Why Christ the King?

"I am privileged to be part of an outstanding community that invests in students as well as staff development and progression. The comprehensive professional development programme and support from senior management ensures that I am able to effectively manage a superb department that prides itself on outstanding results and excellent progression routes for our learners onto highly competitive courses."

At Christ the King, we seek to appoint the very best: exceptional teachers and support staff – and those with the potential to become exceptional – with a real passion for their subject, those who want to focus their energies and career ambitions to the sixth-form age group, with all the challenges and rewards that brings.

But that’s just the start. At Christ the King, we seek constantly to reflect on what we do and how we can improve, through rigorous, high-quality CPD and leadership training. Teaching and learning is our core focus and is widely discussed, what individuals do in the classroom is part of a whole-College pedagogy, and outstanding practice is identified, explored, disseminated and celebrated. 

Through our mentoring programmes we’ll support you every step of the way and provide you with opportunities to build relationships with colleagues at every stage of their careers and across all three College sites.

Staff study bursaries

A number are awarded to both teaching and support staff each year to assist with course fees for Masters degrees or further study.

Subject networks

These strengthen professional communication between teachers across our three sites. We currently have some 15 networks attended by over 150 staff.

Collaborative research with schools in the state and independent sectors

We are currently running a large-scale project funded by the Mayor’s London Schools Excellence Fund Schools across KS4 and 5. Participants include Eton College, North London Collegiate, St Paul’s Boys School, and Wellington College. Our research seeks to answer two questions:

• What strategies do independent schools use to ensure their pupils achieve top grades at GCSE and A Level in English, Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics and how do they secure places for their students at Russell Group universities in such large numbers?
• Are the strategies transferable to the state sector and can they be scaled up so that they can made available to a wider community across London?

All-staff conferences

We established an annual conference for all staff in 2011 and it has grown in stature each year, with contributions from guest speakers of national and international renown. Recent topics include: How Do We Create Successful Learners?, Transforming Teaching and Learning and Character Building.

Why a Sixth-Form College?

When you ask members of staff at Christ the King why they choose to work at a sixth-form college, you receive a range of answers.

Many say they enjoy the opportunity to teach the subject they love to young people who have chosen to study it rather than simply ‘doing’ it at GCSE because that is what timetabling options dictated.

Others particularly enjoy the challenges and rewards of working with teenagers making the sometimes difficult transition from school to a more adult, autonomous life at college where they must start to grapple with big decisions about their lives beyond education. Young people need support, structure and encouragement, and at Christ the King we ensure it is provided to every one of our students.

Some of those considering an appointment to a sixth form college fear that once they’ve joined the sector, there’s no way back. But this is far from the truth. At Christ the King, we have staff who have moved to us from schools, while there are others who have chosen to return there at a later stage in their careers.

There is far more fluidity between the sectors than some imagine. And experience gained at a high-performing, long-established sixth form college is highly prized in the schools sector.

Working in a post-16 institution such as Christ the King provides the opportunity to teach in an environment where students are challenged to excel academically at an incredibly pivotal stage of adolescence. Not only is it greatly gratifying to facilitate this academic success, but even more rewarding to witness and support students in developing their self-confidence and in discovering aspirations for their future progression.
Paula Amony , Leadership and Head of