Opportunities at Parsons Down Infant School

Vacancy for Foundation Stage Team Leader

 

Introduction

Thank you for your interest in this position which is available from September 2012.  The purpose of this document is to provide you with information about our School in general, and specifically about the Foundation Stage provision.  It also supports the details about the role of the Foundation Stage Team Leader that you can find in the accompanying Job Description and Person Specification which the interviewing panel will use as criteria for selection.  Candidates are strongly encouraged to visit the school before submitting an application, given the seniority of the Foundation Stage Team Leader post.

 

The School

Parsons Down Infant School has a three-form entry and is half of the Parsons Down Partnership of Schools, together with Parsons Down Junior School, formed by the Governing Bodies of both Schools in June 2011.  Together the Schools form one of the largest settings for primary age children in West Berkshire and were judged by Ofsted to be good in January 2010.  The Schools are popular schools and numbers are increasing annually.  They has developed a reputation for supporting the well-being of children and their families within the context of a broad and creative curriculum focussing on the development of the child as whole rather than focussing purely on academic attainment.  Standards and progress are improving and the current development plan is focussed on maintaining this improvement.  There is an ethos of working together in which equality of opportunity and developing self esteem underpin everything we do.  Anyone who wishes to work at Parsons Down has to have a strong personal commitment to these principles.

The Schools’ community is mainly ‘White British’, which is not unusual in West Berkshire schools, together with Polish and Portuguese children.  About 10% of the children qualify for free school meals, average in the context of West Berkshire.  About 35% of the children come from affluent, professional homes and enjoy considerable material advantages.  An increasing number of families from outside the catchment area have chosen our Schools because of the welcoming atmosphere and the commitment to supporting the development of each child as an individual.

We actively support our staff’s professional development and we have also gone a long way to create a school where people feel happy and supported; this is a feature which attracts teachers to our schools.

 

The Foundation Stage

The Foundation Stage at Parsons Down is the same size as many of the small primary schools found in West Berkshire!  The F2 classes are located in spacious classrooms in a relatively new building on the Infant School site and there is plenty of outdoor space.  There are 86 children across the three classes with a teacher and teaching assistant in each one. An HLTA provides additional expertise and a general support assistant works across the three classes.  The Foundation Stage environment has great potential for further improvement and is a focus for a programme of investment to refresh resources and develop provision.

The Foundation Stage team has been led with skill and commitment by the Team Leader and her decision to focus on bringing up her young family has produced this vacancy.  The retirement of a second dedicated member of staff in July 2012 and the maternity leave of the third, provides the opportunity for the new Team Leader to build their own team of teaching staff.  Their challenge will be to build a team, integral to the school, committed to the school’s ethos and visionary about the development of the provision and the environment. 

The Foundation Stage Team Leader at Parsons Down requires a range of different skills and attributes.  First of all s(he) will need to be fully committed to the ethos of the schools in order to lead the Foundation Stage team as the vital fundamental element in our provision.  S(he) will have a thorough understanding of excellent practice in EYFS, and the ability to implement it in his/her own work and in the work of the rest of the team.  The successful candidate will face the challenge of leading and inspiring a large team.  The schools have developed very good relationships with parents and the Team Leader clearly has a vital role in ensuring that links with parents are forged from the start.  The Foundation Stage Team Leader is also a member of the Senior Management Team which requires participating in the monitoring and reviewing of the work across the whole Partnership.  We welcome the opportunity provided by somebody who will bring a fresh pair of eyes to bear upon the challenges faced in moving EYFS practice forward. S(he) can be assured of close and full support.

Salary

The appointment will have an additional Teaching and Learning responsibility point of TLR2a (£2535).

The Application

This paragraph contains important advice about submitting an application.  As well as reading this information, candidates are encouraged to find out about the school by reading its Ofsted report and most importantly by making a visit.  Obviously, the application form needs to be filled in fully but the supporting statement is the crucial part of the application because it is used for short-listing.  Each point on the person specification must be addressed in the same order in the statement.  It is advantageous for candidates to illustrate points with examples of personal experience.  On the selection day candidates will be asked to teach, give a presentation to an interviewing panel and answer questions relating to their personal philosophy and experiences to date.

 

When, having read the accompanying paperwork and visited our school, you feel that you can support our children, their families and staff at Parsons Down by enriching learning and creating the self belief to grasp the opportunities of the future, we look forward to hearing from you.

Mrs P Winsor

Headteacher Parsons Down Partnership of Schools

 

 

 

PARSONS DOWN PARTNERSHIP OF SCHOOLS

PARSONS DOWN INFANT SCHOOL

JOB DESCRIPTION:  Team Leader – Foundation Stage (TLR2a)

 

Professional Profile:              Team Leader Foundation Stage

Responsible to:                   Headteacher

Job Purpose:   The Team Leader, with the active support of the Headteacher and other Senior Staff, will lead in the development and management of teaching and learning in Foundation Stage.

                                                  To constantly seek strategies which will bring about improvement in the Early Years foundation Stage.

As a member of the Senior Management Team, the Team Leader will promote the vision, ethos and policies of the School in order to maintain and secure excellent teaching, effective learning and high standards of achievement and behaviour.

F:\Staffing\Recruitment\Job descriptions\Teachers\PDI FS Team Leader  Jan 2012.doc

Duties and Responsibilities

Learning & Teaching:

• Ensuring consistent improvements in standards in relation to prior and expected attainment across the Foundation Stage team.

• Monitoring and evaluating, in conjunction with other colleagues, the implementation of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum across the team.

• Encouraging and developing innovative approaches to teaching and learning.

• Actively promoting parental involvement and support in order to raise attainment.

• Applying consistent and effective monitoring and evaluating systems which maintain the highest possible standards of learning within the Foundation Stage team.

Leadership & Management:

Ensuring that School Improvement initiatives are introduced, developed and embedded within the Foundation Stage Team.

• To build consistency, commitment and communication with staff across the team.

In accordance with the conditions of a post with a Teaching and Learning Responsibility point, the Foundation Stage Team Leader will be responsible for an area of development within the School Development Plan.

• Promoting the vision, ethos and policies of the School in order to maintain and secure excellent teaching, effective learning and high standards of achievement and behaviour.

• Leading team members in effectively evaluating the impact of their teaching on children’s achievement by providing clear and constructive feedback, support and guidance.

• Acting as a positive role model for other members of staff and exemplify effective behaviour management strategies.

• Evaluating the quality of teaching and standards of achievement / attainment, and setting targets for improvement within the Foundation Stage Team.

• Advising and supporting newly appointed and / or supply staff in the department, where appropriate.

• Demonstrating, implementing and upholding school policies and advising staff, where appropriate, on professional matters.

• Keep up to date with developments in the EYFS and to lead staff training as appropriate.

• To manage the budget allocated  to the Foundation Stage.

• To ensure that resources in the Foundation Stage are maintained at a level and  in a way to deliver the curriculum effectively.

• Implementing Health & Safety measures within Foundation Stage.

• Organising appropriate Foundation Stage pastoral arrangements, liaising with staff, governors, and parents and outside agencies as appropriate.

• To work closely with the School Secretary to ensure that admissions and induction arrangements to the Foundation Stage run smoothly.

• Promoting effective transition by liaising with linked Pre- schools and Year 1.

• To ensure that the Foundation Stage is as much a part of the school as any other classes in spite of its physical separation.

• Organising Foundation Stage shared areas, assemblies, productions and team meetings.

• Together with the Year 1 Team Leader, being responsible for the smooth running of the school in the absence of the Head and Deputy Headteachers.

N.B.

The duties outlined should be reviewed annually in the autumn term as part of the Performance Management Review Cycle.

This job description should be reviewed in conjunction with the ‘Conditions of Employment of Teachers’ given in the  ‘School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions’ document.

January 2012

 

 

 

 

Person Specification –Foundation Stage Team leader

Attributes	Essential	Desirable
Professional Qualifications and training	DfE Qualified Teacher Status Awareness of current educational issues	First Aid Training
Professional Knowledge and experience	Evidence of excellent and effective Foundation Stage classroom practise Have  a clear understanding of the requirements of the Foundation Stage Curriculum and its impact on children’s learning.   Ability to create a stimulating and purposeful learning environment appropriate for the needs of the children. Have clear ideas about strategies that can be used to raise levels of achievement in the Foundation Stage and improve the quality of teaching and learning. Understanding of  how to work in partnership to raise standards of achievement Have high ,yet realistic expectations of pupils A clear understanding of and how use assessment effectively  in the Foundation Stage. Ability to create positive partnerships with parents An understanding of the whole school curriculum Able to use IT to support planning, teaching, learning and assessment. Experience of running  extra curricular activities	Teaching experience across the primary age range Evidence of classroom specialism(s) Be in a position of responsibility for an area of  management or leadership in school for at least two years e.g. Evidence of  curricular responsibilities Experience of Co-coordinating in the Foundation Stage Knowledge and understanding of the role of the Senior management Team
Leadership and Management	Experience of working with a team; to lead and inspire. Able to manage change and improvement in pursuit of strategic objectives Able to motivate and inspire by setting and following high standards Confident about seeking advice and support when necessary	Experience of leading Staff Development Experience of  auditing, monitoring, observing, planning, work sampling and reviewing classroom practice etc Experience of working on a Senior Management team Played a role in budget management Experience of working with and involving school governors
Personal skills/ Specialist knowledge	Has empathy with children and sympathetic to their needs Good communication skills Able to deal with sensitive issues tactfully Work well in team situations, ability to recognise and value contributions made by all of its members. Ability to organise, prioritise and meet deadlines.  Flexible/ adaptable Sense of humour Determined and resilient	Ability to combine a positive and innovative attitude with a capacity for reflection and self evaluation.