INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS – MARKETING OFFICER

AN INTRODUCTION TO RICHARD TAUNTON SIXTH FORM COLLEGE

Passionate about Learning

The Context of the College Richard Taunton’s is a vibrant Sixth Form College in the West of Southampton. Our core business is to provide full time education to 16-19 year olds (currently around 1200) but we also offer part-time adult education courses and provide facilities for a wide range of other community-based activities (including the Open University) in the evenings and at weekends. The College is firmly rooted in its community and it is our vision to be the sixth form of choice for all our community, an outstanding, high achieving college which inspires and challenges young people to be the best that they can be.

We are working in close partnership with primary and secondary schools and colleges, with our local universities and with the local authority in Southampton, to raise standards and increase post-16 participation and progression. Our collective efforts have increased progression into full time education post-16 from 66% in 2003 to 94% in 2013. We work with our partners to make Southampton’s schools and colleges irresistible to the families who live in Southampton and in the surrounding area. We also champion positive progression beyond college to Higher Education or into robust employment-related training schemes. We are proud that in the last 5 years, in a city where average participation in HE is 31%, we have increased HE participation from 45% to 65% of students at this college who are qualified to progress.

The College takes partnership and collaboration very seriously. We are members of the national Association of Colleges and the Sixth Form Colleges’ Association. More locally, we are part of the Wessex Group of Sixth Form Colleges, and work closely with the 10 other colleges in Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth to provide the best development opportunities for staff and to enhance the experience and success of our students. We are also active members of the Solent Colleges’ Innovation Partnership which links the six Sixth Form Colleges which sit in urban communities across the coastal area of the Solent.

Making a Difference Richard Taunton’s staff and governors are united by a desire to make a difference to young people’s life chances. There is a strong focus on providing high quality teaching, learning and assessment complemented by outstanding individual support. We set out to meet the needs of a wide range of students so we have a full range of academic and vocational courses at Levels 2 to 3.

Ofsted – October 2013 Our recent full Ofsted inspection (report published October 2013) awarded Good grades across the board, endorsing the progress being made at the college and our common commitment to promoting the very highest standards – setting high expectations for all our students and supporting them very effectively. Above all, it was the high quality of teaching, learning and assessment which impressed the experienced team who carried out the inspection.

Details of our inspection profile are in the accompanying leaflet. The following extracts from the full report highlight our key strengths:

D:\Docs\2018-04-07\0921c4cc926415ed0d7119a2c4936f42.doc  Success rates for students on A-Level and advanced level vocational courses are high. A high proportion of A-Level students achieve a high grade.  Teachers, managers and governors monitor students’ progress closely. Individual tutorials are used effectively to ensure students remain on target to complete their studies.  Students’ behaviour is exemplary and students treat each other and staff with a high degree of respect.  Students develop independent learning skills well through the careful attention teachers and support staff pay to improving study skills through lessons and additional support and study sessions.  Students develop their confidence well; they enjoy the challenging activities that teachers provide and respond well to the detailed feedback teachers give them.  A high proportion of students on advanced level courses progress to higher education.

The Sixth Form Academy The College has developed some innovative curriculum initiatives over the past few years, especially in its provision for Gifted and Talented Students. In September 2005 we opened our Sixth Form Academy, targeting high achieving young people and offering them a wide-ranging curriculum. Nearly 10 years on, as set out in the enclosed leaflet, this provision is thriving and we are proud of the fact that in 2014, the A level exam performance of our Academy students reached levels which matched the performance of the most selective schools and colleges in the country: 100% A*to E and 85% A*to C. Our Academy students take part in our Academy Challenge Enrichment programme (ACE), which is designed to build confidence and analytical skills, and strengthen their applications to the most selective universities.

Talented musicians join our School of Music, which is outstanding, with options ranging from A Level to BTEC Popular Music. We also offer Level 2 Music programmes. Finally, in close partnership with top class coaches in their fields, our Sports Academy and Elite Athlete Programme has brought national level success for individuals and teams.

Leadership and Management The College is led by a very energetic Senior Management Team who collectively bring to their work a wealth of experience in the FE and Sixth Form College sectors, and in partnership working with schools: Principal Alice Wrighton (appointed to the College in September 2008), Deputy Principal Liz Lee (responsible for Quality and Curriculum) and Assistant Principal Donna-Marie Janson (responsible for Teaching, Learning and Assessment). Since September 2013, curriculum, learning and support for students has been organised in to 6 Learning Areas. Teachers are managed by Learning Area Managers in relation to their teaching and their tutorial roles.

Tutorial, Support for Students and ‘Prep’ Almost all teaching staff act as a personal tutor to groups of about 20 students who they also teach. As a personal tutor, the teacher’s prime role is to be a learning mentor, monitoring progress, intervening proactively to support improvement, helping individuals to develop positive study habits and achieve the right balance between paid employment and college work. Tutors are required to meet with their tutees not only as a group, but on a 1:1 basis as well. Tutors are tasked with tracking individual progress, identifying problems at an early stage and acting upon this information as appropriate. This may mean offering advice on a higher education application or career path, liaising with other subject staff or organising additional subject support.

We have, in the last 2 years, developed an innovative approach whereby the focus of tutorial work is developed in a weekly 90 minute session called ‘Prep’ in a common time slot for all students in the college. In this session, as well as carrying out 1 to 1 conversations about progress, the tutor works with the group to develop a culture of independent study and mutual support. Parents are encouraged to be involved in the progress of their children and regular consultation events are held.

D:\Docs\2018-04-07\0921c4cc926415ed0d7119a2c4936f42.doc Student Voice and Extra Curricular Activities The College also takes learner involvement and learner voice very seriously and actively seeks to engage students in the consultation and decision-making processes in the College. There is a Student Union with an elected committee, whose main officers have regular meetings with College managers and also serve as Student Governors. Students organise their own social activities and are actively involved in promoting the College. There is also a high level of commitment from staff to providing extra-curricular opportunities for our students.

A great place to work, and a great place to learn If you are a good teacher with a passion for your subject, a commitment to lifelong learning and a desire to make a difference to young people of all abilities and backgrounds, you will thrive here. We welcome applications from teachers who are currently working in 11-16 schools as well as those from 11-18 schools and other post -16 colleges.

We are highly committed to the development of our staff, providing annual opportunities to access management training programmes run by the Wessex Group and an extensive range of curriculum specific networks and exam board training. We also play a very active part in the local school and college network in Southampton which links our teaching staff with colleagues teaching in our local secondary schools and provides opportunity to get involved in outreach work with schools to support successful transition to college.

THE POST OF MARKETING OFFICER

The college is seeking to appoint an energetic, enthusiastic and committed Marketing Officer to work closely with our Assistant Deputy Principal (Resources, Planning and Development) to deliver the marketing plan and inform the development of the marketing strategy. You will see from the job description that we have placed a great emphasis on the role that staff play in the achievement of our shared outcomes and our ideal candidate will play a key part in realising these goals through their flexibility and commitment to the delivery of an outstanding marketing provision.

Effective from 1st September 2013, Marketing will be led at a senior level by Phil Berry, Assistant Principal (Resources, Planning and Development). Richard Taunton Sixth Form College operates within a highly competitive environment therefore effective Marketing is crucial. This role is pivotal in promoting and protecting the college’s reputation within the college itself and within the wider community.

The post will involve working 37 hours per week and will involve some off-site work and some evening work co-ordinating and supporting our marketing events, alongside the Schools Liaison Administrator. The successful applicant will be a key player in the Marketing Operations Group (MOG) and supporting the team in planning and co-ordinating of cross college activities and promotional events such as Open Evenings, Fresher’s Day and Founder’s Day as well as assisting in the planning and delivery of all primary and secondary school liaison events. Experience in project management, organising events, working as part of a team, managing demanding workloads, working with young people and the ability to remain calm under pressure are also important.

The postholder will also be the primary contact for press relations – co-ordinating editorials, interviews, radio and television appearances, as well as managing our Social Media networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Our ideal candidate will also be able to plan and develop college promotional and corporate materials including the prospectus, course leaflets, front of house displays, signage around the college and the ‘Celebrate Success’ posters.

The skills we are looking for are outlined in the person specification. As the first line contact with important customers to the college, our ideal candidate will place customer service at top of their agenda

D:\Docs\2018-04-07\0921c4cc926415ed0d7119a2c4936f42.doc and know the importance of a good first impression at the same time as having tact and diplomacy when dealing with students, parents and other members of the local community.

Please look at our website for a wealth of further information about the college. We hope you will want to join our lively community and contribute to its vibrant future. I look forward to reading your application and I hope to meet you in due course.

Alice Wrighton, Principal March 2016

D:\Docs\2018-04-07\0921c4cc926415ed0d7119a2c4936f42.doc