Thank you for your interest in Amotherby Community Primary School's Headteacher Opportunity
Dear Applicant,
Thank you for taking the time to find out more about the role of Headteacher at Amotherby Community Primary School. At Amotherby, we recognise the significance of the role of the Headteacher in shaping the future of our school. We understand the impact that the Headteacher has on the quality of teaching, the achievements of the pupils and the role of the school in our community. The outgoing Headteacher and the team around her have created a purposeful and fun learning environment where everyone is valued, expectations are high, and the children are provided with quality teaching within a broad and engaging curriculum.
Our new leader will foster a supportive and inclusive atmosphere where pupils feel valued and encouraged to express themselves. They should prioritise the well-being of both pupils and staff, creating a positive school culture that promotes academic excellence but also social and emotional development.
Effective leadership and focus on school improvement have enabled the school to make substantial progress. This has helped us develop an excellent staff team, creating a warm and supportive environment for teaching and learning, and we are consistently challenging ourselves to find further ways to improve. We are proud of the standards we have set and the results we have achieved and wish to build on this momentum for improvement.
In February 2019, Ofsted rated the school as ‘Good’, and inspectors recognised “There is much to celebrate at this improving school” and “you have successfully created an environment in which pupils of all ages live up to the school’s motto of ‘active, aspire and achieve’”.
The school has well established values, which the children helped to create. These values provide the strong framework in the behaviour exhibited by the children, and in the expectations and commitment of our staff.
The school has an excellent reputation in the local community. To ensure that the school continues with this and its well-deserved success, the Governing Body is looking for a Headteacher who has compassion, adaptability, a strong vision, can demonstrate determination, imagination and commitment to continuous improvement. The Governing Body, although small, is committed to the future vision, success and financial stability of the school through the continuing development of a challenging but supportive relationship with a new Headteacher.
For an informal, confidential conversation about the role please call Helen Poole on 07890 055186 or email helen.poole@northyorks.gov.uk. Julie has been engaged to support us with recruitment to this key role.
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 or not applicants have visited will not influence the final outcome. To arrange a visit, please contact us via the details in the advert. We would also encourage applicants to have a look at the school website to get a feel for our school.
I hope you find the information provided useful and informative and that it will encourage you to apply. On behalf of the governing body, thank you again for your interest in Amotherby Community Primary School.
Yours faithfully
Stewart Morris
Chair of Governors
Amotherby Community Primary school is welcoming and cares for all pupils, believing that every pupil has the right to a safe learning environment which adapts to meet their individual needs. Our school aims to encourage an understanding and acceptance of other cultures, races and beliefs. This is achieved through assemblies, the PSHE curriculum and through our recent investment in our library of books available for the children to read.
Our School provides a high standard of teaching for ALL pupils. Children are taught a well-balanced and fun curriculum from experienced, committed and adaptable teaching staff. Staff ensure the children are well prepared for not only their next step in education but their future working lives in what is a diverse and continually changing world. We fully promote high levels of achievement, and base our learning from the very beginning in Reception to the final year in Year 6 on our values and vison, that we all learn better when we are:
- Active through participation in lessons, asking and answering questions and taking responsibility for our own learning,
- Aspire to be the best we can be, and,
- Achieve our full potential in all areas of life.
Our school is located in a small village in the Howardian Hills, close to Castle Howard, and 2.5 miles outside Malton. Malton is a market town nestled in beautiful Yorkshire countryside, with a variety of independent shops, great places to eat and drink and well known as ‘The Food Capital of Yorkshire’. There is a proposed new housing development in the field adjacent to the school playground but building work has yet to start.
The catchment is the local surrounding villages, but many children come to Amotherby from outside of catchment with children joining the school from Malton and Norton. Many of the villages the school serves are quite remote, and some children travel to school on the school bus. Due to the location and the distance that children travel, most families drive to school. The school deprivation indicator is 0.09 and families come from a variety of working backgrounds.
Special Features and benefits of the school:
The school sits in generous grounds which gives the children opportunities for outdoor learning and a variety of sporting activities, and we are currently investing in an outdoor learning forest school area which will open in the coming months. Malton Sports Centre specialists are funded by the school to teach PE once a week and pupils are also given the opportunity to participate in a range of sporting events held at Malton Sports Centre.
- The school and children are delighted to participate in Young Voices – the largest school choir concerts in the world – with pupils practising for next years’ concert at Sheffield Arena.
- Amotherby has recently been accepted on the RSC Associates Programme with the Theatre Royal in York. Pupils are learning Shakespeare play scenes which they’ll perform on the main stage of the theatre. Children also take part in annual plays and performances in school.
- There are regular school trips based on curriculum topics, recent trips include Jorvik Viking Centre, river studies in Denby as well as the Year 6 Bushcraft residential trip.
- The private nursery located on Meadowfield offers a breakfast and after school club.
Our Pupils:
Pupils enjoy coming to school and have good relationships with staff. Children behave well in class and are respectful of each other. They understand the importance of kindness, respect and making good choices about their behaviour. Through the PSHE curriculum, children understand the need to respect personal boundaries and recognise the beauty in personal differences.
The school places great value on understanding children’s experience of school and has an established school council and holds pupil voice sessions to gather feedback.
The majority of children engage well in their learning and show determination and perseverance. They want to learn and want to achieve well – taking pride in what they do.
More recently, school have introduced Zones of Regulation to support children in recognising and managing their emotions. This also helps develop resilience when faced with friendship issues on the playground or outside of school and helps children to recognise when a problem is big or small.
If there are any issues, children know to speak to an adult and resolutions are quickly found. Children know the school values and uphold these each day.
Child wellbeing:
The emotional well-being of the children at the school has always been a high priority and children are encouraged to talk in class and to their peers about their mental well-being. Mental health has continued to be of key importance as we come out of the Covid pandemic and activities, such as mindfulness, have been shared with the children. Online safety is also a key factor and regular information is shared with children and parents on how to stay safe on the internet.
Ofsted Recognised – “Pupils have a strong understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including how to stay safe online. The pupils I spoke to knew when they should seek adult help. They said that they trusted adults in the school to act on their behalf, should they need it. They understood the different forms that bullying can take, and the harm that it can do. Parents that I spoke to, and the vast majority of those who responded to the school’s own survey of parents’ views and Ofsted’s survey, indicated that they felt their children were safe” – Ofsted 2019
Our staff are our greatest resource and are incredibly committed, talented, loyal, positive and hardworking. They always have the best interests of the pupils at heart and are determined to find something at which every child can shine. All our staff get to know the children in our school very well and use this information to personalise opportunities for learning and socialisation. Everyone in the school works together to achieve the best outcomes for our pupils.
Ofsted Recognised – “Teachers have made sure that the classrooms are bright and lively places to learn. Displays celebrate pupils’ strong writing skills, promote their confident reading skills and provide easily accessible resources for pupils to help them with their learning” – Ofsted 2019
SLT structure:
- Headteacher (Literacy, Early Reading and French lead) covers one PPA session in Year 6
- Assistant Head (SENDCO) 3 days in class and 2 days for leadership and SENDCO responsibilities
Staff:
- 7 classes (one per year group)
- 5 full time class teachers
- 3 part time teachers (1 x 3 days, and 2 x 2 days) One of these job shares is with the full time Assistant
- 6 TAs who are class based and currently no 1:1s
- 1 HLTA who covers PPA and leads phonic intervention groups
- 2 office staff
Ofsted Recognised – There is much to celebrate at this improving school. You, your leaders and governors are clear about the strengths of the school and what needs to improve” – Ofsted 2019
The Governing Body’s Role and Support:
The governing body are committed to the whole school community. Governors meet monthly to monitor progress and provide strategic leadership. Each governor has designated areas of responsibility. There are regular governor visits to the school with governors working with staff to ensure that they have a clear understanding of developments in their subject areas.
Meet and read more about our Governing Body here.
Our vision - Active – Aspire – Achieve, underpins our curriculum and our approach. We want our pupils to be active to keep their body and mind healthy, but we also talk about the importance of being active within their learning through engaging in lessons, asking and answering questions and taking responsibility for their own learning. We want our pupils to aspire to be the best that they can be and ultimately achieve their full potential in all areas of life.
We have three rules ‘Be ready, be respectful, be safe’ which underpin our behaviour policy. We focus on rewarding positive behaviour through the use of recognition boards in classes and Dojo points across school where children are spotted making the right choices. We encourage children to go Above and Beyond in our weekly assembly where teachers select one or two pupils from the class to receive an Above and Beyond award. This is a post card which is given for showing acts of kindness, perseverance, determination, and other traits that we are trying to encourage within our pupils. The pupils who receive the Above and Beyond get to sit in a chair for assembly and go first in the lunch queue. Our policy encourages intrinsic rewards and the understanding that being proud of what we have achieved is better than any token gift. All staff have ‘Dojo stickers’ which they can give to pupils at any point when they catch them doing the right thing around school.
Work-life balance is considered when implementing new policies for staff. Leadership have worked hard to ensure that all staff are involved in decisions being made. A low-threat, high-impact approach to monitoring has been implemented so that teachers feel they can take risks in their teaching without fear of judgement. Teachers are encouraged to adapt to their class and to the individual needs of pupils, using their expertise in learning to support their decisions.
Ofsted 2019 – (Good)
Current areas identified for improvement:
Improving educational attainment, with Maths as a priority area:
Data has shown maths as an area of priority. We currently use White Rose, but we are now supplementing this with NCETM. We have a focus on securing arithmetic and fluency. At the end of KS2 girls perform worse than boys and this affects the overall combined result for girls.
In order to increase the number of children achieving greater depth in writing , we have adopted Clever Writer to support the teaching of writing and have in place assessment descriptors for all year groups. We have also implemented whole class guided reading to ensure high quality texts are being used across the school and accelerated progress for those working below expected standard, including pupils with SEN.
In phonics, we are focusing on ensuring that the daily keep-up sessions are effective and we are also establishing coaching sessions.
Develop the school’s assessment approach to improve pupils’ learning and progress through their primary years:
This is an area of development for the school. We want to improve our approach to assessments to build a picture over time of a child’s learning progress across the curriculum.
Continuing to embed the new approach to behaviour:
Behaviour of children at Amotherby is good –A new behaviour policy has been implemented to ensure consistency across the school and we are considering how we ensure new pupils are aware of our school rules and procedures.
Improve ICT and better maintain or upgrade buildings and grounds:
In common with many schools, more investment is needed to maintain buildings, including the kitchen facilities, and to improve ICT. The board will work with the new head to develop a long-term sustainable plan to tackle these challenges.
Main areas of development are outlined in our school improvement plan and focus on the following areas:
Future Considerations:
- The school governing board are considering whether to join an academy and plan to welcome our new Headteacher ahead of progressing to a decision.
- School currently runs below PAN at 192 out of 210.
- In common with many schools, investment is needed to maintain buildings, including the kitchen facilities, and to improve ICT.
Make-up, needs and expectations of pupils:
- Pupils are predominantly from a white British background
- Pupil Premium is around 12%
- There is some mobility with pupils joining the school during the school year.
Current school strengths:
- Over the last 3 years the school have implemented a refreshed curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils and we continue to embed this approach.
- Detailed plans are now in place for subjects which show progression of skills and knowledge. Core knowledge is mapped out and core questions for each topic taught directs planning and learning allowing for clear progression.
- We have also worked hard to ensure that the curriculum in EYFS prepares our children for KS1 and implemented areas of provision within Year 1 to aid this
- We have implemented Little Wandle as our phonics scheme and we are starting to see a positive impact on reading within KS1.
- We have also adopted Rapid Catch-Up for those children in KS2 who are not yet reading fluently.
- Those staff who are involved in the daily teaching of Little Wandle, have visited a champion school to see Little Wandle in action.
Strong approach to subject leadership:
We have developed subject leaders across the curriculum, seeking out training and opportunities to visit other schools to see best practice. Our subject leaders are now confident with their subject and have had opportunities to monitor the subject through book trawls, pupil voice and monitoring.
Improving education through a commitment to continued professional development:
Amotherby places great value on investing in our teachers to support staff development and to improve the learning outcomes of children in school. Staff have opportunity to access support and CPD, both within the school and through external training.
Enrichment through extra-curricular activities:
With support from the PTA the school are increasing opportunities for pupils to access enrichment activities. We participate in Young Voices – the largest school choir concerts in the world – with pupils practising for next years’ concert at Sheffield Arena and have also been accepted on the RSC Associates Programme with the Theatre Royal in York.
There are also regular school trips based on curriculum topics, recent trips include Jorvik Viking Centre, river studies in Denby as well as the Year 6 Bushcraft residential trip.
Current levels of pupil achievement, attainment and progress:
In 2022, end of KS2 results maintained or improved upon previous reported results in 2019 with the exception of greater depth. Greater depth across reading and maths improved in 2023, but the school did not secure any greater depth writers so this has become a priority on the school development plan. A further focus is the need for pupils who are working below the expected standard, particularly those with SEND needs, to make accelerated progress towards the expected standard.
KS1 data at the end of 2022 was significantly below national in all levels, but data at the end of 2023 showed pupils working above national in reading and writing, but below national in maths. Maths has been identified as an area of development within school with a focus on improving how school use the White Rose Scheme. In order to continue to improve, the school have adapted the timetable and are building in resources from the NCTEM. The maths leader is also part of a Mastery Hub, and we have this year launched 'Mastering Number' in KS1 classes to support improved outcomes.
We currently have 12.5% of pupils on the SEND register with the main needs being 'cognition and learning' and 'communication and interaction'.
Budgetary position:
In common with most schools, rising energy costs, high inflation and increasing costs is putting pressure on budgets. Amotherby currently runs with an in-year deficit but has surplus funds allowing carry forward for the coming years. Therefore, at present, although the school does not run with a deficit budget the board is closely scrutinising financial forecasts and future spending to continue to maintain financial stability.
Ofsted Recognised – “Parents that I spoke to, and the vast majority of those who responded to the school’s own survey of parents’ views and Ofsted’s survey, indicated that they felt their children were safe. They also said that any instances of bullying or poor behaviour were dealt with effectively by your team” – Ofsted 2019
The school has a positive relationship with parents and encourages parents to come into school if they have any concerns. The school is part of a busy village and recognises the importance of building relationships with the local community. This is an area the school and governing board are keen to develop.
We all work hard to maintain good partnership with parents and carers for the benefit of each child. Many parents/carers continue to been engaged and support our school which has is positive for the children. We offer parents’ evenings three times a year and invite parents into school for regular topic events.
We have an active PTA who were re-established in 2022. They have held events including bake sales, quiz nights, a bird hunt and a summer fayre. This has raised funds for trips and additional playtime resources. They have also successfully bid for grants which the school is using to improve the outdoor space. The summer fayre was a real success in raising funds and bringing the school community together, even making it into the local newspaper;
Hundreds flock to Amotherby School fair, in Ryedale | Gazette & Herald (gazetteherald.co.uk)
Local Authority and School Improvement:
The school has a positive relationship with the Local Authority. The Local Authority provider support and accountability for the school. Safeguarding and attendance are monitored and support is provided for our school improvement priorities.
Staff are also made aware of training opportunities through the LA and our leaders and designated safeguarding lead attend LA organised meetings, training and networking sessions.
Collaborative Partnerships:
IThrive – A group of schools who work together on school improvement and wellbeing. Other members include Malton Secondary School, West Heslerton CofE Primary School, Hertford Vale CofE Primary School, Settrington CofE Primary School.
Ryedale Heads – Focus on sharing best practice and supporting wellbeing across a larger group of primary schools.
Support that will be available to the new Headteacher:
- Our new head will receive full support from the governing board and the board will discuss and agree with the new head what additional support they would value to successfully lead the school.
- Support will also be available from peers as part of the I THRIVE group of schools and the Ryedale Heads group.
Malton:
Malton, a town of makers & markets, set in the most beautiful Yorkshire countryside.Malton is a town passionate about artisan producers, independent shops & great places to taste the delicious food & drink. With superb local, farm to fork produce & exciting events, Malton is proud to be known as “Yorkshire’s Food Capital”.
Please click here to learn all about Malton. There is also a video on this link to hear more about Malton.
North Yorkshire:
North Yorkshire is England's largest county and one of the most rural. The area comprises the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, three areas of outstanding natural beauty, the Pennines 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 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 surf sport 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. 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.
Learn more about Amotherby Community Primary School's Headteacher opportunity
Amotherby Community Primary School, Malton, North Yorkshire
Post: Headteacher
Number on Roll: 192
Commencing: April 2024
Salary: L13 £63,430 – L19 £73,509
Contract Term: Permanent
Amotherby is a friendly, welcoming, child-centred, forward thinking village school, situated near the market town of Malton in North Yorkshire. We provide a safe and purposeful environment, within which each pupil is valued and motivated to strive for excellence. At Amotherby we see the diversity in our community as a strength of the school and we aim to ensure that every pupil is challenged and supported to achieve.
Our Opportunity:
We are looking for an experienced school leader who has compassion, adaptability, and a strong vision, including high educational standards to enable every pupil to achieve their full potential.
Our new leader will foster a supportive and inclusive atmosphere where pupils feel valued and encouraged to express themselves. They should prioritise the well-being of both pupils and staff, creating a positive school culture that promotes academic excellence but also social and emotional development.
The successful candidate will be adaptable and forward-thinking, confidently navigating the continually changing educational landscape whether in curriculum, technology, or teaching methods.
With the ability to manage resources effectively and innovatively you will ensure investment is value for money and well planned. You will also be a dynamic communicator, confident and proactive in developing relationships with parents, the wider community, Local Authority, and other key stakeholders.
As an innovative leader, you will inspire staff to deliver high quality teaching and embrace new ideas, ensuring that the school continues to improve and provides pupils with a well-rounded education that prepares them for the challenges of the future. By combining a compassionate approach with adaptability and a visionary mindset, our new Headteacher will create an environment where both pupils and staff thrive.
About You:
You will be someone who will actively model and promote the school’s values, EDI and Amotherby’s collective determination that no child should be ‘left behind’.
In particular, we are looking for a Headteacher who will;
- Be a committed leader with excellent interpersonal and communication skills who can motivate and manage all stakeholders, effectively shaping and delivering the strategic plan. Willing to roll their sleeves up, is resilient and able to deal with the complexity and challenges of school leadership.
- Be someone who is capable of and confident in making difficult decisions and asking challenging questions in order to seek the best possible outcome for our school.
- Have a continuing drive to reflect, learn and strive for positive development, for themselves, their staff team, the children and our school as a whole.
- Have strong experience of managing collaborative approaches to lead and manage the curriculum, building on recent improvements.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the needs of young people, social, physical and emotional alongside educational needs, and ensure that the school provides a rounded provision to nurture them.
- Have a strong understanding of removing the barriers for disadvantaged learners; the skill of ensuring that the more vulnerable children make strong progress in their learning.
- Be collaborative and outward looking, developing partnerships for the benefit of the school and the wider educational community.
- Have a proven ability to analyse and communicate complex data and written information
- Be someone who recognises the importance of maintaining the school’s existing values while instilling their own leadership and identity.
- Have a thorough understanding and experience of school self-evaluation and school improvement planning
- Be an outstanding teaching practitioner able to set and achieve ambitious goals, continually seek to raise standards by developing staff and ensure quality of teaching and learning and to develop a clear vision to move the school towards excellence and continue its further improvement.
- Develop staff by offering guidance and support, modelling best practice and sharing up-to-date knowledge, theory and practice and by encouraging opportunities for continued professional development.
- Consider and shape how we can adapt our practices innovatively to promote and enhance the wellbeing of our staff team.
- Be able to review our financial resources and look at how we invest in our school.
- Maintain excellent safeguarding arrangements, and a strong focus on children’s wellbeing and resilience.
We can offer you:
- A happy, caring and supportive school, with dedicated staff, supportive families, and support from the local authority.
- Delightful children who respect each other, have a thirst for learning new things and a staff culture which allows new members to thrive and develop.
- An opportunity to see the huge potential that exists here and with clear support, tenacity, energy and the time to make Amotherby Primary School a beacon of excellence in primary education.
- A school that is committed to continuous improvement through its ethos to maintain its high academic performance.
- An excellent opportunity to provide strategic leadership and direction, working collaboratively and constructively with the governing body to achieve this.
- A governing body that are committed to providing support on all matters including more sensitive or difficult issues - this includes the wellbeing of all staff members – and who are experienced, committed and passionate about our school and ensuring all children reach their potential.
- A thriving PTA who actively support the school, and parents who engage with the school and their children’s learning.
- Support will also be available from peers as part of the I THRIVE group of schools and the Ryedale Heads group.
If you feel ready to be our next Headteacher and you can bring your experience, compassion, enthusiasm, drive, commitment, and energy to deliver our strong vision for our wonderful children and motivated staff, we would love to hear from you.
For an informal, confidential conversation about the role please call Helen Poole on 07890 055186 or email helen.poole@northyorks.gov.uk. Julie has been engaged to support us with recruitment to this key role.
Key dates:
School Visits: School visits are invited, to arrange a visit by appointment only please contact – Clare Swift admin@amotherby.n-yorks.sch.uk alternatively they can call the school on 01653 693675.
Application closing date: Midnight, 7th January
Shortlisting: Thursday 11th January
Interviews: Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th January
When applying please take into account the following:
Supporting Documents:
Person Specification
Job Description
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.
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 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.