EYFS Reception Teacher in Exeter

Main Purpose
Assume overall responsibility for raising the quality of early years provision, including physical, emotional, social and intellectual education and care for children in the setting. Always promoting excellent practice. Fulfil the professional responsibilities of a teacher, as outlined below and in conjunction with the Trust’s staff policies. Meet the expectations set out in the Teachers’ Standards.

Duties and responsibilities – EYFS and Teaching

• Ensure that all practitioners understand the principles and content of the Early Years Foundation Stage and know how to put them into practice.
• Support other practitioners in acknowledging the various influences and transitions experienced by a child from both inside and outside the setting.
• Practice and promote current legal requirements, national policies and guidance on health and safety, safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children.
• Be accountable for the delivery of high-quality provision within the setting.
• Encourage other practitioners to have high expectations of all children and to demonstrate commitment to ensuring that they can achieve their full potential.
• Establish and sustain a safe, welcoming, purposeful, stimulating and encouraging environment where children feel confident and secure and are able to develop and learn.
• Promote the use of informed observation and other strategies to monitor children’s activity, development and progress systematically and carefully, and use this information to inform, plan and improve practice and provision.
• Plan and provide safe, appropriate, child‑led and adult‑initiated experiences, activities and play opportunities in indoor, outdoor and in‑out‑of‑setting contexts, enabling children to develop and learn.
• Select, prepare and use a range of resources suitable for children’s ages, interests and abilities, taking account of diversity and promoting equality and inclusion.
• Actively support the development of children’s language and communication skills.
• Promote positive behaviour, self‑control and independence through effective behaviour management strategies and developing children’s social, emotional and behavioural skills.
• Promote children’s rights, equality, inclusion and anti‑discriminatory practice in all aspects of the setting.
• Establish and maintain a safe environment and employ practices that promote children’s health, safety and physical, mental and emotional well‑being.
• Encourage all practitioners to recognise when a child is in danger or at risk of harm and know how to act to protect them.
• Support the process of effective assessment, recording and reporting on progress in children’s development and learning and use this as a basis for differentiating provision.
• Encourage all practitioners to talk to children, giving constructive and sensitive feedback to help children understand what they have achieved and think about what they need to do next.
• Introduce or maintain a positive and proactive culture amongst practitioners in identifying and supporting children whose progress, development or well‑being is affected by changes or difficulties in their personal circumstances, ensuring staff know when to refer them to colleagues for specialist support.
• Ensure that all practitioners establish fair, respectful, trusting, supportive and constructive relationships with children, communicating sensitively and effectively with children from birth to the end of the foundation stage.
• Encourage a culture of listening to children, paying attention to what they say and valuing and respecting their views.
• Ensure all staff demonstrate the positive values, attitudes and behaviour which the setting expects from the children.

Whole‑school organisation, strategy and development

• Use IT tools fully to provide effective and high-quality education, deploying the latest approaches for early years settings.
• Carry out mealtime, playground and other duties as directed.
• Contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of the school’s policies, practices, and procedures, to support the school’s values and vision.
• Make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school.
• Work with others on curriculum and pupil development to secure coordinated outcomes.
• Provide cover as required where another teacher is unable to teach.
• Where required be a subject leader across the whole school or Trust; potentially working with other teachers to do this.
• Participate and organise relevant meetings/professional development opportunities at the school, which relate to the learners, curriculum or organisation of the school including pastoral arrangements and assemblies.
• Attend and take a constructive part in staff meetings, inset days and any other school‑arranged training sessions.

Health, safety and discipline

• Promote the safety and wellbeing of pupils.
• Maintain good order and discipline among pupils, managing behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment.
• Be responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people within the school, raising any concerns following school protocol/procedures.
• Act within the statutory frameworks, which set out the professional duties and responsibilities and in line with the duties outlined below.
• Take responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people within the school.
• Escalate concerns in a timely fashion and through the correct tools as directed to you.

Professional Development and Appraisal

• Take part in the school’s appraisal procedures.
• Take part in further training and development to improve own teaching.
• Where appropriate, lead or take part in the appraisal and professional development of others.
• Regularly review the effectiveness of your teaching and assessment procedures and its impact on pupils’ progress, attainment and well‑being, refining your approaches where necessary and responding to advice and feedback from colleagues.

Communication

• Communicate effectively with pupils, parents and carers and other professional bodies as required whilst maintaining confidentiality.
• Use IT systems efficiently and effectively to communicate and collaborate.
• Respond quickly to emails and messages.
• Coordinate or chair staff meetings as appropriate.

Collaboration with Colleagues and Professionals

• Collaborate and work with colleagues and other relevant professionals within and beyond the school.
• Develop effective professional relationships with colleagues.
• Plan and teach together with colleagues in your phase teams.

Personal and Professional Conduct

• Uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school.
• Have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school, and maintain high standards of attendance and punctuality.
• Understand and act within the statutory frameworks setting out your professional duties and responsibilities.

Management of Staff and Resources

• Direct and supervise support staff assigned to you, and where appropriate, other teachers.
• Contribute to the recruitment and professional development of other teachers and support staff where appropriate.
• Deploy resources delegated to you, taking care to ensure these are maintained to a high standard and looked after responsibly.

Other Areas of Responsibility

• Register the attendance of and supervise learners, before, during or after school sessions as appropriate.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the full life of the school and work with all staff to ensure the success of whole‑school initiatives and assemblies, fairs & fund‑raising, open evenings and other activities as they occur in school.

Please note that this job description is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the work to be undertaken, commensurate with the grade. It is not a comprehensive list of all tasks that the postholder will carry out. The postholder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role, as directed by the Headteacher or your line manager. The post requires you to teach students in the age range 2 to 11 years as consistent with the ages of students attending this Academy Trust. This job description is not your contract of employment or any part of it. It has been prepared only for the purpose of school organisation and may change. It may be amended at any time after consultation with you.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Experience
Qualified teacher status
Degree
Successful nursery or primary teaching experience

Skills and Knowledge
Knowledge of the EYFS and National Curriculum
Knowledge of effective teaching and learning strategies
A good understanding of how children learn
Ability to adapt teaching to meet pupils’ needs
Ability to build effective working relationships with pupils
Knowledge of guidance and requirements around safeguarding children
Knowledge of effective behaviour management strategies
Good ICT skills, particularly using ICT to support learning

Personal Qualities
A commitment to getting the best outcomes for all pupils and promoting the ethos and values of the school
High expectations for children’s attainment and progress
Ability to work under pressure and prioritise effectively
Commitment to always maintaining confidentiality
Commitment to safeguarding and equality