Thursday 14 July 2016

Schools and the New Parent Power: This Time, the Fight is Personal By Susanna Rustin

Parents protesting against testing and compulsory academisation.

We had a public meeting of 130 people, a rally, a picnic and a stand-up comedy night, but the most important element of our campaign was getting three parent governors elected. There were three vacancies because the school hadn’t held any elections for ages,” says Natasha Steel.
Steel, who runs her own PR company, is one of a group of East Sussex parents who fought and won a battle to prevent their local school, Hove Park, from being turned into an academy. Now they have widened their sights, including setting up a group, Hands Off Our Schools Brighton & Hove, in response to government plans to force all schools to become academies.
There have been campaigns against academies since the policy of freeing schools from local authority control was launched by New Labour, and the Anti-Academies Alliance has been around for 10 years. But the government’s latest push, signalled by its schools white paper in March – combined with evidence of poor performance at some multi-academy trusts and publicity surrounding high salaries and financial irregularities – has led to a renewed surge of activism.
“I went on the Iraq war march and I’ve done the odd thing here and there but this is the most direct involvement I’ve had in any campaign in my life,” says Steel. “It’s your children, it’s your school, it’s really personal.”
“People are starting to realise they aren’t the only ones with spine-chilling stories of how children are being treated,” says Madeleine Holt, one of the organisers of another group, Rescue Our Schools, whose focus is social media. Holt, a former journalist who also runs the social enterprise Meet the Parents, believes campaigns against academisation and the removal of the requirement for parent governors, protests against behaviour policies and Sats, and parents challenging the bar on termtime holidays, are all part of the same phenomenon.
“It’s a broader movement. It’s an emotional thing: parents feel they’ve been shoved aside over the years,” she says. “It’s like a Venn diagram – we have slightly different views on some issues but there is a substantial core of shared ideas.”
“We’re not just anti-academies activists any more,” agrees Alasdair Smith, a teacher and parent in east London who was active in the Anti-Academies Alliance before setting up Parents Defending Education. “It’s about cuts, special educational needs and the curriculum.”
“You’re seeing an amalgamation of all sorts of issues,” says Steel. “Sats and the growth of testing, mental health issues, the narrowing of the curriculum.”
Steel has what she calls a “gut feeling” against academisation. Smith says he feels “vindicated” that early fears about a policy launched under Tony Blair have proved justified: “What we’re saying to every parent is: try to stop your school becoming an academy because they are unaccountable businesses.”
Other parents with less obviously political views have found themselves in conflict with a specific school or trust. Fiona Forrest contacted Rescue Our Schools because she felt a new regime of punishments, including Saturday detentions, at her daughter’s south-east London school had made it “like a workhouse”.
Nichole Roberts was among a group of parents to receive a solicitor’s letter demanding they rename a Facebook group on which they had criticised rules about dress and behaviour at Morley Academy in Leeds.
If all these parents have something in common, it is that they object to what they regard as the new and unaccountable power of schools, and the corresponding decline in their own influence. Diane Reay, professor of education at Cambridge University and a researcher in the area of family-school relationships, says the Conservative flagship policy of free schools was built on a “fallacy of parental involvement” – in the latest batch of 22 free schools approved by education secretary Nicky Morgan, just one is run by parents. She argues that “growing disquiet about schooling” may be due to growing awareness of anxiety and unhappiness (shown in statistics as well as anecdotes) in children.

David James, professor at Cardiff University and editor of the British Journal of Sociology of Education, thinks parents were slow to realise the implications of a policy that took schools out of local control. “It changes the whole dynamic,” he says. “It happened slowly but inexorably, and people partly didn’t realise because New Labour were as responsible as anyone else.”
But more recent moves to reshape governing bodies along corporate lines and reduce the number of parent governors, or remove them altogether, seem to have woken fears among parents that their voices may in future be ignored. “There is an assumption that if you’re an accountant or a lawyer you have a better sense of what is needed,” says Steel. “In my opinion the lollipop lady and playground assistant know more about the children in a school than anybody else, but they are to be excluded because they can’t manage data.”
Asked whether the weight given to parents’ opinions by Ofsted has changed, a spokesperson for the regulator highlighted Parent View, the online questionnaire launched in 2011, while a statement from the Department for Education said: “we want parents to be more involved in their child’s education, not less”, and that the “expectation that academies listen to the views and needs of parents” will be strengthened.
But despite evidence from the outgoing chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, and others that many multi-academy trusts are underperforming, and the reasonable inference that their governance model is not better than the local authority one, the government seems determined to press ahead with reforms that value skills over stakeholders.
“Academy trust boards will always be free to appoint parents as they see fit,” a spokesperson said. “We are clear, though, that governors should be appointed for their expertise.”
Whether this promise will survive the turmoil created by the EU referendum remains to be seen. But the direction of travel, towards a skills-based model of governance and away from local authorities, seems unlikely to be reversed. Campaigner and journalist Fiona Millar, who co-founded the Local Schools Network in 2010 to promote an alternative vision to academies and free schools, says: “Unless there is a change of government I think parents are going to be cut out.”
If the awkward fact for the government is the poor performance of many trusts, with mounting evidence of academy weakness wielded by activists as a weapon, the awkward fact for supporters of the previous model is that evidence about parental involvement in schools is mixed. Research shows that “parental involvement can increase inequality”, explains Reay, who ran a research project on this subject with James and Gill Crozier, because despite the good intentions of parents who believe they are committed to supporting local education for all, “there is a sense that as a good parent you need to promote your own children’s interests ... What we found is that parents often ended up campaigning for their children to be promoted to higher sets.”
James says if this shocks us, it is because we are in denial about the effect of schooling: “Education does many wonderful things but it does generate inequality as well, and acknowledging that is a really good starting point. Most policy discourse doesn’t. Education is seen as an entirely positive force instead of a process that is really quite dangerous if one isn’t quite sharp-eyed about the inequality that is being created.”
Millar says that with two-thirds of secondary schools now academies and half of those in multi-academy trusts, there is in any case no way back. Instead, she would like to see greater openness, emphasis on local partnerships, and governing bodies that combine skills and stakeholders.
For parents, it is not just a question of a school’s results or effectiveness. For some, the bonds between a school and its local area have an intrinsic and social value not easily measurable. “It’s time for parents not to be party political but parent political,” says Holt. “It’s about schools being rooted in communities and localism.”
She and others welcome the government’s partial retreat on academisation. Whether their belief  in local schools in which parents have a stake as more than consumers can gain any wider purchase in the face of the government’s standards-driven programme is doubtful. But they are trying.

Got a 2:2? Don't Panic, Get Some Work Experience By Holly Callender

‘Am I destined for the graduate scrapheap with my drinker’s degree?’


I found out my 2:2 classification sitting in the common room of a Barcelona hostel last month. After furiously calculating and recalculating my module percentages, the shock turned to tears. I called my parents for reassurance then ate six chocolate digestives.
I’d taken my final year at university seriously. I moved back home with my parents, curbed social excursions and worked hard.
Soon I was subjected to an endless social media stream of 2:1 announcements decorated with celebratory emoticons.
Am I destined for the graduate scrapheap with my drinker’s degree? Short answer: not with work experience.
Sure, the economic crash permitted companies to be picky. A 2012 survey found 75% of top employers required a 2:1 classification from applicants. However, as the financial crisis evened out, so did employers’ expectations.
“Employers can’t afford to be as choosy as they were in the recession. This means that they are not as concerned with grades as they have been, simply because there is much more competition for talent,” says Charlie Ball, head of higher education at the jobs website Prospects.
During 2015, the Big Four accounting firms phased out their 2:1 screening procedure. “This is a direction which some predict is due to grow,” says Nigel Royle, a careers advisor at the University of the West of Scotland.
Work experience is proving to be as desirable as a higher classification. “A significant number of graduate jobs are going to graduates who have had work experience in the same company,” Royle points out. “Plus, smaller companies are more likely to value work experience over a 2:1 classification.”
Ball agrees. “An employer may consider you more favourably if you have some form of work experience and they know you to be a good worker; someone who will make a valuable contribution to their company.”
According to a High Fliers report on the Graduate Market in 2016, recruiters were expecting to fill a third of full-time graduate positions with those who had already completed work experience. Better news still, 90% of top graduate employers in the UK are offering paid work experience to students and recent graduates.
For the creative industries, where recruitment programmes are thin on the ground, work experience is still vital. Paul Fisher graduated from the University of the West of Scotland with a 2:2 in sports journalism. Three years later, he is employed as a senior reporter.
“The more you write and build up a portfolio, the more notice you get,” he says. “A degree is a degree, but experience is key to success. There were some people in my year at university who left without an honours because they had managed to get full-time work.”
Even part-time work taken up during studies can be beneficial. Cara Samson, worked as a sales assistant while studying for a joint degree in psychology and sociology. “My 2:2 hasn’t held me back at all, I’m a personal banker now,” she says. “I was employed by the bank after finishing my degree in 2012 and have since been promoted. My customer service experience the main reason I got the job, not my degree.”
So rather than a couple of numbers guiding my future career prospects, it’ll be work experience and determination. As the optimistic Fisher says: “If you can get your foot in the door somewhere, this gives you opportunities and the only way is up.”

Wednesday 13 July 2016

Teacher’s Letter Praises Boy with Autism for Qualities not Tested in Sats By James Meikle


Gail Twist and son Ben
The mother of a boy with autism has publicly shared a letter from a teacher praising her son for qualities that the teacher said school tests could not measure.
The inspirational letter from Ruth Clarkson to 11-year-old Ben Twist, who failed the Sats he took this year, listed all the talents and abilities that Clarkson told Ben “make you the special person you are”.
Ben’s mother, Gail, from St Helens, Merseyside, tweeted that she was in tears as she read the words: “These tests only measure a little bit of you.”
Clarkson, an assistant headteacher at Lansbury Bridge school and sports college, congratulated Ben on his “attitude and success” in completing the Sats.
“A very important piece of information I want you to understand is that these tests only measure a little bit of you and your abilities. They are important and you have done so well but Ben Twist is made up of many other skills and talents that we at Lansbury Bridge see and measure in other ways,” she wrote.
The examples listed included his artistic talents, ability to work in a team, growing independence and kindness.
Clarkson continued: “We are so pleased that all of these different talents and abilities make you the special person you are and these are all of the things we measure to reassure us that you are always making progress and continuing to develop as a lovely bright young man. Well done Ben, we are very proud of you.”
The post by his mother has been retweeted more than 2,000 times. She told the Liverpool Echo: “Ben worked so hard and sitting the tests was a massive achievement. We knew the results were coming but to get a letter like that – I got part-way through it and I burst into tears.”
Ben, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of five, switched last year from a mainstream school to Lansbury Bridge, whose pupils include children with autistic spectrum disorders, physical disabilities, medical difficulties and speech, language and communication difficulties.
Gail Twist said: “Ben was in a mainstream school all the way through and he had one-to-one support. It was a really good school but the gap between him and his peers just grew and grew. As they were maturing, he wasn’t maturing at the same rate.
“Lansbury Bridge school is a lovely environment where people really do have each individual’s best interests at heart. Ben is sensitive and he does worry about things, and I wish more schools did things like this.
“He is all of the things they wrote about him – he is an amazing person. I think their words will stay with him if we keep reminding him what they said about him. When I told him he said: ‘Wow, do they really think all those things about me?’ It’s just a beautiful thing to do.”

Secondary School Job of the Day!

Are you a Geography Teacher looking for a September 2016 start in Sevenoaks, Kent?

TimePlan Education, working in partnership with their client school, is looking for a geography teacher who has taught successfully across key stage 3, 4 and 5. The position is a full-time contract starting September 2016. The successful candidate must be committed to achieving high standards and able to inspire students across the ability range at KS3, KS4 and KS5.

This is an excellent secondary school, located in an affluent area of West Kent. It is set in picturesque countryside. This school is forward-thinking and fosters a creative learning environment which challenges and supports the students and links well with the local community. They pride themselves on their high standards and expectations of student conduct and academic performance.

To be considered for this geography teaching vacancy based in Sevenoaks, Kent you will need to:
  • show you are an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner
  • have the willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team.
  • support the school ethos
  • possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge.
It is essential that you understand the school's academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.

In return we offer:
  • professional classroom support from our team of headteacher consultants throughout the length of your contract.
  • a dedicated key contact at the TimePlan South East office.
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet teachers who are teaching at schools in your placement area.
  • opportunities to aid your professional development.
  • pay to scale.
If you are interested in applying for this geography teaching position in Sevenoaks, Kent, please apply online today or call on 01732 373340.
TimePlan are the number one teaching agency for jobs in the south east.

Primary teaching Job of the Day !

Are you a Primary Teacher, looking for a September 2016 start in Chatham, Kent?

TimePlan Education, working in partnership with their client school, is looking for a primary teacher who has taught successfully across key stage 1 and 2. The position is a full-time contract starting September 2016. The successful candidate must be committed to achieving high standards and able to inspire students across the ability range at KS1 and KS2.

This pleasant 2 form entry school has beautifully tree-lined grounds and is always over subscribed with 420 pupils currently.
The school is very close to local amenities making it a very appealing place to work. It also boasts magnificent play areas that are covered for under 5 year olds as well as having separate grounds for infants and juniors.
The school encourages respect both inside and outside of the classroom, success and responsibility.

To be considered for this primary teaching vacancy based in Chatham , Kent you will need to;
  • show you are an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner.
  • have the willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team.
  • support the school ethos at all times during your working days.
  • possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge.
It is essential that you understand the school's academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.
In return we offer:
  • professional classroom support from our team of headteacher consultants throughout the length of your contract.
  • a dedicated key contact at the TimePlan South East office.
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet teachers who are teaching at schools in your placement area.
  • opportunities to aid your professional development.
  • pay to scale.
If you are interested in applying for this primary teaching position in Chatham, Kent, Please apply online today or call on 01732 373340.
TimePlan are the number one teaching agency for jobs in the south east.

Thursday 7 July 2016

Secondary School Job of the Day

Are you a Modern Foreign Languages Teacher, looking for a September 2016 start until October 2016 maternity cover?
Full-timeFrench/Spanish teaching job in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. TimePlan Education, working in partnership with their client school, is looking for an experienced MFL teacher who has taught successfully across key stage 3, 4 and key stage 5. The successful candidate must be committed to achieving high standards and able to inspire students across the ability range at KS3, KS4 and KS5.
This incredible academy is an all ability independent school set in 29 acres of land and has brand new facilities that include, but are not limited to, 7 science labs, a drama studio, outdoor learning spaces, and a multi-use games area.
The school is Ofsted 'outstanding' for student behaviour, academic progress, and leadership and management.
It takes pride in its success and sets high standards with clear expectations and good discipline approaches.
To be considered for this languages teaching vacancy based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent you will need to;
  • show you are an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner.
  • have the willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team.
  • support the school ethos at all times during your working days.
  • possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge.
It is essential that you understand the school's academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.
In return we offer:
  • professional classroom support from our team of headteacher consultants throughout the length of your contract.
  • a dedicated key contact at the TimePlan South East office.
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet teachers who are teaching at schools in your placement area.
  • opportunities to aid your professional development.
  • pay to scale.
If you are interested in applying for this modern foreign languages teaching position in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Please apply online today or call on 01732 373340. TimePlan are the number one teaching agency for jobs in the south east.

Primary School Jobs of the Day

Are you a Primary teacher, looking for a September 2016 start in Crawley, Sussex?

TimePlan Education, working in partnership with their client school, is looking for a primary teacher who can teach successfully across KS2. The position is a full time contract starting September 2016. A successful candidate must be committed to achieving high standards and able to inspire students across the ability range at KS2.

This Christian Church has God at the heart of all it does. The school works closely together to provide a caring, stimulant and nurturing environment.
Encouraging a love of learning, this school welcomes diversity and difference.

At the very core of its values, all the staff and pupils work to make a difference in the world by caring for one another and showing support.

The curriculum is creative, broad and relevant. It seeks to engage, challenge and inspire all learners and encourages a reflective learning community.

To be considered for this primary teaching vacancy based in Crawley, Sussex you will need to;
  • Show you are an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner.
  • Have the willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team.
  • Support the school ethos at all times during your working days.
  • Possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge.
It is essential that you understand the schools academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.
In return we offer:
  • Professional classroom support from our team of Headteacher consultants throughout the length of your contract.
  • A dedicated Key Contact at the TimePlan South East office.
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet teachers who are teaching at schools in your placement area.
  • Opportunities to aid your professional development.
  • Pay to scale.
If you are interested in applying for this primary teaching position in Crawley, Sussex please apply online today or call on 01732 373340, TimePlan the number one teaching agency for jobs in the south east.

Wednesday 29 June 2016

Primary Teaching Job of the Day

Are you a Primary teacher, looking for a September 2016 start in Crawley, Sussex?

TimePlan Education, working in partnership with their client school, is looking for a primary teacher who can teach successfully across KS2. The position is a full time contract starting September 2016. A successful candidate must be committed to achieving high standards and able to inspire students across the ability range at KS2.

This Christian Church has God at the heart of all it does. The school works closely together to provide a caring, stimulant and nurturing environment.
Encouraging a love of learning, this school welcomes diversity and difference.

At the very core of its values, all the staff and pupils work to make a difference in the world by caring for one another and showing support.

The curriculum is creative, broad and relevant. It seeks to engage, challenge and inspire all learners and encourages a reflective learning community.

To be considered for this primary teaching vacancy based in Crawley, Sussex you will need to;
  • Show you are an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner.
  • Have the willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team.
  • Support the school ethos at all times during your working days.
  • Possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge.
It is essential that you understand the schools academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.
In return we offer:
  • Professional classroom support from our team of Headteacher consultants throughout the length of your contract.
  • A dedicated Key Contact at the TimePlan South East office.
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet teachers who are teaching at schools in your placement area.
  • Opportunities to aid your professional development.
  • Pay to scale.
If you are interested in applying for this primary teaching position in Crawley, Sussex please apply online today or call on 01732 373340, TimePlan the number one teaching agency for jobs in the south east.

Monday 13 June 2016

Secondary School Job of the Day

Are you a Maths Teacher, looking for a September 2016 start in Maidstone, Kent?
TimePlan Education, working in partnership with their client school, is looking for aMaths teacher who has taught successfully across key stage 3 and 4. The position is a full-time contract starting September 2016. The successful candidate must be committed to achieving high standards and able to inspire students across the ability range at KS3 and KS4.
A high achieving popular school in Maidstone,Kent with 1,000 students on roll including 150 in a rapidly expanding 6th form. It is involved in a unique federation with a nearby Grammar School. This school became a specialist Arts College in July 2007 and it also has the Artsmark Gold award, they hold many activities for students e.g. focus days, trips to foreign countries and the best young farmers club in Kent.

The school has excellent results at KS3, GCSE and A level and has been rated offsted outstanding in the last two reports.

To be considered for this Maths teaching vacancy based in Maidstone, Kent you will need to;
  • show you are an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner.
  • have the willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team.
  • support the school ethos at all times during your working days.
  • possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge.
It is essential that you understand the school's academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.
In return we offer:
  • a dedicated key contact at the TimePlan South East office.
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet teachers who are teaching at schools in your placement area.
  • opportunities to aid your professional development.
  • pay to scale.
If you are interested in applying for this Maths teaching position in Maidstone Kent,Please apply online today or call Nicola Lacey on 01732 373340. TimePlan are the number one teaching agency for jobs in the south east.

Primary School Job of the Day

Are you a Nursery teacher, looking for a January 2017 start in Belvedere, Bexley?

TimePlan Education, working in partnership with their client school, is looking for a nursery teacher who can teach successfully across the nursery age. The position is a full time contract starting January 2017. A successful candidate must be committed to achieving high standards and able to inspire students across the ability range at nursery age.
If you are a NQT this position has a possibility to begin September 2016.

This is a large Kent infant and nursery school whose strongest features are good care, guidance and support. Parents praise the school for helping their children enjoy their early education. The schools friendly and positive ethos and good relationships between staff and pupils contribute much to the pupil’s good behaviour.

To be considered for this nursery teaching vacancy based in Belvedere, Bexley you will need to;
  • Show you are an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner.
  • Have the willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team.
  • Support the school ethos at all times during your working days.
  • Possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge.
It is essential that you understand the schools academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.
In return we offer:
  • Professional classroom support from our team of Headteacher consultants throughout the length of your contract.
  • A dedicated Key Contact at the TimePlan South East office.
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet teachers who are teaching at schools in your placement area.
  • Opportunities to aid your professional development.
  • Pay to scale.
If you are interested in applying for this nursery teaching position in Belvedere, Bexley please apply online today or call on 01732 373340, TimePlan the number one teaching agency for jobs in the south east.

Friday 13 May 2016

Secondary School Job of the Day!!

Full time science teaching job in Lewisham, South East London. TimePlan Education in partnership with their client school are seeking to appoint a highly motivated teacher of science for immediate start. The roles would be suitable for experienced members of staff or newly qualified teachers (NQTs).

If you join as an NQT you will be part of an established and extensive NQT programme, benefiting from the support and expertise of departmental mentors including a lead teacher, a tailor-made whole school professional development programme and a support network of other NQTs across subject areas.

This is a rapidly improving 11-19 school, with 1,500 students on roll including 400 in the 6th form which has enjoyed four consecutive years of improved outcomes. Standards have been transformed across the school and this is an exciting opportunity for the right person to contribute significantly to a school improvement journey. The school moved in to its state of the art facilities in 2011. The school works closely with a number of other schools nationally through Challenge Partners and a huge range of training opportunities come through this partnership. The school is located in a green and leafy part of Lewisham close to the border with Bromley and has good transport links to Central London.

This science teaching vacancy in Lewisham, South East London requires an applicant who is able offer the following:
  • Experience of teaching science
  • Delivering good and outstanding teaching practices as the norm
  • A willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team
  • Creating an enriching, supportive and high performing learning environment
  • Supporting the school ethos at all times during your working days.
  • You will be an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner.
  • You will possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge.
  • It is essential that you understand the schools academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.
In return we offer:
  • A guaranteed minimum daily rate.
  • Professional classroom support from our team of Headteacher consultants throughout the length of your contract
  • A dedicated key contact at the South East office
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet professional teachers from all over the planet who are teaching at schools in your placement area
  • Opportunities to aid your professional development.
If you have a strong desire to help students of all abilities to achieve the best they can, whilst fulfilling your own potential and interested in applying for this science teaching position in South East London then we would be very pleased to hear from you please apply online today or call Paul Chuter on 01732 373340 at TimePlan, the number one teaching agency for science teaching jobs in South East London and Kent.

Primary School Job of the Day!!

Are you a Primary teacher, looking for a September 2016 start in Northfleet?

TimePlan Education, working in partnership with their client school, is looking for a primary teacher who is qualified to teach KS2. The position is a full time contract starting September 2016. A successful candidate must be committed to achieving high standards and able to inspire students across the ability range at KS2.

This school is a 2 form entry- although some of the years have 3 forms- and it is continually growing. Whilst providing a calm and happy environment, this school works with parents and the community to nurture the students into being respectful and kind members of society. It is also imperative to all members of staff that the students enjoy learning and become life-long learners. The school pushes for the highest standards of care for their students and encourages them to be tolerant of every other person and their beliefs.

To be considered for this primary teaching vacancy based in Northfleet you will need to;
  • Show you are an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner.
  • Have the willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team.
  • Support the school ethos at all times during your working days.
  • Possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge.
It is essential that you understand the schools academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.
In return we offer:
  • Pay to Scale.
  • Professional classroom support from our team of Headteacher consultants throughout the length of your contract.
  • A dedicated Key Contact at the TimePlan South East office.
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet teachers who are teaching at schools in your placement area.
  • Opportunities to aid your professional development.
If you are interested in applying for this primary teaching position in Northfleet please apply online today or call Ruth Culbreth on 01732 373340, TimePlan the number one teaching agency for jobs in the south east.

Wednesday 4 May 2016

Secondary School Job of the Day!!

Are you an English Teacher, looking for a September 2016 start in Tonbridge, Kent?
TimePlan Education, working in partnership with their client school, is looking for an English teacher who has taught successfully across key stage 3 and 4. The position is a full-time contract starting September 2016. The successful candidate must be committed to achieving high standards and able to inspire students across the ability range at KS3 and KS4.
This single sex school in Tonbridge, Kent is a forward-looking school with a track record of innovation. In 2013 this school was judged to be 'good' by Ofsted saying that they are a 'caring and supportive school'. The school aims to create a positive, secure and happy learning environment where all students experience friendship, respect and success.

As a Performing Arts College the school offers an active but disciplined learning environment and an innovative approach to teaching.

The school offers an inclusive and diverse curriculum, which provides both academic and applied learning opportunities, prepares students for higher education and employment. It has a flourishing mixed sixth form, with an strong record of success in students achieving entry to the university or college of their choice, including Oxford.

To be considered for this English teaching vacancy based in Tonbridge, Kent you will need to;
  • show you are an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner.
  • have the willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team.
  • support the school ethos at all times during your working days.
  • possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge.
It is essential that you understand the school's academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.
In return we offer:
  • a dedicated key contact at the TimePlan South East office.
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet teachers who are teaching at schools in your placement area.
  • opportunities to aid your professional development.
  • pay to scale.
If you are interested in applying for this English teaching position in Tonbridge, Kent, Please apply online today or call on 01732 373340. TimePlan are the number one teaching agency for jobs in the south east.

Primary School Job of the Day!!

Are you a Primary teacher, looking for a September 2016 start in Bexley?

TimePlan Education, working in partnership with their client school, is looking for a primary teacher who has taught successfully across Key Stage 1. The position is a full time contract starting September 2016. A successful candidate must be committed to achieving high standards and able to inspire students across the ability range at KS1.

The school are a larger than average Primary School Academy situated in the London Borough of Bexley. The School is two form entry and heavily oversubscribed. Ofsted last inspected the school in May 2013. They are extremely proud to say that Ofsted deemed the school to be "Good with outstanding features". Ofsted quoted the behaviour as 'Pupils' behaviour is outstanding in lessons and throughout the school. They love their school and they feel safe. Pupils show determination, good concentration skills and enjoy a challenge. Their behaviour is excellent in the classroom and around the school, in corridors and in the playground. They are polite, well-mannered and respectful.

To be considered for this primary teaching vacancy based in Bexley you will need to;
  • Show you are an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner.
  • Have the willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team.
  • Support the school ethos at all times during your working days.
  • Possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge.

It is essential that you understand the schools academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.
In return we offer:
  • Professional classroom support from our team of Headteacher consultants throughout the length of your contract.
  • A dedicated Key Contact at the TimePlan South East office.
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet teachers who are teaching at schools in your placement area.
  • Opportunities to aid your professional development.
  • Pay to scale.
If you are interested in applying for this primary teaching position in Bexley please apply online today or call on 01732 373340, TimePlan the number one teaching agency for jobs in the south east.

Friday 1 April 2016

Teachers' Leader Condemns Sexist Bullying of 'Swotty' Girls By Sally Weale

Two girls keep their hands down as a boy tries to answer in a classroom
Sexist bullying in schools is inhibiting girls from putting up their hands and speaking out in class because they fear appearing “swotty and clever”, according to a senior teachers’ leader.
Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said sexist bullying was still prevalent in the classroom, where girls often felt under pressure to “keep quiet and listen to the boys talking”.
Speaking before the ATL’s annual conference, which opens in Liverpool on Monday, Bousted described “the tightrope” girls walk between being attractive and achieving at school. She said there was “a conspiracy of near silence” among girls, who did not want to appear “brainy” for fear of being called names.
“There are lots and lots of pressures on girls – to be thin, to be attractive, to be compliant and to be quiet – and it’s as great now as it ever has been.
“If you are an adolescent girl, there are so many names you can be called in school – there are very few for boys.” As a result, girls found it hard to challenge gender stereotypes, making it more difficult for them to take on challenging subjects and believe they can be successful.
A former English teacher, Bousted said she once taped the lessons at her London comprehensive school assuming that the split between boys and girls contributing in class was fairly even. When she listened back to the recording, it became clear “the boys were talking and the girls were listening”.
“I think sexist bullying is a thing that just doesn’t get talked about,” said Bousted. “For girls, there’s a very, very fine line – if you are swotty and clever and answer too many questions, you are not attractive. There’s a big pressure in many schools for girls to keep quiet and listen to the boys talking.”
The issue of sexist bullying and harassment of students is due to be discussed at the ATL conference on Tuesday where members are expected to say they deplore such behaviour and will call for training for teachers to help prevent it.
In a pre-conference briefing to the media, Bousted said social media was fuelling the problem, with girls overwhelmingly the victims of sexting. A study last week by a fellow teachers’ union, the NASUWT, suggested sexting was widespread in schools – even primaries – with more than half of teachers who responded aware of pupils using social media to share sexual messages, pictures and videos.
Bousted said: “Schools are doing what they can. They are often the safest places for young people to be, but the fact is that schools are chock full of other young people who bring in all the social norms which are outside school.
“Adolescents today have more access to highly sexualised films and content, on social media, than ever before.” She said it would be curious if that did not make itself felt in schools. “It’s very difficult for teachers to police that. You can’t just confiscate everybody’s mobile phone.”
However, she added: “I am very confident that schools are dealing with this much better than they did a few years ago. This is not something particular to schools.Schools have to promote equality and respect between the sexes and promote the behaviours they want to see in their school, but schools can’t tackle this on their own, it is one for society.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Education said: “It’s stories like this – with no evidence to back them up – that are exactly why sexism still exists. We should be celebrating the achievements and talents of women and girls rather than focussing on outdated notions. Girls are outperforming boys academically and we know that good schools support all their pupils to feel empowered to be themselves in class.
“We are crystal clear that sexist bullying, like all other forms of bullying, must not be tolerated. Every school is required by law to have measures in place to prevent it. We have strengthened teachers’ powers to tackle bullying and have made clear that teachers can discipline and investigate cases of bullying outside school. In addition, we’re ensuring all children are better educated about the dangers of the internet, with children learning about internet safety as part of the new National Curriculum.”

Thursday 31 March 2016

Primary School Job of the Day!

Are you a Qualified Reception Teacher looking for an April 2016 start in Kent?

TimePlan Education, working in partnership with their client school, is looking for a reception teacher. The position is a full-time contract starting after Easter 2016. The successful candidate must be committed to achieving high standards and able to inspire students in their early years of school.

This is a large Primary Academy in Bexley, it is part of a large and successful federation of schools across south east London. This trust has a long history of providing outstanding education to the students it caters for. This Bexley Academy has a split primary and secondary school and works closely with the local community. The school is a specialist technology academy and has excellent and modern facilities for all students. There is less than a 30 minute commute into Central London. For drivers, the school is around 2 miles from the M25 and within a close distance to the A2.


To be considered for this reception teaching vacancy based in Kent you will need to:
  • show you are an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner
  • have the willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team
  • support the school ethos at all times
  • possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge
It is essential that you understand the school's academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.

In return we offer:
  • professional classroom support from our team of headteacher consultants throughout the length of your contract.
  • a dedicated key contact at the TimePlan South East office.
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet teachers who are teaching at schools in your placement area.
  • opportunities to aid your professional development.
  • pay to scale.
If you are interested in applying for this reception teaching position in Kent, please apply online today or call on 01732 373340.
TimePlan are the number one teaching agency for jobs in the south east.

NUT chief calls on teachers to unite in opposition to Tory plans By Richard Adams

Teachers should build a coalition of “horror and dismay” at the government’s education white paper and its plans to make every school in England an academy, the general secretary of the National Union of Teachers told delegates.
In her speech to the NUT’s annual conference in Brighton, Christine Blower called the government’s plans unacceptable and likely to hurt the employment prospects of teachers.
“We know that total academisation represents the total abolition of national pay and conditions,” Blower said, arguing that issues such as holiday and maternity pay, as well as class sizes and school timetables justified the union’s decision to ballot for industrial action later this year.
Over the Easter weekend, delegates at the NUT conference strongly endorsed a strike ballot over the white paper, although the union will have to word it carefully to ensure that pay and conditions are central to avoid being vulnerable to legal challenge.
Blower said there was “an incredible level of public opposition” to the plans outlined by the education secretary, Nicky Morgan, and applauded the support from the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who became the first major party leader to address the NUT conference.
“We heard very clearly in Jeremy’s speech on Friday there will be fierce opposition from the Labour party. We are delighted to hear this,” she said, noting that Corbyn “has stood with us over the years in many campaigns which have been important to us”.
Blower – addressing her final annual conference before stepping down later this year – also called on the Department for Education (DfE) to cancel this year’s primary school tests and assessments because of delays and controversy over their setting.
“The cavalier attitude that pervades the DfE, which allowed teachers to be sent the key stage two writing guidance in February, just shows how far this secretary of state is from understanding the realities of primary education,” she said.
The DfE’s guidelines on the use of exclamation marks for its spelling and grammar tests were “piffle” and “tortuous nonsense”, according to Blower. “An excessive focus on exam results is turning our schools at all levels into exam factories. This is bad for pupils, bad for teachers and is clearly the antithesis of what NUT members believe to be a good education.”
Earlier the conference passed a motion calling for pay increases for teachers working in Greater London, to recognise the housing pressures and costs faced by its members in the capital.
An NUT survey of young teacher members in London showed that many are struggling to live and work in the city, with the average monthly cost of renting a one-bedroom flat now more than £1,000, while the average monthly take-home pay of a newly qualified teacher was just £1,600.

Wednesday 30 March 2016

Secondary School Job of the Day!

Full time science teaching job in Lewisham, South East London. TimePlan Education in partnership with their client school are seeking to appoint a highly motivated teacher of science for immediate start. The roles would be suitable for experienced members of staff or newly qualified teachers (NQTs).

If you join as an NQT you will be part of an established and extensive NQT programme, benefiting from the support and expertise of departmental mentors including a lead teacher, a tailor-made whole school professional development programme and a support network of other NQTs across subject areas.

This is a rapidly improving 11-19 school, with 1,500 students on roll including 400 in the 6th form which has enjoyed four consecutive years of improved outcomes. Standards have been transformed across the school and this is an exciting opportunity for the right person to contribute significantly to a school improvement journey. The school moved in to its state of the art facilities in 2011. The school works closely with a number of other schools nationally through Challenge Partners and a huge range of training opportunities come through this partnership. The school is located in a green and leafy part of Lewisham close to the border with Bromley and has good transport links to Central London.

This science teaching vacancy in Lewisham, South East London requires an applicant who is able offer the following:
  • Experience of teaching science
  • Delivering good and outstanding teaching practices as the norm
  • A willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team
  • Creating an enriching, supportive and high performing learning environment
  • Supporting the school ethos at all times during your working days.
  • You will be an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner.
  • You will possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge.
  • It is essential that you understand the schools academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.
In return we offer:
  • A guaranteed minimum daily rate.
  • Professional classroom support from our team of Headteacher consultants throughout the length of your contract
  • A dedicated key contact at the South East office
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet professional teachers from all over the planet who are teaching at schools in your placement area
  • Opportunities to aid your professional development.
If you have a strong desire to help students of all abilities to achieve the best they can, whilst fulfilling your own potential and interested in applying for this science teaching position in South East London then we would be very pleased to hear from you please apply online today or call Paul Chuter on 01732 373340 at TimePlan, the number one teaching agency for science teaching jobs in South East London and Kent.

Academy sixth-form closure to end A-level provision in UK borough By Sally Weale


Kids in an exam room


An academy in Knowsley, Merseyside, is under fire after it announced plans to close its sixth form, which will bring to an end A-level provision in the borough.
Halewood academy was the last school offering A-levels in the area but is now consulting on plans to close its sixth form to new students from September as a result of financial cutbacks and dwindling pupil numbers.
If agreed, the decision means that students in Knowsley, which is the worst-performing local authority at GCSE in England, will have to travel to neighbouring boroughs if they want to study A-levels.
Labour’s shadow education secretary, Lucy Powell, condemned the move, saying it went to the heart of what is wrong with “the fragmented education system” the Tories are creating and flagged up concerns about government plans to convert all schools to academies in the next six years.
She said: “Local pupils, parents, Knowsley council and MPs want to ensure sixth-form provision for young people in the area yet no one is accountable for the decision this school is making.
“It beggars belief that this will leave Knowsley with no A-level provision, damaging aspiration and the choices of young people.”
The Halewood consultation follows a decision by two other A-level providers in the area, Knowsley Community college and All Saints Catholic High school, to stop offering A-level courses last September.
Only two other local authorities in England currently have no state-funded schools with sixth-form provision – the City of London and the Scilly Isles.
The decision at Halewood will once again raise concerns about the quality of education provision in Knowsley, which has a population of 146,000. Education in the borough has been criticised by the chief inspector of schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, who highlighted the growing educational divide between north and south in a recent speech.
Official figures released in January showed that Knowsley was once again the worst-performing local authority last summer despite improved results: 37.5% of pupils received five passes at GCSE grade C or higher including English and maths, compared with 35.4% the previous year. An average 57.1% of pupils at state schools in England achieve the government benchmark of five good passes.
Local residents have expressed their anger to the Liverpool Echo, which broke the story, raising concerns about local accountability when it was unable to get answers about the closure from either the academy or the regional schools commissioner who looks after academies in the area.
Reader Colin Ascott told the Echo: “That is scary. So nobody can be held to account. These privately run academies can do whatever they want and nobody can do anything.”
MP for Garston and Halewood Maria Eagle, who is also shadow culture secretary, said the situation at Halewood academy raised wider concerns about the government’s “mismanagement” of schools in England.
“Councils such as Knowsley have had responsibility for schools taken away from them to be replaced by government-backed academies. This removes choice from local people over education in their area and has serious consequences for young people in terms of options and accessibility to further education.”
Halewood academy principal Gary Evans was unavailable for comment to the Guardian on Tuesday, but a statement on the school’s website said: “The governing body of Halewood academy has voted in favour of a proposal to remove the sixth-form provision from the school.
“The aim is for the school to be able to respond to what parents want locally while ensuring that the school makes most effective use of its resources. This will allow the school to provide a high quality provision for pupils aged 11-16 and sustain successful outcomes.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said the regional schools commissioner had been working closely with Halewood academy since it went into special measures and the school would be transferred to a new sponsor later this year.
“Halewood academy is currently consulting with its local community on closing its sixth-form intake,” the spokesperson said. “Following that consultation, should the school still wish to go ahead with that closure, it must make the case to the Education Funding Agency and the regional school commissioner that post-16 provision in the area would not be adversely affected by the closure before they are given permission to close it.”
A council report on A-level provision in Knowsley last December concluded that the number of pupils leaving Knowsley secondary schools with the necessary GCSE grades to be successful at A-level was too small to support viable A-level provision within Knowsley.
It said there were colleges outside of the borough and within easy travelling distance which offered high quality A-level provision and already attracted a large number of Knowsley learners.
“The amount of investment required to establish new A-level provision is unaffordable and unviable, particularly in the current financial environment and in view of the high quality existing competition which Knowsley residents are currently choosing to access.”
A spokesperson for Knowsley council said the academy had confirmed the sixth form will be kept open for year 12 pupils if they chose to finish their studies at Halewood, adding: “Halewood academy converted to an academy in September 2013. As an academy, it receives its funding direct from government and not from Knowsley council.
“Whilst we, as the local authority, do work with all our local academies to help them improve education standards, as an academy the school is ultimately accountable to the regional school commissioner, and not the local council.
“We will continue to work with the academy to ensure that individual pupils are supported to complete their studies. We will also work with the academy to make progress and hope that it will be possible to restore sixth-form provision at some future point.”

Primary School Job of the Day

Are you a Primary Teacher, looking for a September 2016 start in Lewisham?

TimePlan Education, working in partnership with their client school, is looking for a Primary teacher who can teach KS1 or early KS2 and NQTs are more than welcome to apply. The position is a full-time contract starting September 2016. The successful candidate must be committed to achieving high standards and able to inspire students across the ability range at KS1 and KS2.

This is an all-through school based in Lewisham, South East London on spit sites for primary and secondary. The primary school opened in 2013 and currently only has classes from Nursery through to Year 3. The school is in a multi-million new build that has lot's of character and superb facilities to facilitate learning. The school is easily accessible from the nearest overground railway station and regular buses pass the school providing a great commute into Central London.

To be considered for this Primary teaching vacancy based in Lewisham you will need to;
  • show you are an imaginative and forward thinking classroom practitioner.
  • have the willingness to form part of a successful and enthusiastic team.
  • support the school ethos at all times during your working days.
  • possess excellent teaching skills and an ability to lead classes with pace and sufficient challenge.
It is essential that you understand the school's academic standing and have a sincere commitment to sharing long-term aims.
In return we offer:
  • professional classroom support from our team of headteacher consultants throughout the length of your contract.
  • a dedicated key contact at the TimePlan South East office.
  • TimePlan South East teacher socials where you can meet teachers who are teaching at schools in your placement area.
  • opportunities to aid your professional development.
  • pay to scale.
If you are interested in applying for this Primary teaching position in Lewisham apply online today or call on 01732 373340.
TimePlan are the number one teaching agency for jobs in the south east.