Examination for 11+ Foundation Bursary

DURHAM SCHOOL

Teacher of Mathematics Durham and the North East

Durham is an ancient market town with many historical features, predominant among which are the Cathedral and the Castle. Durham is home to a highly successful University with several Colleges spread around the City, one of which occupies the former Castle. The City centre itself boasts a recently renovated shopping centre, together with a traditional indoor market, a newly built theatre, a swimming pool and various sports grounds and clubs.

The cost of housing in Durham City is favourable compared to the South East, with many outlying villages and towns offering very reasonably priced accommodation. Schooling within Durham is good with local primary and preparatory schools offering sound education. Durham School has its own junior school, Bow, Durham School, half a mile away.

Durham is approximately 30 minutes away from Newcastle International Airport, with regular flights offered to the rest of the UK and the continent. Durham City has its own railway station offering rail transport both north and south, with a main line link to London (3 hours). The road system in the North East is extremely good with easy access to many areas, including the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District, the Borders, Northumberland and the NE coast.

Newcastle, which is only 30 minutes travel away by road and 15 minutes by rail, offers an extensive shopping centre, including many of the major chain stores, an excellent theatre, where many West End productions are performed and where the Royal Shakespeare Company regularly tours, a multiplex cinema and various sports centres. There are good art galleries, (the Laing and the Baltic) and Newcastle’s new state-of-the-art concert hall, The Sage, Gateshead, provides the city with an enviable venue for orchestral and other concerts. Gateshead, which is only 20 minutes’ drive away, is host to the “Metro Centre”, still one of Europe’s leading shopping complexes. Durham School - General Information

Durham School is an independent, co-educational HMC School situated in spacious and attractive grounds close to the University and Cathedral. Although a city school in the sense of being only a 5 minute walk from the City centre, the site has a quiet and almost rural atmosphere. Founded in 1414, the School was part of the Cathedral Foundation from 1541 to 1997. There are currently 336 boys and 139 girls in the School, with 99 boarders, and the Sixth Form numbers 142. There are 50 full-time and 7 part-time staff and the Common Room community is friendly and supportive.

Most pupils enter the School by taking an entrance examination at eleven, mainly from maintained primary schools, but there is also a significant entry at the age of thirteen. Since September 1998, the School has taken girls into all year groups, thereby becoming fully co-educational, having had girls in the Sixth Form for the previous 14 years.

The School is run on traditional boarding school lines, with three boys’ Houses and two girls’ Houses. Two boys’ houses and one girls’ house accommodate both boarders and day pupils; the others are day only. Although the school day ends at 6.00 p.m., some day boys and day girls are 1 involved in evening activities or do their prep at School, returning home at 7.00 p.m. or later. Some day pupils leave at 5.00 p.m. on certain days of the week. There are no Saturday lessons but there are Saturday sport and some other activities.

A wide range of subjects is offered at GCSE, AS and A2 levels and most pupils take nine or more GCSEs. Results at this level over the last five years have improved steadily, with a record 41% A*/A percentage in 2009. In the Sixth Form, pupils normally take three A level subjects and many also take General Studies (AS or A2). At A Level the percentage of A and B grades has averaged 55% over the last few years, while the overall pass rate averaged 97%. The vast majority of Sixth Formers go on to University or some form of Higher Education, and in many years a few are successful in gaining entry to Oxford and Cambridge.

The School has a vigorous community life with a strong tradition in games and music. Particular sporting strengths are in rugby, rowing, cricket and hockey and each year a number of pupils gain regional or national representative honours in one sport or another. However, a wide variety of different games are played in addition to the major sports above, including athletics, swimming, tennis, cross-country, squash, water polo, basketball and badminton are pursued by both boys and girls. The three sections of the CCF use the excellent facilities in the locality for training. There are many clubs and non-sporting activities, which operate each week, mainly between 5.00 and 6.00p.m.

The School’s Music is of an extraordinarily high standard for a small school. There is a variety of vocal and instrumental groups and ensembles, and all have regular opportunities to perform. There are also many opportunities for drama at various levels and the School has a small but well equipped theatre. Recent major productions have included “Les Misérables”, “The Crucible”, “The Comedy of Errors” and “Othello”.

Durham is a traditional Independent School, which is going through an exciting time of development. Recent physical manifestations of this saw the completion of an all-weather artificial sports pitch in October 2004 and a new girls’ house in September 2006. Academic standards have risen and there is a clear commitment to further academic growth and the attainment of excellence in all fields. ICT has seen the recent upgrading of the two computer labs, with their 47 terminals, the creation of a third computer suite in the School Library and, in summer 2007, the completion of the main site network and the introduction of a new whole-school management system.

The School’s daily and weekly teaching and activities programme reflect the fact that Durham School offers a boarding-style education to its boarders and also to its day pupils, even though the latter are in the majority. This gives a unique flavour and a strong sense of community for a largely day school.

Mathematics at Durham

The Mathematics Department is housed in four classrooms on the ground floor of a new building; each room is equipped with data projector and interactive whiteboard.

Mathematics is taught in sets in Y7-Y11. All pupils sit GCSE Mathematics; the top set(s) sit GCSE at the end of Y10, then study GCSE Statistics in Y11. The subject is popular at A level, and there is usually a Further Mathematics group as well. This year three pupils are applying to Oxford for Mathematics, and another to Imperial.

2 Other commitments within the School

An ability to contribute to the School’s extra-curricular activities programme would be an advantage in applying for this position. As stated in the introduction, this is a predominantly day school which offers the richness of a boarding school ethos and extra-curricular programme. In particular an ability to assist with rugby, cricket, hockey, netball, CCF or Duke of Edinburgh would be useful.

A willingness to contribute to the pastoral care of pupils and to assist with House duties would also strengthen an application.

Application Procedure and Timetable

An Application Form (hard copy, fax or e-mail) should be sent to:

(hard copy) Headmaster, Durham School, Durham DH1 4SZ (fax) 0191 386 9400 (e-mail) [email protected] (the form can be found on the School’s website www.durhamschool.co.uk under General Information, then Job Vacancies.)

Applicants are welcome to submit a covering letter of application and a CV in addition to the Application Form if they would like to do so.

The deadline for applications is Monday 14th February 2011 first post (hard copy applications) or 9.00 a.m. (fax or e-mail applications.)

Interviews will take place shortly thereafter. Interviews will be at Durham School and the interview programme will include teaching a lesson.

Further information can be obtained from the Head of Mathematics, Mr Colin Fordyce ([email protected]). Further details about Durham School can be found on the website: www.durhamschool.co.uk.

3 TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. Offer of employment:

Any offer of this position at Durham School will be subject to:

Receipt of satisfactory references Enhanced CRB clearance Confirmation of identity Confirmation of qualifications Satisfactory explanation of any CV gaps Full declaration of any criminal convictions or disqualifications from working with children Full declaration of any relevant health issues Full declaration of any other information relevant to the person’s ability to carry out the requirements of the job

2. Probationary period:

The person appointed will be subject to a probationary period of two full terms. In the case of an NQT the person appointed must also successfully complete the NQT induction training at the School during the first three terms.

3. Remuneration:

The Durham School teachers’ salary scale broadly follows the National Teachers’ Scales but all staff receive enhancements above the NTPS figures. Equal Opportunities Statement

All staff and pupils are equal and have equal opportunities. We select by an individual’s character and ability, and there is no discrimination on grounds of gender, culture, ethnic origin, religion or disability. Child Protection Policy

Durham School is committed to the protection and welfare of its pupils at all times and in all circumstances, in accordance with the requirements of ‘Every Child Matters’ legislation and guidance. All staff are required to have an enhanced CRB disclosure and to follow the School’s policies and procedures for the protection of children. Recruitment and Selection Policy

Durham School is an equal opportunities recruiter and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The School follows the DCSF ‘Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment’ procedures and selects staff on the basis of their professional ability to contribute effectively to the School’s academic and extra-curricular programmes and to the welfare and safekeeping of its pupils