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Early Years Lead Teacher

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Leigh, Leigh, Lancashire, WN7 1UX

11 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  As soon as possible

• Closing date

  18 October 2026 at 12pm (midday)

• Date listed

  7 October 2026

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Job details

• Job role:
  • Teacher or lecturer
  • Head of department or curriculum
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Key stage: Early years
• Working pattern: Full time: Full time 5 days a week
• Contract type: Permanent
• Pay scale: M1 to UPS3
• Additional allowances:

  TLR2a

What skills and experience we're looking for

Early Years Leader

What the school offers its staff

EYFS Lead – Reception Class Teacher

Permanent | Full Time | TLR2Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Leigh

Shortlisting: 19/10/2026

Lesson Observations 21/10/2026

Interviews 22/10/2026

Are you an experienced and ambitious EYFS teacher ready to lead, inspire and make a significant difference?

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School is seeking to appoint an experienced, highly effective and enthusiastic Early Years teacher to join our team as EYFS Lead.

This is an exciting permanent leadership opportunity for an excellent practitioner who understands how young children learn, has high expectations for every pupil and has the knowledge, confidence and drive to lead the continued development of our Early Years provision.

Our Reception provision consists of two Reception classes, with an annual intake of 45 children. We are looking for a leader who will work closely with staff and senior leaders to ensure that every child receives an ambitious, nurturing and highly effective start to their education.

The role

As EYFS Lead, you will have responsibility for leading the quality, consistency and development of provision across our Reception unit.

Alongside teaching within Reception, you will:

• provide strong, visible and supportive leadership across the EYFS team;
• lead the development and implementation of an ambitious, well-sequenced EYFS curriculum;
• ensure that curriculum planning identifies clearly what children need to know, understand and be able to do;
• secure consistently high expectations for teaching, learning, behaviour and engagement;
• lead the development of high-quality continuous provision, ensuring that the environment supports purposeful, progressive learning;
• ensure that adult interactions are purposeful, responsive and extend children’s language, thinking and learning;
• champion communication, language and oracy as fundamental components of Early Years practice;
• ensure that early reading, phonics, writing and mathematics are taught effectively and systematically;
• use assessment intelligently to identify children’s starting points, gaps in learning and next steps;
• ensure appropriate adaptation and support for children with SEND, speech and language needs and those requiring additional intervention;
• monitor the quality and impact of teaching and provision across Reception;
• support, coach and develop colleagues to strengthen Early Years practice;
• promote children’s independence, resilience, curiosity and positive attitudes to learning;
• develop effective indoor and outdoor learning environments;
• support successful transition into Reception and from Reception into Key Stage 1;
• build positive, professional relationships with parents and carers;
• contribute to whole-school curriculum development, school improvement and leadership priorities; and
• ensure statutory EYFS requirements and safeguarding expectations are implemented consistently.

We are looking for someone who:

• is an experienced and highly effective EYFS teacher;
• has a secure and current understanding of the EYFS statutory framework and effective Early Years pedagogy;
• can demonstrate strong outcomes and impact within Early Years;
• understands the importance of language development, early literacy, phonics and early mathematics;
• has experience of developing high-quality continuous provision;
• understands how to identify and address gaps in children’s knowledge, language and development;
• has high expectations of children’s behaviour, independence and attitudes to learning;
• understands effective assessment in EYFS and how this should inform teaching and provision;
• can support and develop the practice of other adults;
• is confident in monitoring, evaluating and improving provision;
• is reflective, organised and able to translate improvement priorities into effective classroom practice;
• is committed to inclusive practice and ensuring that children with additional needs are supported effectively;
• communicates effectively with colleagues, families and external professionals;
• is ambitious for children and unwilling to accept disadvantage or low starting points as barriers to achievement; and
• will actively support and contribute to the Catholic life, mission and values of Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School.

What we can offer

At Sacred Heart, we can offer:

• a permanent leadership position with TLR2 responsibility;
• the opportunity to lead and shape the development of our Reception provision;
• a committed staff team and supportive senior leadership;
• opportunities for professional development and leadership development;
• children from a diverse school community who deserve the very best start to their education;
• the opportunity to have a genuine and sustained impact on Early Years provision and outcomes; and
• a school committed to improvement, high expectations and providing an ambitious education for every child.

Our school mission is:

“We live and learn with Jesus.”

We are looking for someone who will share our ambition for our children and who believes that excellent Early Years education establishes the foundations for future academic success, confidence and personal development.

Visits to the school

Visits to Sacred Heart are warmly encouraged and provide an opportunity to meet our team, see our Reception provision and learn more about our vision for Early Years.

Safeguarding

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The successful applicant will be subject to appropriate safeguarding checks, including an enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and other pre-employment checks in accordance with statutory guidance.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from appropriately qualified candidates who share our commitment to securing the very best outcomes for our pupils.

If you are an excellent Early Years practitioner who is ready to lead, develop others and help shape the next stage of our EYFS journey, we would be delighted to hear from you.

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

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job

Please complete the online application.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Leigh

• Organisation type: Local authority maintained school, Roman Catholic, ages 4 to 11
• Education phase: Primary school
• Size: 300 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 4 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• Website: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Leigh website
• Email address: c.gillespie@leighsacredheart.wigan.sch.uk
• Phone number: 01942 674226
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/sacred-heart-catholic-primary-school-leigh

Arranging a visit to Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Leigh

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email c.gillespie@leighsacredheart.wigan.sch.uk.

School location

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