Discovery Centre Manager / School Librarian
Townsend Church of England School, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 6DR11 days remaining to apply
Start date details
1st September 2025
Closing date
14 August 2026 at 5pm
Date listed
3 August 2026
Job details
Job role
- Other support role
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Part time, full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full time equivalent salary
- £25,043.00 - £27,181.00 Annually (FTE) Part Time / Job Share considered
Discovery Centre Manager / School Librarian job summary
About the Role
We are seeking an inspirational person with a vibrancy and enthusiasm for literature and learning, to lead a new and exciting venture in our Discovery Centre and Library at Townsend. You will have a knowledgeable skill set to lead, manage, develop and promote the Discovery Centre as a hub of learning for all members of Townsend School.
Our ideal candidate will be creative, ambitious and have wonderful ideas to raise the profile of Reading for Pleasure. We are looking for someone who can organise events and activities that will inspire our students across all age ranges and interests. You will be a great team player who is vivacious and passionate about books and literature and who is knowledgeable about teenage and young adult fiction. You will need to be organised and efficient, with the ability to manage your time effectively. Flexibility is a must for anyone who works in a school and the successful candidate will be willing to take the initiative and find solutions to problems so you can deliver a Discovery Centre that is integral to the life of the school.
You should have excellent communication skills and be able to work with a range of people, including the young people in our school; an understanding of the variety of needs of young people and being able to relate to them is critical for the day-to-day aspects of this role. It is important that the successful candidate can work with computers and various programs including the use of Microsoft and Google applications as well as specialist library software. Previous or similar experience would be an advantage although training and support will be available. Experience of working in a secondary school setting would be an advantage. A willingness to take part in training would be essential.
The Discovery Centre is central to whole-school literacy, and as such, the position involves the day-to-day management of our library facility as well as the Discovery Centre as a whole. The role will involve liaising with a range of staff from the Senior Leadership Team, Directors of Learning and Subject Leaders, classroom Teachers and Learning Support Assistants.
The Discovery Centre is also a hub for outside speakers, larger-scale events, break and lunchtime clubs and various initiatives. This job role is supportive of these initiatives, taking a leading role in the organisation and preparation. The Discovery Centre is also the school’s library and a large part of this role includes the organisation and management of the library resources, maintaining, managing and updating the literature and non-fiction sections with relevant, modern books and resources that challenge and excite our readers.
About the School
Townsend is a relatively small and very friendly school with a great atmosphere, circa 800 on roll, including a Sixth Form. Townsend is rated good by Ofsted in all areas and outstanding in our SIAMS inspection report.
Townsend Church of England School is situated on a large, green site between St Albans and Harpenden, and welcomes applicants from families of all faiths and of no faith. Children who attend Townsend live in St Albans and Harpenden, as well as other towns in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, including Welwyn Garden City, Hemel Hempstead and Luton.
Townsend believes that educating the whole child is key to a successful education. The Bible-based vision of Love Your Neighbour underpins all we do. Students are taught to respect and care for themselves and each other, and Townsend’s supportive environment encourages them to make the most out of their journey through secondary school.
Although this is a Church School you do not have to adhere to the Christian faith to work here, but you must be in sympathy with our work and be able to support the aspects that give us our distinctive character as a Church of England School.
Newly appointed Headteacher, Mr Anthony Flack is excited by the opportunity to make Townsend, ‘The first choice secondary school for all’.
Friendly and welcoming, Townsend impresses with its calm learning environment and caring staff. Our new School Prospectus is linked here: https://townsendschoolprospectus.co.uk/
We reserve the right to move to shortlisting and interviews when we have viable applications.
If you would like additional information or to discuss this vacancy - please email the school (recruitment@townsend.herts.sch.uk) for the attention of Mr Flack (Headteacher), or Mrs Llewellyn (Senior Deputy Headteacher), and we can either email a reply or telephone you if you leave a contact number.
To apply for this vacancy, please send a cover letter and an application form to Mr Flack, Headteacher, Townsend CofE School, High Oaks, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 6DR or email to recruitment@townsend.herts.sch.uk
Townsend CofE School is committed to the safeguarding of all students and all staff appointed are subject to the usual teaching vetting and compliance checks that include DBS checks, two satisfactory references, confirmation of identity, qualifications, and barred list checks.
Following the shortlisting stage, and before making a final decision, the School will collect and process information publicly available about you by conducting a brief online search using an internet search engine. We do this to ensure that the school acts in accordance with its obligations set out in Keeping Children Safe in Education.
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
Townsend Church of England School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Successful candidates will be required to have a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Baring (DBS) check and meet the safeguarding requirements consistent with those outlined in the Keeping Children Safe in Education document. Please note that references are always taken up.
Applying for the job
This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on external website (opens in new tab)About Townsend Church of England School
- Organisation type
- Local authority maintained school, Church of England, ages 11 to 18
- Education phase
- Secondary school
- Size
- 746 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
A Church of England Voluntary Aided secondary school.
See Website www.townsend.herts.sch.uk
School location
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