vitae. Please ensure you cover the following points in your cover letter:

Curriculum & Teaching

- Proven experience of designing and delivering an engaging A-level Psychology curriculum that stretches the most able while supporting the needs of all learners?

Academic Outcomes

- Please provide evidence of how your teaching has led to strong pupil progress and excellent examination results in Psychology.

Inspiration & Pupil Engagement - Demonstrate how you would inspire enthusiasm for Psychology among pupils, both within lessons and across the wider school community?

Building/Growing a department

- What experience you have in establishing effective schemes of work, resources, and assessment systems for a new department?

Personal qualities

- What qualities and experience you have that make you the right person to take on this leadership role at our school?



For queries contact the HR Department on 01202 847590 or by email: recruitment@canford.com. Further information may be obtained from Ieuan Weir (Deputy Head Academic). His email is iw@canford.com.



The closing date for applications is Sunday, 9th November 2025 and we anticipate that interviews will take place the following week.




Canford School is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in all areas of our Community and encourages applications from all suitably qualified candidates.


Canford School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.


All successful job applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening.