Head of Chemistry

Department:

Chemistry

Working Pattern:

Monday – Friday, Term time only

Salary:

£62,270.81 (GR2)

Contract Type:

Permanent

Reporting to:

Deputy Head (Senior Years)

Direct Reports:

Teacher of Chemistry (x2), Science Technician (shared responsibility)

Location:

Euclid Campus or Mayfield

The High School of Dundee is seeking to appoint a well-qualified, enthusiastic and effective Head of Chemistry to join a friendly, committed and high performing department.

The Chemistry Department is a popular department with a long and distinguished history. Our pupils enjoy a rich and varied curriculum and excel not just in QS exams but in local and national competitions such as the Salters’ Challenge, Top of the Benchand the Chemistry Olympiad. Chemistry has a high profile within the school and usually has one of the largest uptakes at Advanced Higher level, based on the standard of the learning experience and our extensive experience of preparing pupils for Higher Education courses in Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine and the Allied Health professions.

The department also lead on the delivery, review and development of our inter-disciplinary F1 and F2 Innovation course.

Chemistry is taught independently of the other sciences from Form 1. Our current courses are listed below:

Forms 1-2:
All pupils in Forms 1 and 2 have an 80-minute double period each week. There are usually 4 or 5 classes in each year, following our own HSD syllabus.

All pupils in Forms 1 and 2 also attend one 40-minute period of Innovation each week, with 4 or 5 classes in each year typically.

Forms 3-4:
There are usually 3 or 4 classes in each year, studying National 5 Chemistry. Each class attends the department for four 40-minute periods per week. This usually includes at least one double period.

Form 5:
There are usually 2 or 3 classes attending for seven 40-minute periods per week.

Form 6:
Advanced Higherstudents attend three 80-minute double periods, one 40-minute tutorial period and an 80-minute practical session in the dedicated Advanced Higher Chemistry lab. The small staff/pupil ratio for the practical sessions ensures adequate support as they complete their investigations.

Our academic results are invariably strong. Advanced Higher, Higher and National 5 attainment all typically reach 98-100% pass rates, with approximately 70% of pupils achieving a Grade

A.

Our pupils have been involved in many activities including: RSC “Top of the Bench” quiz team, RSC Chemistry Olympiads, CREST Awards, RSC Christmas lectures, Young STEM Leader enrichment courses, and many more.

We have good links with our local universities and regularly collaborate to enhance our educational experiences, e.g., Proton NMR spectroscopy sessions for Advanced Higher project working. We also regularly host undergraduate students from the University of St Andrews studying for their Science Communication module and incorporate visits from alumni speakers working in industry.

We are fortunate to have specialised analytical teaching labs and can offer educational outreach opportunities to senior pupils at local secondary schools, e.g., FT-IR and UV-VIS spectroscopy workshops for Advanced Higher pupils completing assignment projects.

There are three teaching labs that are well-proportioned, have good storage, and are well-equipped for the courses we teach. There is a very well-resourced Form 6 lab for pupils to carry out practical work with equipment ranging from a rotary evaporator to UV Spectrophotometers and a portable IR machine. The Chemistry Office and Main Chemistry Store are situated beside the Head of Chemistry’s lab.

The three other labs have convenient access to…