Class Teacher (Maternity cover contract)

Paddock Wood Primary Academy has a fantastic opportunity to appoint a Class Teacher (Maternity cover contract) starting from September 2023. In joining our vibrant and thriving school, you will contribute your energy and vision to drive the academy to achieve its full potential. We are a school that thrives on teamwork, recognises the importance of high quality support for the teachers and offers a creative and responsive package of CPD for all staff. 

Our ideal candidate will be;

• enthusiastic and committed
• high expectations of all pupils
• knowledge of the PYP preferable
• creative and willing to step outside their comfort zone.​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​This is a full time, maternity cover contract (until July 2024) offering Main Pay Scale, commensurate with experience. Note that whilst the position is offered on a fixed term basis initially, every effort will be made to offer a substantive position within the wider family of academies across Leigh Academies Trust thereafter. The central Recruitment Team will keep in touch with you throughout your contract to discuss options available to you

Following our latest pupil survey, our children said their favourite part of school was:

• "Art, because it makes me feel creative".
• "I like the clubs and playgrounds at school, because I get to see my friends and I’m happy I can talk to teachers about my feelings".
• "Seeing my teacher’s beautiful face smile and how she understands that I have troubles".
• "Doing maths and science, because in science you get to do experiments and in maths I've always been good at it".
• "I absolutely love learning".​​​​​​​

With answers like these, why wouldn’t you come and teach here? To find out more please come and have a tour and discuss the role.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Do you know a great teacher who would like to hear about opportunities with Leigh Academies Trust? If so, make a referral today for the chance to receive £100 as a 'thank you'. Simply complete the referral form by clicking here. T&C's apply.

Working at our school: We are a thriving and engaging three-form entry school in the heart of West Kent in the town of Paddock Wood. Our ethos encapsulates high standards and expectations, excellent learning and teaching, and the positive wellbeing of our pupils and colleagues. We have a strong and committed teaching team which is widely respected and supported by our academy community. Our teachers vary in experience from Newly Qualified to 30+ years, and each brings something valuable to share, and a passion to learn. Our staff and the wider Trust team has a lot to offer new colleagues, in terms of sharing experience and opportunities, and professional development and training. 

Our broad curriculum is supported by specialist teachers of music, French, PE, computing and outdoor education. Some features that help us stand out from other schools are that all of our pupils learn French, learn other subjects in French and leave us conversant in the language, pupils leave us with a strong understanding and appreciation of music and sporting skills and that we embed independence, stamina and considered risk into children’s learning, for example through EYFS and KS1 team games and initiative exercises, Year 3 outdoor/forest skills, Y4 mountain biking, Year 5 caving and kayaking, and Year 6 skiing/snow-boarding. We have our own school minibuses and we very frequently take children out into the local area and into central London, as well as taking Year 5 pupils to the Brecon Beacons and Year 6 pupils to France or Scotland. We have a strong regard for extra-curricular learning and a healthy catalogue of sporting and other successes and awards.

Our academy benefits from significant parent and community support, but we are not complacent - we are committed, hard-working and welcoming. Our children are delightful; calm, focused and very eager to learn.

‘Our highly ambitious community builds thinking learners, who act with agency and create lasting memories.’

Being part of Leigh Academies Trust: As of 1st September 2022, our Trust comprises 30 geographically organised academies (14 secondaries, 14 primaries and 2 special) educating 20,000 students, and employing 3,000 talented staff. The Trust is establishing four ‘clusters’ of academies: North Kent; Central Kent; South East London; Medway. In addition, the Trust is responsible for one of the region’s biggest initial teaching training organisations, a large teaching school hub and is an accredited apprenticeship provider. Our future plans are found in our Vision 2030 document available on our website.​​​​​​​

As part of Leigh Academies Trust, you will have ample opportunity to collaborate with your peers both within the academy and across the whole Trust. This is an important part of our vision as we know through experience that we perform better when we work together. You are supported to undertake regular self-development to continue your professional development and hopefully progress further within the organisation.

Click here to view the benefits available to all LAT employees from day one. 

Our commitment to safeguarding: Leigh Academies Trust and all of our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust and consistent recruitment process across all academies and business units which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates - you can read more about this in our Recruitment Guidance. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

​​​​​​​Our commitment to equality and diversity: As a Trust, we are passionate about diversity and recognise that as individuals, we all bring something unique to the role regardless of any protected characteristics which is why we treat all of our people equally, without compromise. We are committed to providing equality and fairness throughout our recruitment and employment practices and not discriminating on any grounds.