Job Introduction

If you share our values of teamwork, inclusion and innovation and have high expectations of what children can achieve, we would love to hear from you. We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic teacher to join our existing committed team. The post would suit someone with sound knowledge of child development and experience of working with children and young people with Special Educational Needs.

We are a Community Special School for children and young people from the ages of 2-19 years, with 110 on roll. Our pupils have severe learning difficulties, or profound and multiple learning difficulties. The designation of the school means that pupils typically have complex needs, and medical needs requiring a high degree of differentiation and bespoke provision. In most cases our pupils will be working below the national curriculum and the equivalent of Expected Levels for NCY1.

We value a happy, healthy and secure learning environment in which all the needs of pupils are met, enabling each young person to reach their individual potential and to maximise their independence. We provide pupils with opportunities for integrated educational experiences across shared sites with mainstream schools.

We are judged Good by Ofsted (October 2022) and we are ambitious in our vision for the future provision for our pupils. We offer small classes, typically less than 10 pupils per class, working within large teams of support staff and additional NHS therapists, and have newly furbished high-spec learning spaces through most of the school. We have a unique relationship with Wheatley Nursery School who share our site.

Job Description - Class Teacher

General Duties

You will be expected to carry out the professional duties of a teacher as outlined in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions 2024/25 document, or any subsequent legislation and to meet the Teachers’ Standards (attached). In addition, you will be required to follow all the current school policies, procedures and protocols and uphold the good reputation of the school.

Specific Duties: Class Teacher

• Ensure that you are able to demonstrate how your role furthers the core principles, values and key objectives linked to the school improvement plan and the school’s key priorities
• Establish and maintain an appropriately ordered learning environment with displays of student work which comply with school wide guidance and expectations
• Use formative and summative assessments to secure pupils’ progress
• Be accountable for pupils’ attainment, progress and outcomes
• Be responsible for the pastoral care of students in your care promoting self-discipline and good behaviour at all times
• Deliver high quality teaching to students assigned to you
• Be responsible for ensuring that improvements in personal and social development, behaviour, literacy, numeracy and communication are priority targets for all students
• Support and promote opportunities for 2-way inclusion with peers within school and with mainstream students as appropriate, in order to enhance students’ learning and social development
• Ensure an appropriate level of inclusion reflecting the particular needs of the individual student, the EHC plan and exploiting the opportunities arising from the co-location of our split site provision
• Ensure effective working partnership is established and maintained with the CNS and therapist teams
• Ensure effective home-school links are established and maintained and that appropriate logs are kept of all communications using school wide systems
• Ensure that you contribute to effective shared communication and e-communication systems, enabling collaborative accountability across the Hard Federation
• At all times display a high regard for risk management through robust risk assessment and the strict adherence of school policies pertaining to Behaviour and Safety Management
• Manage a weekly Team Meeting with your staff, or participate in a KS meeting
• Attend and participate in a weekly Professional Development Meeting
• Attend morning briefings (as required)
• Provide effective line management to your class team
• To perform regular dinner duties (as required.)
• To lead school trips to further learning beyond the classroom

General Responsibilities: All Staff

• Follow school and county guidelines for safe working practice to safeguard students and staff in schools, maintaining confidentiality and attending training as required
• Take part in the school’s current staff development, self-review and appraisal programmes and the school performance management systems
• Support the educational aims and philosophy of the school, contributing to all aspects of school life as a member of the school team and undertaking other duties reasonably requested by the headteacher

Specific responsibilities under Health & Safety legislation to ensure that you:

• Take reasonable care for your own health and safety, and the safety of others affected by your action or inaction;
• Cooperate on all issues involving health and safety and safeguarding;
• Report any health and safety or safeguarding concerns to your line manager as soon as practicable.

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

ESSENTIAL

• Proven ability to meet Teachers’ Standards in full

• Successful recent relevant classroom experience teaching primary age pupils 

• Excellent understanding of Safeguarding and Risk Management

• Understanding of how to support the holistic needs of pupils with complex learning needs and behaviours

• Excellent classroom organisation and management skills, in order to maximise pupil autonomy

• Proven ability to manage a class team effectively to meet the holistic needs of those in your care

• Proven track record in using pupil performance data to monitor the progress of pupils

• Commitment to providing quality inclusion opportunities

• Ability to provide coaching and mentoring support to your class team 

• Highly effective verbal and written communication skills

• Able to contribute to school leaders, governors and other professionals involved in self-evaluation and school improvement

• Excellent understanding of how to support early reading (including structured phonics) and how to embed rudimentary maths knowledge and understanding

• Excellent IT skills to support your role, and support effective learning and assessment

• Excellent understanding of the needs of families with SEN children and ability to maintain links with parents/carers

• Willingness to participate in the wider life of the school 

• Proven commitment to continuing professional development

DESIRABLE

• Experience of working in more than one setting

• Experience monitoring the quality of provision across a Key Stage and/or area of the curriculum across the school

• Team Teach trained

• Recent experience contributing to curriculum design and development

• Experience offering training to other colleagues in a curriculum area

• Experience of working with pupils in the locality, beyond the classroom

Please do not send CVs, applications will only be considered using the correct application form. As part of our recruitment process we will require you to fill out an overseas check prior to interview.  We will email this to you on receipt of your completed application. 

Salary Details: MPR/UPR plus SEN Allowance 1

Job Term:  permanent 

Appointment Type: Full time (FTE.)

Contact Telephone: 01865 452 725

Closing Date:   Friday 17th January 2025

To start: 1st May 2025

Safer Recruitment

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks.