Early Career Teacher Development Lead

Early Career Teacher Development Lead

Reports to:  Head of Programmes and Partnerships

Location: Birmingham - currently operating an agile working policy with three core days in the Teaching School Hub Office at Ark Boulton Academy (events permitting and travel around England might be required)

Contract: Permanent

Pattern: Full time (standard hours 9am – 5.30pm, although some earlier starts, or later finishes may be required to cover events)

Closing date: 31/01/2023 at 10am

Interviews: Interviews will be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, so early application is strongly advised

Salary: £50,000 - £54,000 (depending on experience)

Start Date: April 2023

About the role:

This is an exciting time to join the Ark Teaching School Hub, the Department for Education (DfE) designated hub for South Birmingham. Our Teaching School Hub is a centre of excellence for teacher and leader professional development across the region and beyond. Our Teaching School Hub allows us to leverage expertise in teacher training and professional development, both within our network and the wider educational communities to which we belong. That’s important because we believe that working together is key to everything Ark does: our work has its greatest impact when we share our expertise and knowledge. We deliver the DfE’s ‘golden thread’ of teacher and leader professional development, specialist targeted professional development programmes for senior leaders and other one-off training sessions. We are also an appropriate body for early career teachers completing their two-year induction. We work closely with other mission aligned organisations including Ambition Institute, who we have partnered with to deliver our ECT and NPQ programmes.

We are looking for an experienced teacher educator with a passion for working with early career teachers and mentors. This role is a key position within our Teaching School Hub, which is part of Ark’s Central Education team. The appointed person will be responsible for leading our Early Career Teacher programme and managing our appropriate body. You will design and deliver high quality, high impact professional development, oversee the progress of participants on our ECT programme, build relationships with schools and MATs, and quality assure the facilitation of Visiting Fellows across our Hub.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Ark Teaching School Hub’s (TSH’s) Early Career Teachers programmes
• Manage the Ark Teaching School Hub’s appropriate body services
• Design and facilitate a range of high impact, high quality professional development sessions in response to local and national needs
• Develop strong partnerships with a range of stakeholders including local schools, Lead Providers and Delivery Partners
• Leading on external relations and communication activities to promote the ongoing operations of our Early Career Teacher programmes and appropriate body services.
• Quality assure various programmes and processes across the Teaching School Hub region and wider Ark network

Key Requirements:

• Qualified Teacher Status and significant experience and successful outcomes as a teacher in a primary or secondary school
• Experience as a school induction lead and/or ECT mentor
• Experience of supporting ‘off-track’ ECTs in completing their induction
• A deep evidence-based understanding of effective classroom practice in order to achieve strong student outcomes
• Have experience in teacher training and development, including coaching and mentoring teachers
• Good understanding of the DfE’s strategic approach to whole career development, and of the technical detail of programmes intended to deliver this (ITT, ECF, reformed NPQs)
• Effective communicator with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build positive relationships
• Knowledge of a wide range of school improvement strategies and approaches
• Ability to use ICT effectively to perform their role

About Ark

We’re an international charity, transforming lives through education. We exist to give every young person, regardless of their background, a great education and real choices in life. In the UK, we’re a network of 39 schools, educating around 28,500 pupils in areas where we can make the biggest difference and we’re recognised as one of the highest achieving academy groups in the country. We want to change the lives of children everywhere, not just in our own schools. So, we create and incubate Ventures designed not only to help pupils in Ark schools, but also to improve education systems.

You’ll be joining a group of like-minded, ambitious individuals who work collaboratively and are all committed to our core mission, that every child has the potential to succeed. Having just celebrated our 20th anniversary, we are shaping our goals for the next 20 and there has never been a more exciting time to join us.

Benefits

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service and full office closure between Christmas and New Year
• Hybrid working, with currently three core days in the Teaching School Hub Office at Ark Boulton Academy
• A flexible approach to working with understanding and consideration for work life balance and personal commitments
• As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to. Depending on your role you may also be entitled to TPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests

How to Apply:

Apply with a CV and cover letter on our online recruitment portal. Applications to be submitted by Tuesday 31st January at 10am but please note: we will be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this advert may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response.

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people; all successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Ark Schools are committed to attracting, developing and retaining a diverse workforce, with a broad range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.