Welcome, and thank you for your interest in Lythe Church of England Primary School's Headteacher opportunity
Dear Applicant,
Welcome, and thank you for your interest in our exciting Headteacher opportunity at Lythe CE Primary School, and by extension through a shared leadership SLA, Goathland Primary School. As Chair of Governors, I am delighted to provide you with more insight into our school and invite you to consider joining us in this pivotal leadership role. We hope that the information we have provided encourages you to make an application for this position.
At Lythe CE Primary School, we are deeply committed to fostering a vibrant, inclusive, and high-achieving learning environment where every pupil is encouraged to thrive. We are proud of our strong community, supportive staff, and dedicated governors, all of whom are driven by a shared commitment to excellence in education.
We strive to equip our pupils with the skills, confidence, and compassion they need to succeed in an ever-changing world. Situated on the stunning North Yorkshire moors in the picturesque village of Lythe, this opportunity also includes a unique shared leadership arrangement with our partner primary school in Goathland, giving the successful applicant an opportunity to make an immediate impact on our communities and nurture and strengthen a successful and dynamic education partnership, which is currently renewed annually.
For an informal, confidential conversation about the role please email Helen Poole, who has been engaged to support us with recruitment to this key role, or call on 01609 532254. We would encourage you to 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 have a look at the school website(opens in a new tab) 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 Lythe Church of England Primary School, and by extension, Goathland Primary School under our shared leadership arrangements.
Yours faithfully,
Mark Robinson,
Chair of Governors, Lythe CE Primary School
Learn more about our Headteacher opportunity
Post: Headteacher - Lythe CE Primary School (this role currently includes shared leadership of Goathland Primary School through an annual SLA)
Number on Roll: 65 + 9 in nursery
Commencing: April 2025 or earlier
Salary: L8-14 (£59,167 – £68,586 pay award pending)
Contract Term: Permanent
Our Opportunity:
Lythe is a vibrant, unique and friendly school, with willing and capable staff, engaged and happy pupils in a beautiful location and a new exciting curriculum. With an established ongoing partnership with Goathland Primary School, our new Headteacher will maximise this relationship, assuming shared leadership to both Lythe and Goathland School, and continuing to embed our curriculum whilst exploring formal federation between the two schools, solidifying the annually reviewed shared leadership arrangements.
About You:
We are seeking to appoint an outstanding, committed and experienced Headteacher to further shape our thriving school in the next phase of its development. The successful candidate will be an effective communicator, an effective people manager and a leader who can instil confidence in staff, parents and pupils. You will be a resilient, enthusiastic person who is sympathetic to the challenges that staff have faced in the last year and you will need to be sympathetic to, and have an understanding of, the challenges faced by small rural schools, alongside recognising the value of the school’s location and the benefits of forest and beach schools.
To succeed, you must be a proven leader and manager with excellent teaching skills and the ability to develop our small, dedicated team whilst maximising achievement. An excellent communicator, you should have a thorough knowledge of curriculum and pedagogy and possess strong networking skills enabling you to maintain and develop future partnerships. You will lead by example and display an ambition to embrace and develop relationships with the community and the church, whilst allowing our pupils to continue to be the very best they can be and our staff to continue to be very highly motivated and cohesive. Whilst ambitious, you will also possess a high level of sensitivity and will want to move forward without making significant changes. This is a fantastic opportunity for an exceptional senior leader to take the school to the next level in its exciting journey.
We can offer you:
- Happy and friendly schools, 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 and the time to make Lythe CE Primary and Goathland Schools a beacon of excellence in primary education.
- Significant levels of support from the Local Authority, Diocese, 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.
- The school is part of a Cluster where the Headteachers meet regularly. This provides a support network for sharing ideas and best practice.
- A beautiful setting in the heart of the North Yorkshire Moors, very close to Sandsend beach and Whitby.
For an informal, confidential conversation about the role please call Helen on 01609 532254 or email. Helen has been engaged to support us with recruitment to this exciting opportunity.
Key dates
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 Helen.
A date when we can accommodate visits is detailed below - if this is not possible for you, please contact Helen, as we may be able to offer alternatives.
Visits - Monday 25th November - Goathland (9.30am) and Lythe (11am)
Application closing date: Midnight, Sunday 1st December
Shortlisting: Wednesday 4th December
Interviews: Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th December
Information About Our School
Lythe CE Primary School is nestled in the heart of Lythe village, just a short distance from Sandsend beach, Whitby, and the scenic North York Moors. Lythe School has its own minibus, enabling children to explore the local area. Families from Whitby and other surrounding communities choose Lythe, drawn by its location and educational offer. With the North York Moors Railway nearby and access to beach and forest learning environments, our location offers an unparalleled setting for learning. Beyond the school day, Lythe offers wrap-around childcare for our families in our Seashells Club.
We have places for children from the age of 3 in our beautiful, purpose-built indoor and outdoor learning environment. We have a strong team who provide excellent, child-led and play-based learning opportunities.
Our unique location lets us offer highly individualised provision, and all benefit hugely from our Forest School's work using the beautiful Mulgrave Woods. Our school minibus means that we can regularly venture further afield to coast, moorland and town facilities. We offer flexible provision to include mornings, afternoons and lunchtimes.
Our Pupils
Our pupils are polite, enthusiastic learners who value kindness and community. They are well-mannered, happy, and enjoy engaging in diverse activities that develop their social, academic, and personal skills. They perform at or above the national average, with a strong enthusiasm for learning and being part of our caring school community. Our pupils are predominantly from fairly affluent backgrounds, At the last census, 9.09% of children are eligible for free school meals, which is 15.51% below the average in the local authority.
Pupil leadership is important at Lythe, with the following initiatives:
School Improvement Group - This is a group which collects the views of children to find out what they would like doing in school. This group has also carried out a safeguarding survey and feeds back on the way we do things round school.
Collective Worship Group - Children work together to review and feed back on the impact of Collective Worship and suggest ways to improve it. They also maintain our Collective Worship Activity Area to give children a chance to respond to what they have learned. They also keep everything running smoothly, organising resources, seating and music so that we have a peaceful time. As a Church School, a number of celebrations throughout the year are held in the village church.
Children’s Clubs - We encourage children to take charge and become leaders if they feel that something needs doing in school. We therefore have a variety of lunchtime clubs organised by the children themselves to meet different needs and children are supported to plan and carry out activities, which they do very successfully. We have a thriving “Big Kids/Little Kids” club in which older children organise games to encourage positive playtimes for the younger ones; we also have clubs for football, mental health, litter-picking, science and art – really whatever the children would like to do!
Our Staffing Team
We are proud of our dedicated staff, including four teachers, four teaching assistants, and two admin staff at Lythe School, who bring energy, commitment, and skill. Currently, the Headteacher spends three days at Lythe School and two days at Goathland per week, supported by a teacher in charge at each school. Our team has embraced and actively implements our new curriculum, contributing to a positive, collaborative, and supportive work environment. Lythe has four classes with two-year groups in each – nursery and reception are also in the same class. The teaching staff are a cohesive and enthusiastic group of professionals who work extremely well together and have adapted very well to the new curriculum and are delivering it with real gusto.
Further information on Lythe’s staff can be found by clicking here. (opens in a new tab)
Our Governing Body
Both school’s Governing Bodies are committed to strategic leadership, working closely together to ensure sustainable growth and continuous improvement and educational enrichment for both schools. They are deeply invested in supporting the Headteacher in fostering a strong partnership between Lythe and Goathland, enhancing educational standards, and nurturing community relationships.
Further information on Lythe’s Governing Body can be found here on our website. (opens in a new tab)
Goathland Primary School was opened in 1808, when local craftsmen, masons and joiners, with help from farmers and labourers built it at a cost of £151 to provide free education for four children. The school became a great success, and by 1908 was bursting at the seams with 112 children on the roll. This success and support from the local community has continued to this day. Catering for children aged from 3 to 11, the school building is beautifully situated in the midst of stunning moorlands, yet only a few minutes’ drive from the main A169 Whitby to Pickering Road. Lythe CE Primary School is a short 20-minute drive away, with the North York Moors Railway running through the village, adding to the area’s unique charm.
Our small school, in a unique location with experienced, dedicated staff, is a wonderful place for children to grow and learn. We are proud to be one of North Yorkshire’s small rural schools. Teachers make great use of the local area and children benefit from a wealth of visitors to the school and trips out. Children are known as individuals and staff build excellent relationships with families. The combination of high expectations and individual nurturing means that children are inspired to do their best, resulting in great educational outcomes and happy children.
Our school consists of 2 bases for learning. Base 1 class consists of Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 and offers high quality teaching combined with Continuous Provision, which gives children the freedom to follow their interests, be inspired by exciting new experiences and explore and extend their learning in a developmentally appropriate way. Included in this base is our school nursery, which opened in July 2022. Being part of the Base 1 class, it gives children the chance to interact with a range of ages, which is beneficial to all and helps build confidence as well as providing opportunities for children to see and be inspired by the work of older children. Phonics and early reading are introduced gently and there is a seamless transition into Reception. We value play very highly and children are encouraged to challenge themselves and develop a passion for learning about the world around them.
Base 2 class consists of Years 3 to 6. Here, children flourish in a stimulating environment where interest is sparked by a wide variety of learning experiences in and out of the classroom. Children are constantly challenged to do their very best; they make excellent academic progress and leave school in Year 6 as confident, articulate young people who love learning and are excited to take on the next part of their journey.
Further information on our classes can be read here on our website. (opens in a new tab)
Outdoor Learning at Goathland
In 1877 the school was gifted a parcel of land. Whilst the 2.75 hectares of land was originally transferred for school purposes, it had never been used by Goathland Primary School. In 2018, staff, Governors and parents began the process of developing the site into a Forest School.
The school received help from The Land of Iron Project, they paid for new stock proof fencing around the boundary and also donated 770 hedge plants that parents, children and Park Volunteers planted. These hedge plants are native, indigenous species and are protected by spiral guards and canes. The plants have been placed along the boundary of Beck Hole Road, The Incline and the new hardstanding area.
The school staff and community are committed to using the site as a wildlife area and have already planted Alder Buckthorn to encourage the rare Brimstone butterfly to the site.
Our seating area is an important part of the outdoor learning experience, enabling the children to sit and record their learning by writing or drawing in a safe and manageable environment.
Further information on our forest school can be read here on our website. (opens in a new tab)
Our Pupils
We have 23 wonderful pupils on roll who relish our learning environment, and other local amenities such as The Goathland Hut, The Village Hall, St Mary’s Church, North York Moors National Park and Danby Moors Centre, and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Ofsted noted that “Pupils are proud to attend this small, rural school. The relationships between staff and pupils are nurturing.”
Our Staffing Team
Our team has embraced and actively implements our new curriculum, contributing to a positive, collaborative, and supportive work environment. We have two teachers in school covering base 1 and 2, they are supported by our two teaching assistants. Our administrator also assists with midday supervisory assistant and breakfast club duties. As a small school our staff collaborate and support each other.
Further information on Goathland’s staff can be found by clicking here. (opens in a new tab)
Our Governing Body
Both school’s Governing Bodies are committed to strategic leadership, working closely together to ensure sustainable growth and continuous improvement and educational enrichment for both schools. They are deeply invested in supporting the Headteacher in fostering a strong partnership between Lythe and Goathland, enhancing educational standards, and nurturing community relationships.
Further information on Goathland’s Governing Body can be found here on our website. (opens in a new tab)
Ofsted recognised: “Governors are highly supportive of staff. They are deeply committed to the improvement journey of the school.” (Ofsted, September 2024)
Lythe School aims to serve its community by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. It encourages an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith, and promotes Christian values through the experience it offers to all pupils. The values we hold for our school arise from the teachings and life of Christ who embodies them.
We have a clear ambition for everyone in the Lythe School family:
Our school community will flourish academically, physically and spiritually. All will shine as individuals and also as a school family, going on to enhance the wider community and the lives of those around them.
The children of our school Ethos Group have worked to sum this up in a single, simple sentence that we use to guide and evaluate all our actions:
“Be the best you can be and let your light shine.”
“You are the salt of the earth… you are the light of the world.” Jesus speaking in Matthew Chapter 5.
Staff are inspirational and are committed to excellent teaching, making outstanding progress with the children and in their own development.
Parents, carers and families are confident of the quality of education, support and learning and engage positively with the school.
The children’s experiences at school prepare them to tackle the future positively with confidence, resilience, ambition and kindness.
You can see on our website here (opens in a new tab) how this all fits together and how we have used our Vision as a basis for the design of our school badge.
Our Vision Statement
This is summed up by our motto: Believe you can. Together we will.
Our Mission Statement
Our daily work will be rooted in our vision and will be based upon giving everyone:
Outstanding teaching, delivered by ambitious and driven professionals who share the school’s aspirations for our learners, in order to ensure that we all flourish as individuals and achieve our fullest potential.
Awareness that the wellbeing of everyone is important. Whatever an individual’s place in school, their place is a safe and important one. We take care of each other, support one another in whatever way is needed and show compassion to our school family, our families at home and to those in our community.
The ability to develop their own ethics, values and beliefs. The school will provide an open, safe and enquiring environment for social, moral and spiritual development. We understand of the need to live well together with people of different faiths, ages, backgrounds, cultures, etc.
High aspirations for themselves. We will provide a feeling of empowerment to all, with opportunities to take charge and a full understanding of how to be positive agents for change in our school family and the wider community.
Confidence to take risks and to be unafraid to try and fail, to persevere, to make courageous decisions and ask difficult questions. We will support others on their journey to achieve this.
A sense of belonging. We will provide everyone with the knowledge that they are safe and valued for who they are. Everyone will be treated with respect and dignity and those values will be a driving force in our teaching. We will represent these values in the wider community.
An understanding of ourselves. We will help each other understand who we are, our feelings and behaviours. We will make positive choices; treating others the way we would want to be treated.
An understanding of the world, locally nationally and globally. We will equip everyone with the opportunity to take lessons from the past, to understand the present and to positively influence their futures. We will have the confidence to shine our individual light in times of difficulty and uncertainty.
Opportunities to discover the things we like. We will nurture the discovery of what we are good at and how to pursue individual goals and aspirations.
Understanding that it is important to attend school and to be ready to participate, learn and embody the school’s vision and mission.
Lythe
Our learning is focused around our Lythe School Oaths, which were written in collaboration between Staff, Parents, Governors and Pupils and can be read here (opens in a new tab), along with further information about our curriculum.
Collective Worship plays a central role in our school’s life. It’s the time of day when our whole school community is invited to come together in friendship in order to join in with worship and share joys, achievements and ideals as well as disappointments and sorrows. It is invitational, meaning that children are not instructed to worship, pray or believe anything, but have the chance to reflect quietly and form their own views away from the hustle and bustle of the school day which is appreciated by children and staff alike. Worship may be led by staff, visitors or the children themselves, and our Ethos Group and Collective Worship team work hard to ensure that we provide what children want.
Goathland
Goathland Primary School prides itself on being a school where inclusion and equal opportunity is central to our work with every individual. Evidence of our impact can be seen in our monitoring and assessment outcomes, including statutory assessment outcomes at the end of Key Stages, Ofsted reports, local authority visits outcomes and pupil, staff and parent questionnaires. Children are known as individuals and staff build excellent relationships with families. The combination of high expectations and individual nurturing means that children are inspired to do their best, resulting in great educational outcomes and happy children.
Located in a rural yet vibrant area, our schools attract families from Whitby and beyond, drawn to the unique learning environment. The area’s mix of farming and professional families reflects our diverse catchment. Our location offers families a high quality of life, with scenic landscapes, accessible amenities, and strong connections to nearby towns, all contributing to an ideal environment for education.
Both schools generally have a very good working relationship with parents who have supported and stayed with the school during a period of interim leadership and change. Lythe have an active PTFA who host regular events both at the schools and in the surrounding area – a mix of fundraisers and activities for the children, The school is also involved in traditional events at the village church. Being in a rural location means that we have a number of farming families and families with parents in professional occupations. Parents are generally very invested in their children’s education.
SIAMS
Our last SIAMS inspection in 2017, saw us rated ‘Good’ and can be read here. (pdf) [179 KB] (opens in a new tab)
“The impact of collective worship on the school community is good. Collective worship is enjoyed by all and is central to the daily life of the school. Its strength is in it being both creative and inclusive.” SIAMS, 2017
Our last Ofsted report also saw us rated ‘Good’ and can be read here. (pdf) [190 KB] (opens in a new tab)
This is a happy, welcoming school that sits at the heart of the local community. Every person in school, adults and pupils, strives to ensure that it is a ‘kind, safe and respectful family’. – OFSTED, 2019
Our Strengths:
- Ofsted and SIAMS identified that staff members work very well together with a collective sense of teamwork.
- There is a shared determination to improve all aspects of school life
- Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and stick closely to the schools’ behaviour policies.
- Christian values are embedded within the vision, mission and practice of the school and have a positive impact on learners who achieve well.
Areas for development:
- Improve leadership and management by ensuring that pupils’ rates of attendance continue to improve.
- Ensuring the quality of teaching & learning by ensuring that work is consistently well matched to pupils’ abilities, especially for the most able pupils.
- Increasing areas within the school, particularly within the classrooms, to allow children time and space for individual spiritual reflection and prayer.
Pupil achievement, attainment and progress
- View KS2 performance tables for this year and previous years here. (opens in a new tab)
- View comparison tables here. (opens in a new tab)
Budget position
We are in a good position financially with no deficit and a reasonable carry forward.
Lythe Short and Mid-term Priorities
- Strategic Aim 1: A curriculum that has clear intent, implementation and impact that delivers our school vision and meets the needs of all children in our school.
- Strategic Aim 2: Ensure a culture of effective safeguarding.
- Strategic Aim 3: An aspiration to enhance the school’s ambition to be a fundamental part of the church and wider community.
- Strategic Aim 4: Nurture a culture of good behaviour and self-awareness based on understanding the importance of our own wellbeing and treating others with kindness.
Additional Priorities
- To continue to implement and strengthen the ongoing and regularly reviewed relationship with Goathland and the federated approach for the new Headteacher to continue implementing and strengthening the partnership with both governing bodies. Long term, we want to go for an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating, the seeds are sown, we are looking for a Head to pick up the baton and run with it.
- Embedding the curriculum, developing outdoor learning area and the general outdoor environment.
- Development of school ICT systems and hardware, some of which are outdated.
- Retention of numbers and desire to grow numbers to sustain four classrooms.
OFSTED
Our last Ofsted report also saw us rated ‘Good’ and can be read here. (opens in a new tab)
The school is aspirational for pupils. The support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is well considered.’ – OFSTED, 2024
Our Strengths:
- The small, mixed-age classes develop strong relationships between pupils. Pupils work together well in lessons and are keen to contribute their ideas. Behaviour is very positive across the school. Pupils treat each other with high levels of respect. They play together wonderfully. Most pupils attend school regularly and on time. Pupils learn how to recognise risks and keep themselves safe.
- The forest school provides regular outdoor learning opportunities, while also developing a sense of pride for the local area and heritage.
- The school has very recently introduced a revised and more ambitious curriculum. Pupils now benefit from a broad and balanced curriculum. This is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils’ subject knowledge.
- The school supports pupils’ personal development well. It encourages pupils to try new activities. The school celebrates pupils’ talents and skills.
Areas for development:
- As the school’s work to improve the content of the curriculum is at an early stage, pupils have not had the opportunity to cover some subjects in sufficient depth. Where this is the case, pupils do not have the breadth of understanding they need to support new learning.
- The school’s checks on what pupils understand are not as precise as they need to be. In some subjects, pupils do not have a secure knowledge base to build on.
- Staff do not identify when pupils need additional help with reading as effectively as it needs to. This means some pupils do not get the timely help they need to catch up quickly.
Pupil achievement, attainment and progress
We have no KS2 data for 2023. Our Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 cohorts contain fewer than 5 children. To avoid identifying individuals, statutory assessment data is not published. Additional data can be found here. (opens in a new tab)
Budget position
Goathland has experienced some financial challenges but continues to have a bright projection and no deficit.
Goathland Short and Mid-term Priorities
- Strategic Aim 1: A curriculum that has clear intent, implementation and impact that delivers our school vision and meets the needs of all children in our school.
- Strategic Aim 2: Ensure a culture of effective safeguarding.
- Strategic Aim 3: Children play a pivotal role in both the local and broader community as a result of a deep understanding of diversity, kindness and the wellbeing needs of a wide range of cultures and protected characteristics.
Leaders and staff work with York Diocese to develop a shared understanding of Spirituality and how this can be woven into the school’s provision.
York Diocesan Board of Education supports 122 Church of England schools and academies in the area from the Humber to the Tees. We have a dedicated team of professionals who offer a wide range of expertise and can help schools access further assistance.
The Education team aims to:
- Be available as a ‘one-stop shop’ for pastoral and professional support;
- Work with a range of agencies to promote school improvement;
- Promote excellence and Christian distinctiveness;
- Provide and facilitate professional development and governor training;
- Help schools and academies network, collaborate together and share best practice;
- Offer a Total Property Management scheme in association with DBE Services Ltd;
- Guide schools on matters concerning trusts;
- Work with schools exploring Academy conversion;
- Involvement in recruitment processes for new Headteachers/Heads of School;
- Support Headteacher appraisal;
- Represent Church of England education to the wider church community and more widely to the public;
- Maintain contact with the local authorities and the Regional Directors at the DfE.
Paul Bramley, Interim Diocesan Director of Education, said:
”As a diocese, we are here to help celebrate and strengthen the Christian ethos in our schools. We understand that each school is unique and our aim is to get to know our schools on an individual basis in order to foster the local parish and community links as far as possible. As such, our Education Team offers a range of support to our headteachers from both a school distinctiveness and effectiveness point of view, as well as providing a range of training and development opportunities for staff and governors to access over the course of each year. In a rapidly changing educational landscape, we are more and more involved in wider school development, particularly as schools change from one school status to another. I do hope that you feel able to apply for the position at Lythe CE Primary School and we would look forward to welcoming you as part of our diocesan family here in the Diocese of York”. |
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is England's largest county and one of the most rural. The area comprises the Yorkshire Dales (opens in a new tab) and North York Moors (opens in a new tab), three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a stunning coastline around Scarborough and Whitby. There are ruined castles and abbeys, serene gardens, unique breweries, thrilling rides and industrial heritage. The area hosted the phenomenal Tour de France ‘Grand Depart’ in 2014 and has since created the Tour de Yorkshire, an annual event with global recognition. Our success in supporting these events led to Harrogate hosting the UCI Cycling World Championships in 2019.
North Yorkshire has plenty to offer the outdoor enthusiast. From the hard gritstone of Almscliff and Brimham rocks to the limestone of Malham, Gordale and Kilnsey climbing venues are in abundance. The Yorkshire Dales is the premier area for caving and for mountain biking; there are the bridleways of the Dales and North York Moors as well as the renowned trail centre at Dalby Forest. There are a small number of sailing clubs on reservoirs around the county and fantastic surfsport venues and sea kayaking on the east coast.
While the county is rightly known for its wide open spaces, it also incorporates attractive market towns including Pickering and Helmsley, traditional seaside towns, the Spa town of Harrogate and the ancient city of York - the most visited city outside of London. There are a wide range of shopping, leisure and cultural facilities as well as excellent schools, universities, road and rail links, there really is everything to offer you and your family as a place to work, live and enjoy!
Travelling further afield we have convenient connectivity, with close proximity to metropolitan cities of Leeds and Newcastle, with little over two hours commute on the main train line to London. We border the Lake District, Lancashire, County Durham, and Yorkshire & Humber regions with all they have to offer.
Information About Application and Guidance
When applying please take into account the following supporting documents:
Download Person Specification - Headteacher (.docx) [138 KB] (opens in a new tab)
Download Job Description - Headteacher (.docx) [61 KB] (opens in a new tab)
Application guidance, including policy statement on the recruitment of ex-offenders
The supporting information section of your application should clearly evidence your ability to meet the requirements we have outlined in the person specification. This will be used to shortlist applicants for this role and therefore it is imperative that you provide evidence as requested.
References
When completing your application, please provide two employment referees.
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.
Safeguarding
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) [789 KB ] (opens in a new tab) 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.
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 here.