Phase Leader - EYFS
Leigh Academy Paddock Wood, Tonbridge, Kent, TN12 6JE5 days remaining to apply
Start date details
September 2025
Closing date
17 March 2025 at 11:59pm
Date listed
4 March 2025
Job details
Job role
- Teacher
- Head of year or phase
- View all Suitable for early career teachersjobs
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Early years, Key stage 1, Key stage 2
Working pattern
- Full time
Contract type
- Permanent
Pay scale
- MPS/UPS commensurate with experience + TLR2A
Additional allowances
MPS/UPS commensurate with experience + TLR2A
What skills and experience we're looking for
Are you an inspiring and passionate Early Years professional looking for the next step in your career? Leigh Academy Paddock Wood is seeking a dedicated Phase Leader for EYFS to join our fantastic team and make a real difference to the lives of young children.
Our modern, purpose-built Early Years/Reception setting offers a vibrant, stimulating environment with spacious classrooms, dedicated staff areas, and expansive outdoor space — all designed to foster exceptional learning.
Starting from September 2025, this role offers the perfect opportunity for an experienced EYFS practitioner to lead a fantastic team, develop high-quality teaching, and create an inclusive learning space where children thrive.
What we’re looking for:
- A passionate and impactful leader with a strong EYFS background, whether you're an existing Early Years leader or an experienced class teacher looking to step into leadership.
- A skilled communicator who builds positive relationships with children, staff, and families.
- A driven and motivational individual who enjoys driving forward Teaching and Learning.
- Someone with a deep understanding of the EYFS framework and a proven ability to inspire and motivate both staff and children.
We can offer you:
- A supportive and friendly team where you’ll be valued and developed for career growth, including working with a network of Early Years Leaders across the Trust.
- A school where children are happy, motivated, and ready to learn.
This is a permanent position, offering MPS/UPS + TLR2A.
If you’re ready to join a school where you can make a lasting impact, please get in touch to arrange a tour with Amy Wenban, Recruitment Advisor, on amy.wenban@latrust.org.uk.
Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to shape the future of our youngest learners!
Do you know a great teacher who would like to hear about opportunities with Leigh Academies Trust? If so, make a referral today for the chance to receive £100 as a 'thank you'. Simply complete the referral form byclicking here. T&C's apply.Working with us at Leigh Academy Paddock Wood
We are a thriving and engaging three-form entry school in the heart of West Kent in the town of Paddock Wood. Our ethos encapsulates high standards and expectations, excellent learning and teaching, and the positive wellbeing of our pupils and colleagues. We have a strong and committed teaching team which is widely respected and supported by our academy community. Our teachers vary in experience from Newly Qualified to 30+ years, and each brings something valuable to share, and a passion to learn. Our staff and the wider Trust team has a lot to offer new colleagues, in terms of sharing experience and opportunities, and professional development and training.
Our broad curriculum is supported by specialist teachers of French, PE and computing. Some features that help us stand out from other schools are that all of our pupils learn French, learn other subjects in French and leave us conversant in the language. Pupils leave us with a strong understanding and appreciation of music and sporting skills and we embed independence, stamina and considered risk into children’s learning. We have our own school minibuses and we very frequently take children out into the local area and into central London, as well as taking Year 5 pupils to the Brecon Beacons. We have a strong regard for extra-curricular learning and a healthy catalogue of sporting and other successes and awards. Children enjoy the opportunity to partake in our thriving Performing Arts Club who take to the stage to perform several times a year!
Our academy benefits from significant parent and community support, but we are not complacent - we are committed, hard-working and welcoming. Our children are delightful; calm, focused and very eager to learn at all times.
‘Our highly ambitious community builds thinking learners, who act with agency and create lasting memories.’
What the school offers its staff
Being part of Leigh Academies Trust
As of 1st September 2024, our Trust comprises 33 geographically organised academies (17 secondaries, 14 primaries and 2 special) educating more than 24,000 students and employing 4,000 talented staff. Currently, 16 of our academies are considered to be “Outstanding” which is 53% of those which have been inspected whilst part of the Trust. The Trust is establishing three ‘clusters’ of academies: LAT Central; LAT West; LAT North. In addition, the Trust is responsible for one of the region’s biggest initial teaching training organisations, a large teaching school hub and is an accredited apprenticeship provider.Our future plans are found in our Vision 2030 document available on our website.
As part of Leigh Academies Trust, you will have ample opportunity to collaborate with your peers both within the academy and across the whole Trust. This is an important part of our vision as we know through experience that we perform better when we work together. You are supported to undertake regular self-development to continue your professional development and hopefully progress further within the organisation.
Click here to view the benefits available to all LAT employees from day one.
Our commitment to safeguarding: Leigh Academies Trust and all of our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust and consistent recruitment process across all academies and business units which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates - you can read more about this in our Recruitment Guidance. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.
Our commitment to equality and diversity: As a Trust, we are passionate about diversity and recognise that as individuals, we all bring something unique to the role regardless of any protected characteristics which is why we treat all of our people equally, without compromise. We are committed to providing equality and fairness throughout our recruitment and employment practices and not discriminating on any grounds.
Based on the quality and quantity of applications received, Leigh Academies Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy sooner than the specified closing date. Applicants will be notified of this where possible. Therefore, early applications are encouraged.
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 are not accepted.
Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Leigh Academy Paddock Wood
- School type
- Academy, ages 4 to 11
- Education phase
- Primary
- School size
- 616 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Leigh Academy Paddock Wood website
- Email address
- isabelle.cochrane@latrust.org.uk
- Phone number
- 01634 412 258
Arranging a visit to Leigh Academy Paddock Wood
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email isabelle.cochrane@latrust.org.uk.
School location
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