Teacher of Social Sciences - September 2026
St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School, Rochester, Kent, ME1 2FA14 days remaining to apply
Job start date
1 September 2026
Closing date
29 April 2026 at 9am
Date listed
15 April 2026
Job details
Job role
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5
Subject
- Social sciences
Working pattern
- Full time: Full teaching timetable
Contract type
- Fixed term - 1 year
Pay scale
- MPS/UPS
What skills and experience we're looking for
TEACHER OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
MPS/UPS
The Governing Board is seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and qualified teacher of Social Sciences to join the Faculty from September 2026.
Social Sciences is a large faculty within the school, comprising several popular subjects. Citizenship is a core subject at Key Stages 3 and 4, and the holder of this post will have lessons in the subject as part of their timetable. Sociology is offered as an option choice at Key Stage 4. At A Level, the faculty offers three popular subjects, including Sociology, Psychology, and Politics. The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic and suitably qualified teacher of Citizenship and at least one of the other subjects; we are particularly keen to receive applications from those teaching A Level Psychology and Sociology. They will be keen to play a proactive, collaborative role in developing the faculty further in the school.
The successful candidate will model at least good teaching practice and will be able to engage and inspire students of all abilities both in and out of lessons. They will also be keen to contribute to the school’s extra-curricular life to enhance the opportunities available to our students. A bespoke CPD programme will be tailored to meeting their needs.
St. John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School is a non-selective coeducational secondary school for students age 11-18. A single site school with free parking, we moved to world-class brand new buildings in the spring of 2023. Our mission statement is that ‘St. John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School inspires students, spiritually and educationally forming them through Faith so that they can achieve their aspirations and contribute to their community’. As a Catholic school, we are passionate about the formation of the whole student, making sure that we develop students into good people as well as ensure they get good results.
The school is in Medway, a 30-minute distance from London by road or high-speed rail link. Medway benefits from a multimillion-pound regeneration programme bringing new housing developments and facilities for its inhabitants; it also has the lowest council tax rates in Kent. St. John Fisher also offers subsidised accommodation for employees and this will be offered to the successful candidate, should they be interested.
We are happy to offer visits and informal discussions of the role: please contact Assistant Headteacher Lucy Bennett, l.bennett@stjohnfisher.school, for further information.
Closing date for applications: 9am on Wednesday 29th April 2026
Interviews may take place on a rolling basis; early application is advised.
Shortlisted candidates only will be contacted for interview. St. John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School is an Equal Opportunities Employer, committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all students. Any offer of appointment will be subject to satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS check will be required for all successful applicants.
What the school offers its staff
At SJF, we are committed to excellence in a sustainable way. This means we value our staff, devise policies with workload in mind and believe that everyone working in education should have the opportunity to enjoy the highest possible standard of wellbeing and mental health. We recognise that working in a deprived area is never going to be easy, but we are committed to ensuring it’s not any harder than it needs to be. Our approach to staff wellbeing and workload is underpinned by research and best practice.
Ensuring efficient working practices regarding data, marking and feedback, behaviour management and curriculum planning (as outlined in the DFE school workload reduction toolkit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-workload-reduction-toolkit#wellbeing)
a. Clear behaviour policy and support including centralised interventions and rapid response on call
b. Marking policy devised by teachers on a full timetable whereby staff read 2-3 pieces of independently completed work per term and then teach a feedback lesson, rather than time consuming deep marking on all work
c. Strategic placement of inset days including one at the end of the year to finish early for summer
d. Wellbeing events held at the end of each half-term, not a work meeting
e. Break duties consolidated to two per week, taking place near the teacher’s room where possible
f. Lunchtime supervisors employed so teachers do not have to supervise at this time
g. Teaching timetables below the national upper limit of 90%.
Ensuring communication is streamlined and effective
a. One weekly briefing email to keep you informed of school-wide developments
b. No expectation to answer work related email at evenings and weekends
c. All deadlines are staggered, agreed with middle leadership annually, and published well in advance
Ensuring staff are supported throughout the day
a. Your own dedicated teaching room (for all full-time teaching staff except SLT)
b. Free parking at the front of the school site, less than a minute’s walk from Reception
c. Free breakfast for staff teaching exam classes during exam seasons
d. Staff room onsite for rest and relaxation
e. Workrooms in each departmental area with tea, coffee, water, fridges, and microwaves
f. Food during all day events
g. Fully staffed admin team, reprographics service and pastoral care leaders to support your work with students
h. Staff treats provided in the last week of term at Christmas, Easter and Summer
i. Ability to work offsite for PPA periods
Investing in staff development
a. At least fortnightly line management meetings with the first question focusing on wellbeing
b. Investment in development of staff through a programme of personalised CPD and learning walks
c. Opportunities to work across local Catholic schools to share good practice and strategy
d. Non-punitive appraisal process that focuses on supporting staff to do everything they can to meet their targets, rather than penalising them if they are not reached despite this
Bringing joy into the workplace and giving back
a. Investment in the staff room and staff reflection space
b. Staff clubs/socials (social secretary)
c. Staff Christmas and summer parties
d. Christmas and Birthday card for each staff member from the Headteacher
e. Gifts for staff on weddings and new births
f. Staff wellbeing coordinator
Flexible working opportunities
We are passionate about work-life balance, finishing lessons early on a Wednesday afternoon so that CPD and meetings can largely take place during normal school hours, and we provide counselling services free of charge to those who need them.
Ability to work offsite for PPA periods
Further information about the job
Social Sciences is a large faculty within the school, comprising several popular subjects. Citizenship is a core subject at Key Stages 3 and 4, and the holder of this post will have lessons in the subject as part of their timetable. Sociology is offered as an option choice at Key Stage 4. At A Level, the faculty offers three popular subjects, including Sociology, Psychology, and Politics. The Social Sciences curriculum has been designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills to become active participants in society at local, national and international levels.
All of our social sciences subjects allow opportunities for students to participate in activities such as debating and public speaking, which encourage and highlight the importance of the rights and responsibilities that are the basis of human dignity.
The social sciences department currently has seven full-time members of staff including this post. Many members of the department hold leadership responsibilities within the school. We are a collaborative and supportive department seeking a candidate who will share our determination to inspire all students with a passion for the subject.
Having moved to a new build on City Way in February 2023, the department now has world-class facilities in which to deliver the curriculum. All staff, with the exception of those teaching a part-time timetable, have their own dedicated classroom, each fully equipped with new furniture and facilities. Co-located with the classrooms is a workroom with fridge, microwave and sink where colleagues can collaborate effectively and relax.
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applying for the job
This job requires you to download an application form, you will be able to upload the application once complete.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School
- School type
- Local authority maintained school, Roman Catholic, ages 11 to 18
- Education phase
- Secondary school
- School size
- 1105 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School website
- Email address
- m.curran1@stjohnfisher.school
- Phone number
- 01634543123
St. John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School is a non-selective coeducational secondary school for students age 11-18. A single site school with free parking, we moved to world-class brand-new buildings in the spring of 2023. Our mission statement is that ‘St. John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School inspires students, spiritually and educationally forming them through Faith so that they can achieve their aspirations and contribute to their community’. As a Catholic school, we are passionate about the formation of the whole student, making sure that we develop students into good people as well as ensure they get good results.
Arranging a visit to St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email m.curran1@stjohnfisher.school.
School location
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