Class Teacher (Year 1 EYFS Experience Essential)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Year 1 Class Teacher to join our team at Handsworth Primary School. Last year we introduced a Continuous Provision approach in Year 1 and we are proud of the progress we have made. We are now looking for a skilled and passionate EYFS/KS1 practitioner to build on that work.

We believe in the importance of motivating and inspiring our children to enable them to be confident, curious and ambitious. At Handsworth, we are committed to promoting equality of opportunity and opposing all forms of discrimination in relation to all protected characteristics outlined in the Equality Act. We foster positive attitudes and good relationships, creating a shared sense of cohesion and belonging. We invest in training for all our staff and base our practices on evidence and the outcomes of our continuous learning. We are committed to embedding anti-racist practice in everything we do.

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion objectives for this year are to:

• place a rigorous focus on diversity, equality and inclusion through a contextually relevant, holistic curriculum
• teach an increasingly decolonised curriculum which celebrates the uniqueness of all children
• continue to offer intelligent, fair and highly effective action to support individual children with a focus on restorative practice
• refine and develop our recruitment process at all levels to ensure that it is fair and unbiased

We welcome enquiries from everyone and value diversity in our staff. The successful candidate will have a genuine love, passion and commitment to Continuous Provision, and will:

• have substantial EYFS experience and a deep, genuine understanding of child-led, play-based learning
• be knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Continuous Provision, and able to design, resource and reflect on provision that challenges and engages Year 1 children
• have a keen understanding of the Reception to Year 1 transition and know how to support children as they move from EYFS into a more structured curriculum
• have high expectations for every child, and the skill and creativity to meet a wide range of learning needs
• be a collaborative, reflective practitioner who works well with colleagues, parents and the wider school community
• have excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Please note: this role is not suitable for an ECT. For further information, please see the job description and person specification.

All completed applications should be returned to school@handsworth.waltham.sch.uk or the following address: Handsworth Primary School, Handsworth Avenue, Highams Park, London, E4 9PJ. Applications will be considered upon receipt. Interviews will be organised as and when applications are received. The School reserves the right to interview and appoint before the closing date. Therefore, you are advised to submit your completed application form as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment will be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), medical, online and social media prohibition from teaching, right to work, satisfactory references, suitability to work with children.

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Offer of employment is subject to a satisfactory Reference and Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure and Health Declaration.

Equal Opportunities: Waltham Forest is a diverse borough where diversity is valued and is integral to both service delivery and employment of its staff. The Council is proud of its rich mix of communities and as the largest employer in the area, it works hard to respond to the changing needs of its population. We use our statutory duties on race, gender and disability equality and best practice in respect of age, faith and sexual orientation to ensure equality of opportunity in the workplace. The Council is committed to meeting its 4 equality objectives:

• Promoting equality of opportunity
• Opposing all forms of discrimination, intolerance and disadvantage
• Ensuring our workforce reflects the diverse communities of Waltham Forest at all levels.
• Providing fair, appropriate, accessible and excellent Services to all.

Respecting Diversity is a core Council value. To support the above and reduce the risk of bias in its recruitment activities, the council is operating an anonymous shortlisting process, which hides personal information that can identify individuals until their application has been considered for shortlisting. The council also operates a scheme whereby, for jobs graded up to and including scale SO2, internal candidates are considered first. This includes those candidates who self-identify as having a disability for the purposes of the Disability Confident scheme.

For more information, please refer to our recruitment and selection policy.

How to apply: Email address or postal address for return of applications: school@handsworth.waltham.sch.uk Handsworth Primary School, Handsworth Avenue, Highams Park, London, E4 9PJ