Thank you for your interest in working at Whitefield School.

 At Whitefield School, pupils – all of whom have different needs and abilities – are given the support and encouragement they need to access the curriculum, make progress and flourish. As any member of the staff team can tell you, watching pupils develop, learn new skills and grow in confidence is hugely gratifying and is a reward rarely experienced in other professions. Every day our staff leave work knowing they have made a difference to the lives of their pupils and their families.

Whitefield School has been on a fantastic journey in recent years and has made significant strides forward. This is therefore a very exciting time to be joining our community and every member of staff has the opportunity to play a key role in giving every pupil an exceptional learning experience.

 As a part of the Learning in Harmony Trust, Whitefield School has access to high-quality continuous professional development opportunities. Likewise, there are a number of pathways for colleagues to develop their careers and we will always do what we can to help them progress their careers within our Trust.

 We aim to recruit people who demonstrate that they share our values, are highly motivated to pursue professional excellence and are committed to providing the highest standards for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.  We welcome advocates for those with SEND. We know first-hand just what, given the right support, children and young people with SEND can achieve and we relish working with others who also recognise the valuable contribution they can make to society.

 We hope you are excited about this opportunity to join Whitefield School and Learning in Harmony Trust.

Core Purpose:

•       Planning, preparing and implementing learning activities so that children and young people enjoy learning, achieve their full potential and experience a sense of wellbeing. 

•       Creating a positive learning environment as set out in the school’s ‘Positive Behaviour for Learning Manifesto’.

•       Leading a class team to provide outstanding teaching and learning for all children and young people.

•       Assessing, recording and reporting progress for children and young people within the class.

•       Preparing for and contributing to Person Centred Reviews. 

•       Working in partnership with parents, colleagues and other professionals to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people.

Assessment, Target Setting and Recording Progress

 •       Provide feedback to children and young people in relation to progress and achievement and support them, where they can, to assess their own learning;

 •       Maintain objective and accurate records and reports on achievement, progress and other matters, collating appropriate evidence and entering data into the school systems;

 •       Prepare for Person Centred Reviews and contribute to them so that achievements are celebrated and key issues discussed.

Partnership Working

•   Support the role of parents in learning by sharing information with them in meetings or through written communication and by taking account of their views in planning and teaching;
•   Liaise with other professionals to design and implement learning programmes for individuals and to ensure a rich and varied curriculum;
•   Make referrals to other professionals where appropriate, in discussion with the appropriate Vice Principal;
•   Represent the school at external meetings as requested by the Principal

Personal Development and School Improvement

• Take an active part in training and other development opportunities and apply what is learnt to improve teaching and learning;
•  Participate in the Trust’s Appraisal process;
• Contribute to training and development for colleagues, including supporting members of the team;
• Take responsibility within a named area of the curriculum as directed by the Principal – for example co-ordinating resources, identifying training opportunities or planning enrichment activities within the named area;
• Contribute to focus groups and other means of reviewing and improving the curriculum;
• Attend meetings called by the school. 

Teaching and Learning

• Plan and implement appropriate teaching and learning activities to address challenging learning objectives in all areas of the curriculum, appropriately differentiated to meet the needs of all children and young people in the class;
•  Work within the Trust’s Positive Behaviour Policy to improve the quality of children and young people’s lives, to establish appropriate behaviour for learning and to help them work with other people;
•  Support children and young people to experience positive wellbeing through appropriate learning and leisure activities and by creating a supportive ethos within the class;
•  Establish productive working relationships with children and young people, acting as a role model and setting high expectations;
•  Direct and support other members of the team so that they develop and use their skills to provide a rich curriculum and a positive learning experience for all children and young people in the class;
• Support and oversee inclusion for children and young people through experiences in other schools, colleges and work experience schemes;
• Plan and lead educational visits, including residential visits, as appropriate to the needs and interests of the children and young people in the class; 
• Work with other members of the team to create classroom and corridor displays which celebrate progress and support learning.

General Responsibilities

All employees are expected to:

•  Undertake any training commensurate with the post.
•  Show a responsible attitude to health and safety issues and have due regard for their personal safety and that of others.
•  Support, uphold and contribute to the development of the school's equal rights policies and practices in respect of both employment issues and the delivery of services to the community.

The Learning in Harmony Trust reserves the right to vary or amend the duties and responsibilities of the post holder at any time according to the needs of the Trust’s business.  This job description does not form part of the contract of employment.