Early Years Lead & Danecourt@Featherby Satellite Provision Lead

Danecourt School, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 6AA

37 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  ASAP or Easter

• Closing date

  16 January 2026 at 10:59pm

• Date listed

  10 December 2025

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teacher
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £32,916.00 - £51,048.00 Annually (Actual) MPS/UPS and TLR

Early Years Lead & Danecourt@Featherby Satellite Provision Lead job summary

Join Danecourt School as a Early Years Lead and Danecourt@Featherby Satellite Provision Lead! Lead. Inspire. Shape the future of Early Years SEND education.

Hours: 27.5 hours per week
Contract: Permanent Term Time Only Role: 39 weeks per year Start Date: ASAP or Easter Actual Salary: MPS/UPS and TLR

Danecourt School is a Primary Special School, and our Danecourt@Featherby satellite provision is seeking an inspirational, ambitious and talented Class Teacher to take on the exciting dual role of Early Years & Satellite Lead and Reception Class Teacher. This is a pivotal position at the heart of our early years offer—one that directly shapes the outstanding learning experiences we provide for our pupils with a diverse range of needs.

About the Role

As part of our dedicated, skilled and passionate EYFS team, you will play a central role in ensuring every child thrives, is celebrated as an individual, and is empowered to become a confident, independent learner. Danecourt@Featherby is a vibrant, nurturing and forward-thinking place to be—for children, staff, families and the wider community.

What You’ll Do

As our EYFS & Satellite Lead, you will:

• Provide inspirational leadership and management of the Early Years curriculum

• Deliver high-quality teaching and make effective use of resources

• Work closely with the leadership team to evaluate and strengthen EYFS provision

• Organise and manage teaching and learning across EYFS

• Lead on the development, monitoring and continuous improvement of the curriculum

• Support leaders in monitoring teaching quality and children’s achievements

• This role combines strategic leadership with the hands-on joy of teaching a Reception class within a special school setting—offering the perfect opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting difference

Who you Are
We welcome applications from experienced teachers who are:

• Passionate about early years and special education

• Driven to secure the best outcomes for all children

• Eager to lead, inspire and make a difference

• Committed to inclusive practice and high expectations

• Excited by the opportunity to contribute to a specialist, child-centred learning community

What We Offer Danecourt offers a welcoming and inclusive environment where support staff are valued as key members of the team. As part of the Maritime Academy Trust, we offer meaningful career opportunities, collaborative working, and the chance to help pupils with SEND thrive. Here’s what you can expect:

• A chance to shape, innovate and elevate our early years practice in a specialist environment

• Tailored CPD & Career Growth: from SEND specialism pathways to leadership development, we’re proud of our “grow our own” approach.

• Coaching and mentoring from experienced leaders who will support and champion you

• A supportive, team-based culture, where collaboration is key across classrooms and satellite provisions

• Innovative CPD delivered through our LearnUpon platform — bitesize, practical, and designed for busy teaching lives

• Collaboration across the Trust, sharing best practice and expertise through our Maritime Outreach Support Service

• Staff wellbeing focus, including an Employee Assistance Programme, wellbeing leads, and a culture of care.

• Proud Winner of the Medway Parents and Carers Forum SEND Award for Primary Special School Provision and holder of the Inclusion Quality Mark’s Inclusive School Award — recognising our commitment to excellence for every child and family.

Ready to Make a Difference?

There is truly no better time to join Danecourt@Featherby—where innovation thrives, potential is nurtured and every child is given the opportunity to succeed.

Please contact the school office on 01634 232589 to arrange or call to speak to Lou Elliott about the role.

You’ll find more about the role, school, and Trust in the Candidate Information Pack attached. Apply now via My New Term — we may interview and appoint as applications are received, so don’t delay!

Danecourt School and the Maritime Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We embrace diversity and equal opportunity, striving to build a team that reflects a range of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. The more inclusive we are, the stronger we become. All appointments are subject to an Enhanced DBS check and online checks in line with the latest safeguarding guidance.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Maritime Academy Trust is committed to recruiting with care and safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointment will be subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS and pre-employment checks.

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.

About Danecourt School

• School type: Academy, ages 4 to 11
• School size: 257 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 4 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Danecourt School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/danecourt-school

Danecourt is a special school catering for primary aged children who have special educational needs. The school caters for children with a wide breadth of need including complex learning difficulties, autism and social emotional mental health needs.

At Danecourt our mission is to provide all pupils with a “stimulating learning environment that allows children to explore through a personalised curriculum to become STARS!

Self reliant Team Player Aspirational Resilient Successful

The highly trained staff teams maintain high expectations of what each individual pupil is able to achieve, striving to ensure that they all achieve their maximum potential; celebrating difference and encouraging curiosity and creativity. Staff work collaboratively with families and a range of other agencies in order to meet the pupils needs and as a result, they make strong progress academically, emotionally and socially. Pupil achievement is hugely valued and celebrated in a manner that is meaningful and appropriate for each pupil.

School location

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