Assistant Headteacher

Assistant Headteacher

Location:       St Joseph’s Catholic Infant and Junior Schools, Birtley

Salary:              Leadership Scale: L1 – L5 (£44,305 – £48,895 per annum)

Hours:           Permanent, Full time

Start date:     8^th January 2023

The Federation of St Joseph’s Infant and Junior schools requires a committed, innovative and exceptional teacher to support leadership capacity across the schools. This post would be ideal for a current TLR post-holder who is looking to develop their senior leadership portfolio.

In 2019, St Joseph’s Catholic Infant and Junior Schools were federated, to form one community. The federated schools were the only school in Gateshead LA to have been selected as part of the DfE 2022 Rebuild Programme. Consequently, we hope to have a new school site within the next three 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.

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 includes 48 schools and this is an exciting time to join our supportive team.

We are seeking to appoint an assistant headteacher who:

• Has high personal and professional standards and will lead by example to motivate, inspire and support colleagues in all areas of school life
• Will make a significant contribution to the Catholic life of the school
• Is an exceptional classroom teacher with a proven track record across the primary phases
• Possesses a thorough knowledge of the full primary curriculum from design to delivery
• Is a firm, unrelenting advocate of inclusion, safeguarding and SEND
• Can employ inclusive classroom strategies as well as intervention programmes to support pupils’ learning
• Can lead, mentor and coach colleagues in developing their practice
• Is confident in supporting parental engagement
• Has good phonological knowledge and can foster a love of reading in our pupils
• Has excellent communication skills and is able to work effectively with all stakeholders
• Understands the benefits of multi-disciplinary team working between the health, education and voluntary sectors to maximise support for our pupils with complex needs

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 experienced middle leader to take the next step in their career development, with the support of an experienced leadership team.

The specific responsibilities for the post will be shaped by the areas of strength and expertise of the successful candidate and so incorporated within the existing leadership team, which spans both schools’ sites.

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.

Candidates should state their areas of expertise, and preferred key stages, 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.

For an informal and confidential discussion about the post, please contact Mrs K. Swaddle, Executive Headteacher, at kthornton@sjjb.bwcet.com or on 0191 4102231.

Visits to the schools are warmly welcomed and encouraged.

Closing date: Sunday 15^th October 2023

Observations: Wednesday 18^th October 2023

Interview date: Thursday 19^th October 2023

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.