Welcome, and thank you for your interest in Copmanthorpe Primary School's Headteacher opportunity
Dear Applicant,
Welcome, and thank you for your interest in our exciting Headteacher opportunity. We hope that the information we have provided encourages you to make an application to our dedicated and ambitious school.
There is something very special about Copmanthorpe Primary School and we are incredibly proud of our enthusiastic children, supportive parents, inspirational staff and forward-thinking governors. We all work together to make Copmanthorpe a safe, inclusive, and enriching place to learn.
Copmanthorpe Primary School is a large primary school, situated in the large village of Copmanthorpe on the outskirts of York. The school has close contacts with the local community and benefits from support from the City of York, including a Headteacher network.
The school has a warm and welcoming family atmosphere, where we want to place a great emphasis and ambition on working in partnership with parents/carers, children, governors, and the community that we serve. We aim to achieve our vision by inspiring respectful, resilient learners to thrive throughout their lives.
We have a focus on wellbeing, determination and honesty, teaching everyone to have an inclusive mindset, aim high and provide every opportunity to overcome barriers and succeed. We want everyone to leave Copmanthorpe Primary School with a life-long love of learning to enable them to achieve and succeed now, and in the future. Alongside this, we teach everyone to uphold our core values with an emphasis on kindness, respect and celebrating inclusion.
Due to our former Headteacher moving to a new post, we are looking for a strategic and visionary Headteacher to lead Copmanthorpe from January 2025. We believe that Copmanthorpe has capacity for further development and that this is an exciting time for an ambitious leader to make a real difference; enhancing teaching and creating a buzz for forward-thinking learning, to enhance the personal development of pupils and ensure open collaboration with children, staff, governors and the community to promote our vision and develop our school culture further.
For an informal, confidential conversation about the role please email Katherine Brioude, who has been engaged to support us with recruitment to this key role, or call on 07974 406838. We would encourage you to look at our virtual tour and come and visit in advance of your application and see for yourself the enthusiasm that our pupils have for their education. Such a visit is not part of the selection process, and whether applicants have visited will not influence the outcome. We would also encourage applicants to look at the school website to get a feel for our school.
I hope you find the information provided useful and informative and that it will encourage you to apply. On behalf of the governing body, thank you again for your interest in Copmanthorpe Primary School.
Yours Faithfully,
Menna Godfrey
Chair of Governors
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"The school’s curriculum is carefully planned and ambitious for all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are particularly well supported to access the curriculum. Staff are highly trained in how to adapt teaching to meet pupils’ individual needs." (Ofsted September 2023)
Our Headteacher Opportunity
Copmanthorpe Primary School, York, North Yorkshire
Post: Headteacher
Number on Roll: 320
Commencing: January 2025
Salary: L11-L18 (£60,488 - £71,729 - pay award pending)
Contract Term: Permanent
Come and lead us and inspire children to thrive throughout their lives!
Copmanthorpe Primary School is a large primary school, situated in Copmanthorpe village. The school has close contacts with the local community and benefits from support from the City of York cluster. The school has a warm and welcoming family atmosphere, where we place a great emphasis on continuing to develop working in partnership with parents/carers, children, governors, and the communities that we serve.
The school is successful and has been judged “good” by Ofsted. The quality of our teaching is consistently good and carefully monitored.
Our Opportunity:
This is an excellent opportunity for an inspiring leader to lead, shape and further develop our wonderful school.
You will be working alongside a dedicated team of staff, and a governing body who are ambitious and are looking to work successfully together with the new Headteacher to bring a new buzz for forward-thinking learning to the school. You will have an affinity with our focus on wellbeing, determination and honesty, teaching everyone to have an inclusive mindset, aim high and provide every opportunity to overcome barriers and succeed.
About You:
You will be an ambitious, strategic and collaborative Headteacher or aspiring Headteacher with a passion for promoting excellence through a rich and progressive curriculum; have a strong focus on pupils’ achievement and holistic development and inspire a life-long love of learning to enable our pupils to achieve and succeed. Alongside this, you will teach everyone to uphold our core values with an emphasis on kindness, respect and celebrating inclusion.
The Headship of a village school is unique: you have the benefit of getting to know a tight-knit and caring community and can build relationships with each child. Yet the role is diverse and requires a balanced skill-set. You will have strong financial capabilities, with a transparent and collaborative approach to stakeholder engagement. You will successfully embed a distributed approach and coaching culture to leadership and learning, and successfully address and lead school improvement priorities.
In return, we can offer you:
- A happy and friendly school, with delightful children who respect each other and have a thirst for learning.
- A culture which allows all staff to thrive and develop.
- An opportunity to see the huge potential that exists in making Copmanthorpe Primary School a pinnacle of excellence in primary education.
- Significant levels of support from the Local Authority, Governing Board and a staff team who are experienced, committed and passionate about our school.
- A Governing Body committed to providing support on all matters including more sensitive or difficult issues and including the wellbeing of all staff members.
- Support from other schools in our cluster where the Headteachers meet regularly. This provides a support network for sharing ideas and best practice.
Key dates:
Application closing date: Sunday 8th September, 23:59
Shortlisting: Wednesday 11th September
Interviews: Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th September
Visits
We strongly recommend that you visit us so we can share with you why we are so proud of our school, and you will have the opportunity to see what we have to offer. If you would like the opportunity to visit, please email Katherine.
Dates when we can accommodate visits are detailed below - if these are not possible for you please contact Katherine, as we may be able to offer alternatives.
- Wednesday 4th September in the afternoon (after 1:30pm)
- Thursday 5th September from 3:30pm to 5:30pm
Information about our school
Copmanthorpe Primary School is a large primary school, at present catering for 320 pupils. We are situated in a large village 5 miles south west of the centre of York with a population of over 4,000 people.
The village has a thriving recreation centre with tennis courts used by the school during the summer months. It has several local amenities including a post office, a pharmacy, a public house, a library and
convenience stores. There are several proposed new housing developments which are expected to increase pupil numbers over the coming years.
The school is built on a single level giving very good access to all children and adults, with extensive grounds giving excellent opportunities for outdoor learning. To utilise the grounds, we have a forest school area with a wildlife pond and trained forest school teacher, in addition to a well-equipped EYFS outdoor area. We are keen to utilise these grounds further and are excited about the possibilities that our new Headteacher can explore for us!
We opened a school Nursery for children from 3 years of age in September 2022, and have a thriving breakfast and afterschool club to cater for all the wrap around care required.
Please watch below our drone tour of Copmanthorpe Primary School!
Our Core Values: Determined, Kind, Respectful, Resilient, Honest, Inclusive, Believe, Grow, Achieve.
At Copmanthorpe, we want to inspire everyone to thrive. We create a welcoming, nurturing environment where we inspire confident, resilient learners to thrive throughout their lives.
Holistic development is at the heart of what we do, with a focus on wellbeing, creativity and enjoyment. We teach everyone to have a growth mindset, aim high and provide every opportunity to overcome barriers and succeed.
We want everyone to leave Copmanthorpe Primary School with a life-long love of learning to enable them to achieve and succeed now, and in the future. Alongside this, we teach everyone to uphold our core values with an emphasis on kindness, respect and celebrating differences.
Learning at Copmanthorpe Primary
We aspire for Copmanthorpe Primary School to be a place where everyone has a growth mind-set, aims high, and can overcome barriers to success. Through the opportunities we provide, in partnership with parents and carers, we aim to develop children as independent, resilient learners and effective communicators. We want our children to develop a life-long love of learning to enable them to achieve and succeed in the future.
Companthorpe SLT and staff spent time in the 2018 – 2019 year shaping our ideas into our curriculum framework, facilitated by the Curriculum Foundation.
Our curriculum focuses on the quality delivery of a core curriculum enhanced with opportunities and experiences. It is our intent to develop opportunities and experiences for pupils to become confident, resilient learners who will thrive throughout their lives. Read more about our curriculum offer.
Ofsted recognised: “Pupils value the many opportunities that are on offer to them in the wider curriculum. There is a wide range of sporting events that they can choose to take part in, such as archery and orienteering. Pupils are clear that everyone has equal access to these. Older pupils enjoy taking on roles and responsibilities such as becoming a play leader. Pupils talk enthusiastically about forest school sessions that take place in the school’s grounds.” (Ofsted 2023)
Wellbeing of staff and pupils
Whilst we strive for excellence, it is important to all our community that all individuals at Copmanthorpe feel happy and safe. Our pupils recognise this and say they feel safe to come to school, saying that everyone is welcome and no one is left out. The school often celebrates diversity and differences through assemblies and events, with a recent example of pride. We also hold inclusive sports events (Platinum Sports Award), and are proud to be a No Outsiders school. We have excellent pastoral care, receiving an ADHD friendly school award for 2024.
We have a dedicated ELSA supporting children in KS1 and KS2 through life challenges that can detract from their ability to engage with learning. The majority of ELSA work is delivered on an individual basis, but sometimes small group work is more appropriate, especially in the areas of social and friendship skills. Sessions are fun, we use a range of activities such as: games, role-play with puppets or therapeutic activities such as mindfulness or arts and craft. ELSA sessions take place in our very own 'ELSA room' which provides a calm, safe space for the child to feel supported and nurtured.
At Copmanthorpe Primary School, we are proud to teach Jigsaw PSHE. Jigsaw is a mindful and child-centred approach to PSHE. It is an original and comprehensive scheme of learning which integrates personal, social, health and economic education with emphasis on emotional literacy, mental health and SMSC, especially spiritual development. As part of the school’s PSHE curriculum, we also teach the Zones of Regulation curriculum to help our pupils develop skills in the area of self-regulation.
Further reading links:
OFSTED – 26th to 27th September 2023
Ofsted Judgement “Copmanthorpe Primary School continues to be a good school.”
(This visit was the first school inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in April 2014).
Our strengths
- The school’s curriculum is carefully planned and ambitious for all pupils.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are particularly well supported to access the curriculum.
- Staff are highly trained in how to adapt teaching to meet pupils’ individual needs.
- Pupils with more complex needs access some of their learning in ‘the nest’. Here, skilled adults support them in a quiet, calm environment.
- The school uses visitors from a wide range of backgrounds to inspire pupils to be resilient in the face of adversity.
- Curriculum plans for all subjects break learning into small steps. Leaders have identified key knowledge and important vocabulary that they want pupils to know and remember.
- In the early years, adults are skilled at developing children’s language. As pupils get older, they are expected to use more complex, subject-specific vocabulary. There is a whole-school approach to curriculum development.
- Subject leaders are clear about how their subject is taught from the early years through into key stage 1 and beyond. This means that pupils are well prepared for each stage of their education.
- Teachers regularly revisit prior learning in lessons. They check what pupils know and can remember.
- Reading is a priority for the school. The school promotes a positive reading culture using ‘reading challenges’. These significantly increase the amount of time that pupils spend reading at home.
- Pupils begin to learn phonics from Reception. Where pupils are at risk of falling behind with phonics, targeted interventions help them to catch up.
- The school provides pupils with a range of opportunities to develop their skills beyond the academic. Pupils who are part of the school council choose charities to support throughout the year.
- Residential visits help pupils to develop their teamwork skills. Students from the local college visit the school and teach pupils how to sign using Makaton.
- In the early years, children enjoy positive relationships with adults. Adults encourage children to develop their independence. Children play cooperatively with each other and enjoy learning through play.
- The governing body supports the school effectively and fulfils its statutory duties well. Governors have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.
- Staff appreciate the consideration given to their workload and well-being. They are proud to work at the school and there is a strong sense of collegiality.
- The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Areas for development
- There are some inconsistencies in the way phonics is taught.
- Some teaching strategies are confusing for pupils and some opportunities to correct errors in pencil grip and letter formation are missed. This impacts on pupils’ spelling and handwriting as they move through the school.
- The school should ensure that there are consistent expectations in place for how phonics is taught and that all staff adhere to these expectations.
Pupil Data – absence, achievement, attainment and progress
Pupil absence in 2022/2023
School | Local authority | England state-funded schools | |
Overall absence | 4% | 5.3% | 5.9% |
Persistent absence | 5.8% | 12.2% | 16.2% |
Pupil population in 2022/2023
School | England – mainstream primary schools | |
Total number of pupils on roll (all ages) | 372 | 4647851 |
Girls on roll | 48.9% | 49.1% |
Boys on roll | 51.1% | 50.9% |
Pupils with an SEN Education, Health and Care Plan | 3.2% | 2.5% |
Pupils with SEN Support | 14.0% | 13.5% |
Pupils whose first language is not English | 2.2% | 22.0% |
Pupils eligible for free school meals at any time during the past 6 years | 4.8% | 25.9% |
EYFS GLD
GLD 2023 | GLD 2022 | GLD 2019 | |||
School (34) | National | School (46) | National | School (52) | National |
70.6% | 67% | 70% | 65.2% | 81% | 72% |
2024 Performance
Year 1 Phonic Screening Check - Our unvalidated Year 1 Phonics Screening Check for this year is 91%.
Year 6 results (59 pupils)
2024
59 pupils |
|
Reading | EXP+ 81% GD 36% |
National | EXP+ 74% GD 28% |
Writing | EXP+ 71% GD 15% |
National | EXP+ 72% GD 13% |
Maths | EXP+ 85% GD 32% |
National | EXP+ 73% GD 24% |
SPAG | EXP+ 76% GD 32% |
National | EXP+ 72% GD 32% |
2023 Performance
Year 1 Phonic Screening Check
School | National | LA | |
% of Year 1 children
meeting the standard (49) |
65% | 79.2% | 80.1% |
Year 2 re-check (12) | 41.7% | 60% | 56.3% |
Year 2 Results (53)
Mathematics | School | National | LA |
Expected Standard | 66% | 71% | 71% |
Greater Depth | 9% | 16% | 19% |
Reading | |||
Expected Standard | 74% | 69% | 69% |
Greater Depth | 30% | 20% | 22% |
Writing | |||
Expected Standard | 43% | 60% | 61% |
Greater Depth | 6% | 8% | 11% |
Science | |||
Expected Standard | 93% | TBC | 92% |
Year 6 Results (54 pupils)
% Expected Standard | % Greater Depth or high score | |||||
School | National | LA | School | National | LA | |
Reading | 75.9% | 73% | 74% | 37% | 29% | 33% |
GPS | 60% | 72% | 74% | 14% | 28% | 30% |
Writing (TA) | 61% | 72% | 70% | 9% | 13% | 14% |
Mathematics | 70% | 73% | 75% | 20% | 24% | 25% |
Reading, Writing & Maths | 50% | 59% | 60% | 9% | 8% | 9% |
Science | 85% | 80& | tbc | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Further historic performance data.
Budget position
As with many schools, our budgetary position is challenging, and we are anticipating a deficit budget. We are keen for our new Headteacher to work with governors to oversee the return to financial stability and ensure that strategic priorities support all children to thrive.
Internationally acclaimed for its rich heritage and historic architecture, York is a beautiful, thriving city with low unemployment and highly performing tourism, cultural and entertainment industries. York’s streets are busy with visitors from all over the world and is the most visited city outside London. It marries a rich history with cutting edge technology, recently gaining UNESCO status as a City of Media Arts.
York isn’t just a great place to visit: it’s a great place to live. York has a vibrant atmosphere, great shopping and eating yet is small enough to retain a friendly sense of community.
There are a variety of residential options, ranging from within the city centre to the handsome surrounding villages. There are restaurants, leisure activities and opportunities to cater for all tastes and interests.
York is one of the UK’s best connected cities, served by several main rail lines: you can be in London or Edinburgh in under two hours. In and around the city there are several park and ride services, a comprehensive bus network and good cycle routes.
Yorkshire has something for everyone: from the rugged Dales and Moors to the gentle Wolds, from Scarborough to the wilderness of Spurn Point and from metropolitan Leeds to market towns like Malton and Beverley. The area was brought to global attention when the Grand Depart of the Tour de France took place in 2014, the success of the event led to the creation of the Tour de Yorkshire.
Information About Application and Guidance
When applying please take into account the following supporting documents:
Job Description - Headteacher (.PDF)
Person Specification - Headteacher (.PDF)
Application guidance - Information in Support of your Application
Every post advertised is supported by a full person specification mapped to our talent blueprint. The specification lists all the essential skills, experience and qualifications which are necessary for the job and the criteria against which you will be assessed, both through your application form and at interview.
Your application plays an important part in your selection. As part of the application process, you may have been asked to demonstrate within this application form how you meet some or all of the criteria or key competencies outlined in the person specification. The supporting information section of your application should clearly evidence your ability to meet these requirements. This will be used to shortlist applicants for this role and therefore it is imperative that you provide evidence as requested. Rather than simply repeating your career history, look at the skills and experience required by the job and provide evidence that you possess them by giving specific and detailed examples which include a focus on outcomes and on your own contribution to the scenario. Try to use different and varied examples wherever possible.
When completing these sections, do not forget the skills and experience you have gained outside full-time work. Outlining your previous work experience or other responsibilities may help you to uncover skills which you have taken for granted and which are clear signs of your ability to do the job.
Should you require the application form in a different format, please contact Resourcing Solutions.
Canvassing
Should your application be for a local authority school, you must not try to influence an elected Council Member, any council employee or a member of the school governing body, to act in your favour, as this will disqualify you. If you are related to a Councillor, a Council employee or a governor you must indicate this in the relevant section of the application form.
Data Protection
North Yorkshire Council (NYC) advertise vacancies and process applications on behalf of schools and external organisations (third parties) in North Yorkshire. NYC are not responsible for the recruitment/employment practices of third parties and accept no liability in relation to the vacancy and any subsequent recruitment/employment processes. Further information on how we process your data can be found by reading our privacy notice.
Rehabilitation of Offenders
The post you are applying for requires you to have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service criminal records check for work with children, with a barred list check if you work in regulated activity. This check for disclosure of criminal history will include spent convictions, pending prosecutions / current court proceeding and police enquiries.
Should you be shortlisted, you will be asked to disclose full details of your criminal history prior to your interview. This includes any information deemed relevant as part of Keeping Children Safe in Education which may arise in an online search undertaken on shortlisted candidates. This information may be discussed with you at your interview in order to assess job related risks, but we emphasise that your application will be considered on merit and ability and you will not be discriminated against unfairly. Failure to disclose this information will result in any offer of employment being withdrawn.
Please also see the policy statement on the Recruitment of Ex-offenders below.
Policy Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-offenders (Source www.gov.uk)
- As an organisation assessing applicants’ suitability for positions which are included in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order using criminal record checks processed through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), this school complies fully with the DBS code of practice and undertakes to treat all applicants for positions fairly.
- This school undertakes not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a criminal record check on the basis of a conviction or other information revealed.
- This school can only ask an individual to provide details of convictions and cautions that it is legally entitled to know about. Where a DBS certificate can legally be requested (where the position is one that is included in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) order 1975 as amended, and where appropriate Policy Act Regulations as amended) this school can only ask an individual about convictions and cautions that are not protected.
- This school is committed to the fair treatment of its staff and potential staff, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, responsibilities for dependents, age, physical/mental disability or offending background.
- This school has this written policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders, which is made available to all DBS applicants at the start of the recruitment process.
- This school actively promotes equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential and welcome applications from a wide range of candidates, including those with criminal records. Candidates are selected for interview based on their skills, qualifications and experience and criminal record information is only requested from short-listed candidates.
- A disclosure is only requested from the DBS after a thorough risk assessment has indicated that one is both proportionate and relevant to the position concerned. For those positions where a criminal record check is identified as necessary, all application forms, job adverts and recruitment briefs will contain a statement that a DBS certificate will be requested in the event of the individual being offered the position.
- This school ensures that all those who are involved in the recruitment process have been suitably trained to identify and assess the relevance and circumstances of offences.
- This school also ensures that they have received appropriate guidance and training in the relevant legislation relating to the employment of ex-offenders, e.g. the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
- At interview, or in a separate discussion, this school ensures that an open and measured discussion takes place on the subject of any offences or other matter that might be relevant to the position. Failure to reveal information that is directly relevant to the position sought could lead to withdrawal of an offer of employment.
- This school makes every subject of a criminal record check submitted to DBS aware of the existence of the code of practice and makes a copy available on request.
- This school undertakes to discuss any matter revealed on a DBS certificate with the individual seeking the position before withdrawing a conditional offer of employment.
References
When completing your application, please provide two employment referees. One of these must be from your most recent employer.
We are committed to meeting the needs of our diverse community and aim to have a workforce reflecting this diversity. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We have a robust child protection policy (.pdf) and all staff will receive training relevant to their role at induction and throughout employment at the school. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Please note this post is in regulated activity and exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and subject to satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS criminal records and barred list check for work with children. An online search may be undertaken as part of the recruitment process on information available in the public domain. Candidates should disclose anything that may be relevant in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.