EYFS Lead (with Phonics Lead role)

High Bank Junior Infant and Nursery School, Liversedge, West Yorkshire, WF15 8LD

32 days remaining to apply

• Job start date

  1 September 2026

• Closing date

  15 April 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  13 March 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teacher
  • Head of year or phase
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Key stage: Early years
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Pay scale: MPS/UPS

What skills and experience we're looking for

As we continue to develop an exceptional Early Years provision, we are seeking an inspiring, enthusiastic, experienced or aspiring EYFS Leader, with a minimum of 3 years qualified teaching experience, to join our team who is:

• Passionate about Early Years education and understands how high-quality early experiences shape lifelong learning.
• Experienced in leading practice within EYFS (or ready to make the step into leadership with proven impact).
• Skilled in creating rich, engaging, and purposeful learning environments—indoors and outdoors.
• Able to lead, coach, and inspire a dedicated team with positivity and clarity.
• A reflective practitioner who is constantly striving to develop their practice.
• Committed to working in partnership with families and the wider school community.
• Driven by inclusion, high expectations, and the belief that every child can thrive.
• Have extensive experience working within the EYFS in a Primary School Setting.Have a deep understanding of the EYFS curriculum and framework and be able to lead its development across the provision.Have knowledge of and/or leadership of Early Reading strategies and systemic synthetic phonics progammes (Little Wandle or equivalent).
• Be confident, flexible, resilient and solution-focused.
• Build positive relationships with staff, external colleagues, pupils and families.
• Commit to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

What the school offers its staff

• A supportive, collaborative, and friendly staff team.
• Curious, enthusiastic children who love to learn.
• A commitment to staff wellbeing and professional development.
• Opportunities to shape and influence our Early Years vision.
• A nurturing environment where play, creativity, and relationships sit at the heart of learning.
• Family-friendly approach to support staff balance the needs of work and home life.
• Employment and contracts managed by Kirklees Metropolitan Council (LA).
• Access to 24/7 wellbeing support through Care First.
• Access to Kirklees Employee Healthcare offer of smoking cessation, mini-MOT, menopause support, physio, counselling.

Flexible working opportunities

• PPA may be taken at home with prior approval from the Headteacher.
• Five occasions of paid leave can be taken across the academic year to support emergency, medical or wider family commitments.
• Leave of absences are considered on an individual basis and where paid leave may not be possible, unpaid or time in lieu (TOIL) is always considered.
• Commitment to the families of High Bank means the school's commitment to you to attend your own children's assemblies, sports day, nativities, etc. where ever possible.

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.

Main purpose

The teacher will:

• Fulfill the professional responsibilities of a teacher, as set out in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document
• Meet the expectations set out in the Teachers’ Standards

Duties and responsibilities

Teaching & Learning

• Plan and teach well-structured lessons to assigned classes, groups and/or individuals, planning from, following or adapting the school’s plans, curriculum and schemes of work.
• Assess, monitor, record and report on the learning needs, progress and achievements of assigned pupils, making accurate and productive use of assessment.
• Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of pupils.
• Set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils.
• Promote good progress and outcomes by pupils.
• Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge.
• Participate in arrangements for preparing pupils for statutory assessments.
• Identify pupils who have special educational needs, and know where to get help in order to give positive and targeted support. Implement and keep records to support their progress using school systems.
• When applicable, understand the demands expected of pupils in relation to the Early Years Foundation Stage and KS1 and/or KS2.

Whole-school organisation, strategy and development:

• Contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of the school’s policies, practices and procedures, so as to support the school’s vision and values.
• Make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school.
• Work with others on curriculum and pupil development to secure coordinated outcomes.

Health, safety and discipline:

• Promote the safety and wellbeing of pupils.
• Maintain good order and discipline among pupils, managing behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment.
• Take part in the school’s appraisal procedures.
• Take part in further training and development in order to improve own teaching.

Communication:

• Communicate effectively with pupils, parents and carers, including written reports.
• Working with colleagues and other relevant professionals
• Develop effective professional relationships with colleagues
• Establish effective working relationships with professional colleagues including, where applicable, support staff and external professionals.
• Direct and deploy support staff effectively.

Personal and professional conduct:

• Uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school.
• Have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school, and maintain high standards of attendance and punctuality.
• Understand and act within the statutory frameworks setting out their professional duties and responsibilities.

Safeguarding:

• Work in line with statutory safeguarding guidance (e.g. Keeping Children Safe in Education, Prevent) and our safeguarding and child protection policies.
• Work with the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) to promote the best interests of pupils, including sharing concerns where necessary.
• Promote the safeguarding of all pupils in the school.

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

Apply for the job by following the link below.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

Additional documents

If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.

HBJIN EYFS Lead Job Description & Employee Spec..pdf - 156 KB (opens in new tab)

About High Bank Junior Infant and Nursery School

• School type: Local authority maintained school, ages 3 to 11
• Education phase: Primary school
• School size: 134 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 3 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: High Bank Junior Infant and Nursery School website
• Email address: office@highbankschool.co.uk
• Phone number: 01274 875330
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/high-bank-junior-infant-and-nursery-school

High Bank JIN School is a small, warm, ambitious, and nurturing primary school at the heart of the Liversedge community in West Yorkshire.

We are proudly inclusive, deeply child‑centered, and committed to giving every pupil the best possible start in life. At High Bank we are "All different, all valued, all achieving" and our vision and values underpin all that we do; making High Bank a special place to learn and work.

Arranging a visit to High Bank Junior Infant and Nursery School

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email office@highbankschool.co.uk.

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