QUEEN'S GATE SCHOL
APPLICANT INFORMATION
Head
of
Geography
COMMENCING JANUARY 2027
125-126, 131-133 QUEEN'S GATE
SOUTH KENSINGTON
LONDON
SW7 5LE
TEL: 020 7589 3587 EMAIL: SECRETARY@QUEENSGATE.ORG.UK WWW.QUEENSGATE.ORG.UK
QUEEN'S GATE SCHOOL TRUST LTD REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 312724
ABOUT US
Queen’s Gate is located on Queen’s Gate itself, inhabiting five of the iconic Victorian terraces: three are mostly used by the Senior School, while the remaining two are given over to the Junior School; however, there are many shared spaces and a constant flow of pupils and staff between the two buildings. Although we do not have much outside space of our own, we are spoilt by what the local area offers. Girls make regular visits to the nearby museums and Hyde Park, while sport takes place at a range of nearby leisure facilities, including the River Thames for rowing.
We are relatively diverse in the nationalities represented in our pupil and staff body, and are proud of the way this enriches the experience of all those within our community. Our standard entry points are 4+, 7+, 11+ and 16+. We follow a broadly English curriculum, culminating in GCSE and A Level examinations. Our pupils leave us for universities across the UK, including Oxbridge and other Russell Group institutions, as well as looking further afield; we have alumnae studying in Canada and the US, including at a number of Ivy League colleges.
Our intake is relatively broad, and we are exceptionally proud of the results our girls achieve; in 2022, we were fourth in the country for value-added scores. We have pupils performing at the highest levels in Music, Drama and Sport. Currently, we have girls competing internationally in Fencing, Volleyball and Athletics, another playing in the National Youth Orchestra, and one in the National Youth Theatre. We have an extensive programme of enrichment activities, as well as a plethora of trips to destinations in the UK and abroad.
Our ethos is one of celebrating each girl as an individual, and allowing her to explore her own interests and gifts. We facilitate this through our extensive academic curriculum (we offer 28 subjects at A Level) and a higher-than-normal amount of choice at GCSE.
Queen’s Gate was founded in 1891, and today we educate around 500 girls: 130 in the Junior School, and 370 in the Senior School, including around 70 in the Sixth Form.
Scholarships are awarded for academic merit but also to those demonstrating exceptional talent in, and dedication to, Sport, Music, Drama and Art. The School is committed to widening access, and offers a number of means- tested bursaries.
We place great emphasis on the importance of pupils’ happiness and wellbeing, which we support through outstanding pastoral care, our extensive co-curricular programme and an open determination to inject fun wherever possible.
Our girls have no uniform, and our dress code allows them enormous scope to explore their own sense of style and to come to school feeling comfortable and confident in what they are wearing. Girls have many opportunities to provide feedback or present their own ideas, particularly in terms of charity events, which are a regular feature.
The Senior Management Team currently comprises the following staff members:
Principal
Vice Principal
Bursar
Director of the Junior School
Two Co-Directors of Studies
Director of Pastoral Care
Director of Sixth Form
Queen's Gate's stated aims are to create a secure, happy, yet stimulating environment in which each girl can realise her academic and personal potential.
THE ROLE
We wish to appoint from January 2027 an ambitious, inspiring individual to lead the provision of our Geography department. The successful candidate will be able to contribute to trips and activities, and look to build curriculum links with our Junior School. Like all our staff, the successful candidate will be expected to play a part in the wider life of the School, including taking on pastoral responsibilities and leading a co-curricular or super-curricular activity. The candidate will have the opportunity for cross-curricular involvement, such as by getting involved in the musical or sporting life of the school, or by accompanying one of our overseas school trips. .
Following our recent ISI inspection report, the School as a whole is at an exciting stage, and the successful candidate will find many opportunities to be involved in, contribute to and even lead ongoing development. We are heavily committed to providing a workplace where staff can extend and enhance their skills and advance their career, and there is a generous CPD budget to support this.
While this role is expected to be full-time, as an inclusive recruiter, we would be keen to hear from individuals looking for a part-time role. This role may suit someone who has completed several years as a teacher and is now looking for their first promotion to a leadership role, or more experienced candidates.
Duties for this post will include:
Leading the provision of Geography and those assigned to teach the subject, including maintaining oversight of Schemes of Work and pupil progress, delegating tasks as appropriate
Teaching Geography from KS3 to KS5
Providing high-quality feedback to pupils on their work
Providing regular feedback to parents, either via reports or at Parents’ Meetings
Supporting the co-curricular life of the school
Serving as a Form Tutor
THE PERSON
| Qualifications | Essential | Desirable | Method ofAssessment |
| A good honours degree in a Geography-based subject | ● | Appropriate originalcertificates | |
| Membership of a professional bodyrelevant to subject | ● | Appropriate originalcertificates | |
| Higher degrees | ● | Appropriate originalcertificates | |
| Teaching Qualification | ● | Appropriate originalcertificates |
| Experience | Essential | Desirable | Method ofAssessment |
| Experience teaching Geographysuccessfully up to and including A Levelin a School/ College | ● | Lesson ObservationInterviewReferences | |
| Experience of working as a Form Tutoror similar pastoral role in a School orCollege | ● | Application FormInterview | |
| Excellent subject knowledge andpassion for subject | ● | Lesson ObservationInterviewReferences | |
| Knowledge of current educationalpractice | ● | Lesson ObservationInterviewReferences | |
| Awareness and understanding ofsafeguarding and welfare of children,including the ability to form andmaintain appropriate relationships andpersonal boundaries with children andyoung people | ● | Interview Questions totest attitudes towardsand knowledge ofchildren's safeguardingand welfare | |
| Advanced research skills | ● | Lesson ObservationInterviewReferences | |
| Awareness of Health and Safetyprocedures in a School | ● | Lesson ObservationInterviewReferences | |
| A willingness to undertake appropriatetraining to develop teaching skills andsubject knowledge | ● | Lesson ObservationInterviewReferences |
THE PERSON (continued)
| Basic Skills, Characteristics& Competencies | Essential | Desirable | Method ofAssessment |
| Excellent oral and writtencommunication skills | ● | ApplicationInterviews | |
| Strong IT literacy, particularly inMicrosoft Word and Excel | ● | InterviewsLesson Observation | |
| Ability to think and act strategicallyand creatively | 0 | InterviewsReferences | |
| Awareness of Health & Safetyprocedures in a School | ● | InterviewsLesson Observation | |
| Behaviour management skills | ● | InterviewsLesson Observation | |
| Learning enhancement skills | ● | InterviewsLesson Observation | |
| Awareness of GDPR | ● | Interviews |
| Personal Qualities | Essential | Desirable | Method ofAssessment |
| Sense of humour | ● | InterviewsReferences | |
| Enthusiasm and energy | ● | InterviewsReferences | |
| Self-motivation | ● | InterviewsReferences | |
| Commitment | ● | InterviewsReferences | |
| Patience and diplomacy | ● | InterviewsReferences | |
| Flexibility and resilience | ● | InterviewsReferences | |
| Excellent organisational skills | ● | InterviewsReferences | |
| Ability to seek and take advice | • | InterviewsReferences |
APPLICATION PROCESS
Queen's Gate is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The School is therefore permitted to ask shortlisted applicants to declare all convictions and cautions on a self-declaration form in advance of attending an interview (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the Disclosure and Barring Service (“DBS”) filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.
The School may carry out online searches on shortlisted applicants, for which all such applicants will be required to provide details of their online profile, including social media accounts, as part of their application. Prior to employment commencing, successful applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the DBS.
Successful applicants will also be required to produce evidence of qualifications, identity, and the right to work in the UK. Two references will be taken up, one of which will be with the most recent employer. They will also be required to complete our Health Questionnaire.
All those working at Queen’s Gate share in our responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children and young people in our care. This will include completing regular training and maintaining a good awareness of key policies and procedures relating to our safeguarding duties. Where a role has specific or additional responsibilities in relation to safeguarding, this will be detailed within the job description.
All candidates are also requested to complete an online Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form. This can be found at the end of our application form. The form will be separated from your application on receipt. The information on this form will be used for equality monitoring purposes only and will play no part in the recruitment process.
Queen’s Gate School is committed to ensuring that all job applicants and members of staff are treated equally, without discrimination because age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex and sexual orientation. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.
To apply for this role, please complete our application form which can be found on our website: www.queensgate.org.uk/about-us/employmentopportunities
Please return a completed application form, along with a covering letter to the Principal, to recruitment@queensgate.org.uk
The closing date for applications is 9.00am on Monday, 29 June 2026, and interviews will be held that week.