Job Description

The position of Teacher of History & Politics offers an ambitious and dynamic specialist an exciting and highly rewarding opportunity. The successful applicant, whether an ECT or an experienced teacher, should bring enthusiasm and passion to inspire students from Year 7 to the Upper Sixth. They should be willing to learn to teach all areas of the GCSE and A Level specifications. They will offer enthusiasm and a passion for their subject and a willingness to work alongside our dedicated and highly skilled group of subject specialists within the department.

The History & Politics Department currently has four full-time members of staff who work closely together as a team. The Department has a philosophy that combines academic rigour with a commitment to high quality teaching and learning.  At the heart of its philosophy is a commitment to an enquiry-led approach in which students analyse a wide variety of historical sources and information, in order to answer key questions. The Department uses a wide range of activities and resources, including textbook work, role-plays, group work and human timelines. A lot of work is also put into developing student’s historical skills, including historical significance, interpretation and cause and consequence.

At Key Stage 3, the focus is ‘The History of Britain and its relationship with the wider world’. After an introduction to the study of history, students learn about the Norman Conquest and the medieval world. They continue with the Tudor and Stuarts, before concluding with a focus on the Twentieth Century World. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to make thematic comparisons, including warfare, empire, religion and individual rights, across the different historical periods.

The Department follows the Edexcel specification at GCSE with students studying Medicine and Health Through Time, a depth study on Weimar and Nazi Germany and units on Elizabethan England and the Cold War. History is an extremely popular subject, with at least two sets in each year group.

At A Level, the Department follows the OCR specification because of the range and combination of different topics available. In the Lower Sixth, the Early Tudors and Russia 1894-1941 are taught, and this is complemented with a more modern course in the Upper Sixth on Civil Rights in the USA 1865-1992. Students also complete an extended coursework essay on a topic of their choice.

The Department also offers A Level Politics.  We follow Edexcel which includes three key components:  UK Politics, UK Government and Comparative Politics (USA).  The topics include democracy and participation, political parties, electoral systems, voting behaviour and the media, the UK Constitution, Parliament, Prime Minister and executive, the US Constitution and federalism, US Presidency, US Supreme Court and Civil rights.

Students have regularly progressed to leading Russell Group Universities to study a degree in History and Politics over the years thanks to the support and inspiration offered by the Department staff.

Co-curricular activities, trips and enrichment activities are part of the ethos of the Department and are seen as a crucial support in learning. The Department has a growing programme of trips to support students in their studies including visiting Hampton Court, an annual visit for all of Year 9 to the Ypres Salient as well as workshops at the Houses of Parliament, hosting speakers and attending external lectures. For additional enrichment, the Department proudly supports the Exceptional Performers Programme (EPP), encourages external competition participation and other resources, such as public lectures, books and sites of interest.

The Department benefits from three large spacious classrooms all equipped with interactive LCD screens.  There is also a departmental office with space for each of the staff to work.

The post-holder must uphold the School’s policy in respect of all matters related to Safeguarding and Child Protection. The above responsibilities are subject to the general duties and responsibilities in the written statement of conditions of employment (The Contract of Employment). The post-holder is required to support and encourage the School’s ethos and its objectives, policies and procedures as agreed by the Headmaster and Governing Body. The post-holder would also be expected to carry out any other duties that are reasonably assigned by the Headmaster.

The Job Description allocates duties and responsibilities but does not direct the particular amount of time to be spent on carrying them out and this must not be construed. This Job Description is not necessarily a comprehensive definition of the post. It will be reviewed periodically and may be subject to modification at any time after consultation with the post-holder.

To Apply: 

Email the completed application form, along with a covering letter, addressed to the Headmaster, Mr James Davies to hr@hallifordschool.co.uk 

Applications must be received by midday on Friday 31st October 2025. 

Please apply as soon as possible as applications will be considered upon receipt; we reserve the right to interview/appoint before the closing date. 

We are proactively committed to creating a diverse staff body which reflects the community that we teach. At Halliford School we value diversity and inclusion; we want to attract the best people for the role. This is regardless of age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability, socioeconomic status or religious beliefs. 

Halliford School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff, volunteers and visitors to share our commitment. We are an equal opportunities employer and the successful candidate will be subject to enhanced DBS disclosure and employment reference checks. You must be eligible to work in the UK. 

All applications will be acknowledged by email. 

Offers of employment are subject to the receipt of a minimum of two references which are satisfactory to the School. Please refer to our Recruitment Selection and Disclosure Policy which can be found on the school website.