Class Teacher

Location:      St Joseph’s Catholic Infant and Junior Schools, Birtley, Chester-Le-Street, DH3

Grade:          MPS 1-6/UPS1-3 (£32,916 to £51,048 per annum)

Hours:          Full Time, Fixed Term Contract until 31^st August 2027

Start Date: 1^st September 2026

We are proud to be part of the Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, a family of secondary, middle, primary and first schools in Durham, Gateshead, Northumberland and Sunderland. Bishop Wilkinson is the largest catholic education trust in the North East of England, which has a total of 47 schools. This is an exciting time to join our supportive, and growing team.

In 2019, St Joseph’s Catholic Infant and Junior Schools were federated, to form one community. The federated schools have been selected as part of the DfE School Rebuild Programme. Consequently, a contractor has been appointed we hope to have a new school site within the next two years, which seeks to bring together the two school communities, to form one family.

We pride ourselves on the warm, family atmosphere we provide for our children. The uniqueness of our small community means that every member of staff knows every child well and this enables us to develop very strong relationships with all of our families. The senior leadership team are unashamedly ambitious for the schools and have high aspirations for all pupils and families.

We are seeking to appoint a teacher who:

• is an exceptional classroom teacher with a proven track record
• possesses a thorough knowledge of the full primary curriculum from design to delivery
• will make a significant contribution to the Catholic life of the school
• is a firm, unrelenting advocate of inclusion, safeguarding and SEND
• can employ inclusive classroom strategies as well as intervention programmes to support pupils’ learning
• is able to lead Physical Education and/or has a vested interest in developing pupils’ sporting successes
• is confident in supporting parental engagement
• has high personal and professional standards contributing extensively to school life
• values the learning environment as an extension of teaching and learning
• seeks to capitalise on enrichment activities and extra-curricular visits to develop the lived experience of our pupils
• has excellent communication skills and is able to work effectively with all stakeholders

We are looking to appoint someone who is passionate about primary education in a Catholic school and is aspirational for themselves and the pupils whom they teach. The post provides a fabulous opportunity for a motivated teacher, to take up a post, with the support of an experienced leadership team.

We can offer:

• friendly and supportive staff, parents and an effective and committed local governing committee
• extensive support and opportunities for professional development
• the prospect of a modern, purpose-built building pending planning permission
• opportunities to grow and learn with an experienced leadership team who are outward looking

This role may require deployment at both the infant and junior school sites; therefore, the successful candidate needs to be flexible and accommodating to meet the needs of the schools and should have appropriate business car insurance. Candidates should state their areas of expertise, experience and interests, within their supporting statement.

For an application form and further details about this vacancy please visit our website, http://bwcet.com/vacancies/, where applications can be completed online.

Visits to the school are warmly welcomed.

Closing Date:                                                 Monday 4^th May 2026

Lesson Observations and Interview:       Thursday 7^th or Friday 8^th May

The Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and is subject to an enhanced DBS check. An online search will be completed for all shortlisted candidates.