Education Officer

This is a great opportunity for an experienced and qualified KS2 teacher to enrich the experience of the 8-11 year old children and their teachers who spend a week living and working on one of our farms. As Education Officer you will extend awareness of the Charity and the opportunities we provide to new schools that haven’t visited in the past, and will engage with networks in the education, outdoor learning, food, and farming sectors. You will have the opportunity to lead this exciting strand of work for the Charity, the flexibility to address issues and opportunities that overlap with your strengths and interests, and a well-connected network of staff and Trustees to support you in the role. We will even throw in a lovely pair of steel toe-capped wellies!

About us

Farms for City Children is a charity that provides heavily subsidised opportunities for school groups of 8-11 year old children from disadvantaged city communities to spend a week of muck and magic on one of our farms. We provide an intense, ‘learning through doing’ experience of a different life for children who may not know where their food comes from and who have limited opportunities to explore the outside world. We have three farms - in  Devon, Gloucestershire and Pembrokeshire – that welcome over 3,000 children a year from towns and cities across England and Wales.

What is the main purpose of the Education Officer role?

· To support the Charity’s relationships with the primary schools that currently visit our farms.

· To raise awareness of the Charity amongst primary schools in disadvantaged city communities across England and Wales that have not previously visited our farms. 

· To identify opportunities to enhance our farm residentials for children and teachers.

· To engage proactively with sector-relevant networks to raise the Charity’s profile and ensure the ongoing relevance of the Charity’s work.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for an energetic and creative individual who is seeking a challenging position which they can really make their own. The ideal candidate will have a recognised teaching qualification and experience at KS2, as well as a passion for teaching and learning outside of the classroom.

Essential qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills include:

· Educated to Degree level with a recognised teaching qualification and recent experience of teaching the National Curriculum at KS2.

· A practical and enthusiastic approach to learning outside of the classroom and knowledge of relevant areas of interest, e.g. countryside, environment, farming, gardening, and cooking.

· Strong contacts in the education sector and engagement with relevant networks and organisations leading on policy and emerging debates.

· Understanding of the challenges faced by children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

· Outstanding written and presentation skills (preferably including public speaking).

· Strong IT skills, including use of MS Office and MS Outlook.

· Fluent English language. 

· Full UK driving licence.

What’s the offer?

We’re looking for a full time Education Officer to join our Head Office team in Exeter, initially on a one-year fixed term contract with the potential to extend being subject to funding availability. The role requires <40% national travel during school term-time. We will consider requests for home-working (<40%) for the right candidate. The successful candidate will receive a salary of £24,000 - £28,000 depending on experience, along with 25 days Annual Leave.

Please download the application pack which provides details of the Job Description and Person Specification for further information. 

The closing date for this vacancy is midday on Thursday 30th August. We hope to hold first-round interviews during the week commencing 10th September.

If this sounds like the perfect job for you, please send your CV and a covering letter detailing your suitability for the role to Hayley Penton-Worrall at admin@farmsforcitychildren.org. Visit our website for more information.