Head of Mathematics

Dollar Academy has been a co-educational day and boarding school since its foundation in 1818. Today, it provides an exceptional all-round education to around 1,350 pupils aged 5-18. Our focus is on encouraging the individual talents and ambitions of every young person, in a positive and supportive environment that fosters the development of transferable skills, self-confidence and strong personal values. A belief in developing the whole person is central to the Dollar ethos.

We have been named as the Sunday Times Scottish Independent School of the Year 2024.

We are seeking to recruit a permanent, full time, Head of Mathematics beginning in April 2025. Applicants should be capable and visionary teachers with the ability to run this ambitious, lively and highly successful department comprising nine members of staff. The successful applicant will be expected to lead by example and to be able to teach the full range of courses offered from Form I to Form VI. They will have the ability to teach at the highest levels with confidence and authority and, as such, an Honours degree in Mathematics or a closely related subject is required. We are looking for an individual who demonstrates a genuine love of Maths, enthusiasm for teaching it and an imaginative, creative and energetic approach to helping pupils to share this enjoyment. The successful candidate will also require the organisational and communication skills that are essential to the smooth running and successful development of a large department. Computers, interactive technology and web-based resources are now an intrinsic part of Mathematics teaching and fluency with these, together with a thoughtful approach to their use, is essential.

We aim to help all of our pupils to achieve their full potential in Mathematics and to develop real confidence in their ability. Throughout Forms I to V, pupils are placed in sets according to ability and those in lower sets benefit from small class sizes, whilst the upper sets are able to spend more time on sophisticated problems. The progress of all pupils is monitored closely through a programme of internal examinations and tests and, importantly, formal and informal discussion within the department.

We currently prepare pupils for SQA National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher examinations. At all stages we attach a great deal of importance to number work and the development of independent thinking. Pupils are encouraged to see Mathematics not as a collection of disconnected rules but rather as an exciting, coherent and intensely logical language with wide applications and inherent value. Many of our most able pupils choose to enter both the UK Mathematical Challenge and the Scottish Mathematical Challenge and we have experienced much success in both of these competitions.

In a typical year the great majority of pupils achieve grade A or B at National 5, with roughly 70% gaining a grade A. In recent years over 120 pupils each year are entered for Higher Mathematics, with over 90% achieving grades A to C and approximately 70% a grade A. Currently we present pupils for Advanced Higher Mathematics, Mathematics of Mechanics and Statistics with approximately 60 pupils each year taking these options. A number of candidates sit more than one paper, and many pupils go on to read Mathematics, Science, Engineering or Economics at a broad range of universities.

The Academy has a rich co-curricular programme in which all members of staff are expected to participate.

Candidates should either be registered with the GTCS, or eligible for registration.