Primary Teacher and Department Leader
Courtlands School, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 5JSThis job expired on 28 February 2020
Job start date
1 September 2020
Closing date
28 February 2020 at 5pm
Date listed
27 January 2020
Job details
Job role
- Teacher
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
Full-time equivalent salary
- Main pay range 1 to Upper pay range 3, £24,372 to £40,886
Primary Teacher and Department Leader job summary
Be responsible for the learning and achievement of all pupils in the class ensuring equality of opportunity for all
Work proactively and effectively in collaboration and partnership with learners, parents/carers, governors, other staff and external agencies in the best interests of pupils
Take responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children within the school
Responsibilities
You are required to carry out the professional duties of a teacher as set out in the most recent Schoolteachers' Pay and Conditions
All teachers have a responsibility for providing and safeguarding the welfare of children they are responsible for or comes into contact with
• To implement and deliver an appropriately broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum for pupils
• To support a designated curriculum area as appropriate
• To monitor and support the overall progress and development of pupils
• To facilitate and encourage a learning experience which provides pupils with the opportunity to achieve their individual potential
• To share and support the school’s responsibility to provide and monitor opportunities for personal growth and enjoyment
• To support the ethos, aims and vision of the school
• To carry out duties as assigned by the Headteacher
• Work collaboratively with others to develop effective professional relationships
• Deploy support staff effectively as appropriate
• Communicate effectively with parents/carers with regard to pupils’ achievements and well-being using school systems/processes as appropriate
• Communicate and co-operate with relevant external bodies
• Make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school
Experience & Job Knowledge
Essential
• Proven experience of teaching primary age pupils with additional needs either in a mainstream or special school setting
• Understanding of the new national curriculum, and how to adapt it for pupils working significantly below age-related expectations
• Knowledge or experience of successfully supporting children with MLD and associated behaviours (not necessarily in a special school)
• Evidence of recent and relevant professional development
• Experience of child protection procedures and commitment to safeguarding pupils
• Proven ability to plan and teach outstanding lessons, ensuring high standards, continuity and progression
• Ability and motivation to constantly improve own practice and knowledge through self-evaluation and learning from others
• A good understanding of child development and learning processes within SEND and how to overcome barriers to learning
• Ability to set and maintain high standards of behaviour and expectations whilst meeting individual needs
• Proven ability to ensure continuous assessment, recording and reporting on the development, progress and attainment of pupils
• Ability to support and maintain effective teamwork
• Ability to create and maintain inclusive links with other agencies and mainstream schools/colleges
• Ability to deal positively with staff, children and parents in sometimes difficult circumstances
• Ability to manage the swimming provision, organise Sports Day, other sporting events and run an after school sports club
Desirable
• Experience in a variety of educational settings including mainstream schools
• Proven expertise in working with children who present difficult or challenging behaviour and meeting their wider needs through Pupil Centered Planning approaches
• Knowledge of setting and reviewing SMART IEP and Annual Review targets, and the EHCP process in general
• Experience of TA appraisal
• Experience of ‘Precision Instruction’, writing and reviewing IEPs, developing personalised interventions for pupils and reviewing progress
• Willingness to contribute to, and support professional development across the whole staff
Qualifications
Essential
• Qualified Teacher Status
Desirable
• SEND related qualifications or training, e.g. SENCO qualification or specific training in Mental Health, ASC, ADHD etc
Personal Qualities and Attributes
• Commitment, passion and drive for high standards in supporting children with additional needs to succeed
• Resilience to challenging behaviour from pupils and a forgiving ‘every day is a new start’ attitude
• Understanding that physical intervention is a last resort to keep children safe, and a willingness to undertake it (with training) when all else fails
• Ability to work successfully within a team, supporting colleagues
• Flexible and a positive attitude to change
Additional Duties Department Leader Job Description
Main Purpose
The Key Stage Leader will:
• Lead ‘Lower’ Department at present and based on the needs of the school
• Undertake the normal responsibilities of an outstanding class teacher, acting as a role model for the rest of the department
• Attend leadership team meetings as required by the Head Teacher
• To be responsible for the quality of teaching and learning within their department, actively working with colleagues to maintain and improve standards
• Lead the implementation and review of school policies and practices in their department ensuring consistency of practice across the department and school
• Lead departmental development and use available data to evidence improvements
• Assist the Headteacher in leading and managing the school where necessary
• Undertake such duties as are delegated by the Headteacher
• Play a role, under the overall direction of the Headteacher, in formulating and reviewing the School Improvement Plan and the aims and objectives of the school by:
o Establishing the policies through which they shall be achieved
o Leading and managing staff and resources to that end
o Monitoring progress towards their achievement.
Main Tasks
The specific nature and balance of these responsibilities will vary according to the needs of the school and may be shared.
Class teacher responsibilities
• To carry out duties of a school teacher as set out in the current School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document.
• To be responsible for ensuring the very highest quality of provision for the children in the class in order that they maximise their progress.
• To line manage and appraise the teaching assistants.
The internal organisation, management and control of the school:
To contribute to:
o Maintaining and developing the ethos, values and overall purposes of the school
o formulating the aims and objectives of the school and policies for their implementation
o to contribute to planning improvement which will translate school aims and policies into actions
o implementing the MAT’s policies on equal opportunity issues for all staff and pupils in relation to sex, gender, race, disability and special needs
o the efficient organisation, management and supervision of school routines
Curriculum Development
• To lead the development and review of an area of the school’s Curriculum or wider work which will be decided upon appointment
• To contribute to:
o The development, organisation and implementation of the school’s curriculum
o school policies on curriculum, teaching and learning, assessment, recording and reporting
o ensuring that the learning and teaching provided by departmental teaching teams form a co-ordinated, coherent curriculum entitlement for individuals
o ensuring that information on pupil progress is used to improve teaching and learning, to inform and motivate pupils, to inform parents, to provide necessary references for other educational institutions and to aid Governors in their management of the school
o Ensuring that the individual pupil’s continuity of learning and effective progression of achievement are provided
Pupil Care
To Contribute to:
o The development, organisation and implementation of the school’s policy for the personal and social development of pupils including pastoral care and guidance
o The effective induction/exit transition of pupils
o The determination of appropriate pupil groupings
o The promotion of appropriate learning behaviours and proper regard for the ethos and values of the school
o The development of a culture of independent learning
o The development and implementation of individual pupil IEPs and emotional plans with class teachers.
The management of staff
• To take a lead in the line management and performance management of department teaching staff in conjunction with the Head Teacher.
• To ensure school policies and practices are consistently applied across the department through regular formal and informal monitoring activities
• To participate in the recruitment and development of teaching and non-teaching staff of the school.
• To contribute to good management practice by ensuring positive staff participation, effective communication and procedures.
• The provision of professional advice and support and the identification of training needs.
Relationships
• To be responsible for fostering positive relationships across the school community.
• To advise and assist the Local Plymouth Cluster as required in the exercising of its functions including attending meetings and making reports when requested.
• To help in maintaining and developing effective communications and links with parents and to provide positive responses to concerns and problems regarding their children’s educations and wellbeing.
• To assist liaison with other educational establishments in order to promote the continuity of learning, progression and curriculum developments.
• To develop and maintain positive links and relationships with the community, local organisations and employers.
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.
About Courtlands School
- School type
- Academy, ages 4 to 11
- School size
- 100 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report (opens in new tab)
- School website
- Courtlands School website (opens in new tab)
- Email address
- recruitment@aceschools.net
Courtlands Special School Academy is a friendly and ambitious academy in Plymouth which caters for primary aged children (4-11) with Moderate Learning Difficulties and Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. Our innovative curriculum is based on meeting individual’s needs rather than schemes of work, and provides a wide range of curriculum and therapeutic input.
We are leaders in our field, having won numerous national awards for our work, and work in a Trauma Informed way to support our children to overcome their difficulties and make great progress in all areas of their development. We constantly strive for the best ways to support our children, and welcome innovation and new, evidence based ways of working.
You will need high levels of emotional resilience, and good coping strategies born out of successful experience of teaching and supporting children with complex needs including Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties such as ADHD and attachment disorders; Communication and Interaction needs such as ASC and Speech and Language Difficulties. This could be in either a special school or mainstream school, with mainstream experience being an advantage.
We can offer you a motivated and skilled staff team and a real opportunity to make a difference to the future of our wonderful children and school. We look after our staff with award winning care for their wellbeing (National Wellbeing in Schools Award 2019). You won’t be taking marking home to do in the evening, and you will be given the freedom to meet the needs of the pupils in your class, along with the resources to do it. You will receive training in a wide range of SEND and real time support and mentoring form a Leadership Team whose door is literally open all the time.
School location
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