Science Technician

The Swan School; Oxford; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

The Swan School in Oxford is seeking a Science Technician to ensure our laboratories operate safely and efficiently while supporting the STEM curriculum.

You will assist teachers by trialling and setting up practical experiments, care for science equipment and supplies, and contribute to developing engaging science activities for students. We offer development opportunities as the school grows and a welcoming, community-focused environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in science field.
• Motivated team player.
• Willingness to learn and contribute to school life.

Responsibilities

• Support teachers by trialling and setting up practical experiments,
• Look after science equipment and supplies, ensuring safety and readiness.
• Contribute to the STEM curriculum to encourage genuine enthusiasm for science.
• Development and leadership opportunities will arise as the school grows.

Job description

About the role

At The Swan School, we provide a uniquely structured and challenging academic education within a supportive environment. Working alongside our Senior Science Technician and teaching staff, you will ensure our laboratories operate safely and efficiently while playing an active part in bringing our STEM curriculum to life.

As a Science Technician, you will play a crucial role in enhancing our science and STEM curriculum. You will support teachers by trialling and setting up practical experiments, looking after science equipment and supplies, and contributing to the STEM curriculum to encourage a genuine enthusiasm for science in our students. Development and leadership opportunities will arise as the school continues to grow.

What we are looking for

The successful candidate will share our ambitions for our students. You will relish the challenge of being part of a new school that is different to other comprehensive schools in the city. You will be a highly motivated team player who is keen to get involved in all aspects of school life and learn new skills. You will have had experience in the field of science and be interested in working with young people.

About the school

The Swan School, part of the River Learning Trust, is Oxford’s first new secondary school for over 50 years, and opened in September 2019. When full, we will have approximately 1,200 students on roll, of whom around 300 will be in the Sixth Form. Our students are drawn from a local catchment area and the school is at the heart of the community.

Learning from the most successful approaches at the best schools, The Swan School provides a uniquely challenging and structured experience in a caring and disciplined environment. The ethos is academic; we regard an excellent academic education as the entitlement of all young people, no matter what their background or previous experiences of learning. Students are inspired and nurtured, acquiring the knowledge and skills to think critically and creatively. They will learn to be confident, resilient and ambitious, and will have high expectations in terms of their own achievements and their contribution to wider society.

Student outcomes at The Swan School are exceptional - in 2026 our GCSE Attainment 8 score was 59.4, meaning that students achieved almost 1.5 grades higher than the national average across their eight best subjects, including English and maths. In 2023, the school was graded as ‘outstanding’ by OFSTED for Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development, Leadership and Management, and Sixth Form.

The RLT Connection

The Swan School is proud to be part of the River Learning Trust (RLT). This collaborative culture provides our staff with enhanced professional development opportunities and the security of a large, successful trust while maintaining our school's unique identity.

River Learning Trust and The Swan School are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and preventing extremism. We are an exempt employer under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

This role includes regulated activity relevant to children. We conduct checks and online searches in accordance with Keeping Children Safe In Education guidance. It is an offence to apply for certain roles within schools if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

For documentation, please see RLT Safer Recruitment Documents. Visit our website www.riverlearningtrust.org for up-to-date policies including our Child Protection and Behaviour policies. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

We actively value the "different contributions" you can make. We want you to be at your best during the application process; if you require any reasonable adjustments, please let us know.

This is a full-time role but flexible working may be considered for the right candidate. Applications will be considered as they arrive and the school reserves the right to end the advert early if the right candidate has been found.