Merrydale Junior School is a very special place. Visitors often comment positively on the children’s warm welcome, their enthusiasm and also on staff’s commitment and dedication. We understand the power of education and take very seriously our duty to give children the best start in life.

Our learning community combines high expectations with quality learning and relationships to ensure that every child achieves a personal best.

At Merrydale we aim to provide a safe, caring learning environment for all working together with you as families and the community whilst delivering a broad, balanced and creative curriculum celebrating the diversity of our world.

Our school motto is ‘Be the Best You Can Be’ and we strive to embed this attitude in all aspects of our school -adults and children alike.

‘Aims and Ethos’

·        To enable all children to become respectful and responsible individuals

• To work in partnership with parents and the wider community
• To provide a curriculum that motivates and excites
• To inspire children to become independent and confident learners
• To develop aspirational lifelong learners

‘Values’

Empathy, Curiosity, Courage, Perseverance, Aspiration, Inclusive, Responsibility.

We focus on 6 Learning behaviours alongside our values:

• Teamwork
• Self-managers
• Reflective learner
• Resourceful thinker
• Effective participator
• Independent enquirer

Our Achievements to date

• Rated Ofsted ‘Good’ October 2019
• Anti-Bullying Award
• Digital School House
• Platinum School Games Mark
• Microsoft Showcase School
• Tiny Forest Member
• Girls County Cricket Finalists 2022 and 2023 

‘Working with a number of subject specialists across the trust has allowed me, as an early career teacher, to gain access to a number of opportunities, training and support in the starting years of my career, helping me to become the best I can be at Merrydale.’ – Class Teacher 

We have high aspirations for all of our children and through the curriculum, assemblies, school rules, expectations of adults and children we strive to ‘live’ this ethos.

We employ a pastoral support team as well as a Parent link worker. These roles are key to our ethos as they support the ‘whole’ child. We are committed to supporting children and families with whatever their personal needs may be so that the end result is that their child can thrive and learn in school. We believe that this can be done without compromising on the expectation that all children come to school to learn and to be expected to behave in a respectful way to all adults and children. We will support them with their individual needs bit we will not compromise on the accepted standard. Mutual respect is key to our philosophy.

Be the Best you can Be!

Discovery Schools Academy Trust is dedicated to improving learning and teaching by creating a culture that promotes excellence. The needs of all children are placed at the heart of all decision making regardless of the school they attend. Teaching and learning excellence is shared through learning networks, sharing of ideas and materials as well as leading practitioners between schools. Discovery has developed staff development, talent management and succession planning at the heart of achieving outstanding organisations.

WHAT WE OFFER

• The opportunity of working within a supportive, friendly environment in this well run and respected school
• Amazing children to work with every single day!
• CPD development through attendance at DSAT networks, EPIC Speech and Language Team and EPIC Psychology support and wider external partnership working
• The opportunity to be part of developing a creative curriculum that builds on the best research in cognitive science and curriculum design
• The opportunity for career progressions within the school and through wider opportunities within the Discovery Trust
• Pension Scheme
• Employee benefits such as reduced gym memberships and retail discounts
• Car Parking

Discovery is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will also carry out an online search about you for information that is publicly available online. This will include social media accounts you may hold. This will only be carried out on shortlisted candidates and before interview. This processing of data will be conducted under the legal basis of Article 6(e) public task in line with the guidance laid out in para 221 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2022. Any data collected during this search will be retained in line with our retention schedule which is available on request.

We particularly welcome applications from under represented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion