The key role and responsibility of the Fellow will be to inspire and facilitate the pupils, and the school, as we grow and increase our contribution to, and general awareness of the natural world around us. Winchester College aims to contribute to caring for and protecting our natural world and planet well beyond our own boundaries.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The key role and responsibility of the Fellow will be to inspire and facilitate the pupils, and the school, as we grow and increase our contribution to, and general awareness of the natural world around us. Winchester College aims to contribute to caring for and protecting our natural world and planet well beyond our own boundaries.
Responsible to: The Head of Science, Matt Rogers.
They will achieve the above key aim through:
- Planning and organising a range of activities on a weekly basis including:
- NHS weekly activities and trips alongside the Master in Charge of the NHS and a Thursday drop-in session for project work and animal husbandry (e.g. tank maintenance; reptile, amphibian and insect feeding
- Community Service conservation focused weekly activities in conjunction with the Director of Community Service.
- Leading a weekly natural history activity for pupils focused on project work in the immediate surroundings of the College. This will involve publicising and keeping accurate records of findings. Activities may include but not be limited to:
- Rigorous survey work of flora and fauna (e.g. water vole, otters and aquatic invertebrates).
- Camera trap and remote observation-based monitoring, with links to the school’s website and other wildlife websites.
- Outreach activities with local schools in support of the Head of Educational Partnerships (potentially including a week of work experience for GCSE pupils, as well as ad-hoc ecology fieldwork sessions).
- Working with the Head of Scientific Collections to identify, catalogue and display natural history collections.
- Planning and coordinating the annual Duncan Louis Stewart NHS lecture from a high-profile naturalist in collaboration with the Winchester College Society.
- Working with the Admissions team on Our Futures Together programme for prospective students to experience Ecology related activities.
Building and maintaining links via the activities listed above with local wildlife organisations and the wider community.
Attending a number of field trips, both residential and non-residential, either as a natural history expert who can significantly boost pupil engagement, or as the principal organiser of inspiring nature focused trips. These will include:
i) Nature-based trips such as:
- Planning and organising an annual residential trip for the NHS (7 days).
- Fortnightly local trips off-site for the NHS (e.g. Marwell Zoo, New Forest)
ii. Attending fieldwork associated with the teaching of Geography, such as:
- Non-residential days during term-time.
- 3 days residential during term-time.
- 7 days residential outside of term-time.
iii. Attending fieldwork associated with the teaching of Biology, such as:
- Non-residential days during term-time.
iv. Engaging with teaching staff in order to:
- Work with all academic departments and those who teach Div on any natural history related projects (e.g. EPQs) and classes.
- Work with Earth Prize teams to support the success of their projects.
- Visit tutor groups and getting pupils to engage in ecological activities during a 35 minute lesson.
- Identify opportunities to engender in all pupils a deeper knowledge of, and respect for ecology, the environment and the natural world.
- Promote and advertise natural history by contributing to the program of short talks in boarding houses in the evening and chapel in the morning.
d) The successful candidate will work in Winchester throughout the week in term-time. There will be a need to support activities at weekends during term-time and field trips will infringe on weekends and school holidays.
PERSON SPECIFICATION AND KEY QUALITIES
Essential
The successful candidate will be/have:
· A passion for natural history evidenced through either higher academic study, research and publications, the media or through professional pursuits.
· Extensive knowledge and experience of wildlife and practical study of natural history.
· The ability to enthuse and stimulate interest in young people and convey this knowledge effectively.
· Be on hand to fulfil the job requirements, both locally and further afield.
· Be a proactive person able to work alone and generate ideas and put them into practice effectively.
· Be a good communicator able to converse with a wide range of people.
· It is also expected that the Duncan Louis Stewart Fellow in Natural History will have a relevant honours degree or equivalent and have current contacts with wildlife organisations.
Key Qualities
The successful candidate will be/have:
- A commitment to the pastoral values of the school.
- Enjoyment of young people’s company.
- Emotional intelligence and the ability to empathise with both staff and pupils.
- A welcoming and friendly demeanour for all visitors to the College.
- The ability to build strong and effective relationships with pupils, parents, other Housemaster/mistress and other school-wide colleagues.
- Calm, patient and the ability to make decisions under pressure.
- The ability to delegate and use initiative.
- High levels of energy, enthusiasm and reliability.
- Excellent behaviour management skills.
- Organisational and administrative skills.
- The resilience and stamina needed to deal with the demands of boarding school life.
- Commitment to promoting and embedding an inclusive culture, with equality of opportunity for all.
Pay: £33,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
