Recruitment Pack – EYFS and Year 1 Class Teachers
Dear Applicant
Thank you for taking an interest in King’s Cross Academy. The Academy opened in
September 2015, as part of an innovative education campus, collocated with Frank
Barnes School for Deaf Children and in the heart of King’s Cross.
King’s Cross is an exceptional place: one that represents the best of Central London.
New homes, offices and workplaces; shops, cafés and restaurants; higher educational
institutions; leisure, social and community facilities are set around successful new
streets and outstanding public spaces, framed by historic buildings and structures.
The Academy is located just to the west of Granary Square and along the historic
Regent’s Cana in the new ‘Plimsoll Building’.
Every aspect of the Academy should be the best it can possibly be. We want to give
our pupils the best possible education and the best learning opportunities to face the
challenges of the 21st Century, so they leave us as highly successful learners with the
aspiration to achieve even more in their future lives.
We intend to make use of Academy freedoms but also see ourselves as an active
member of the Camden family of schools. In particular, we will draw upon the
exceptional facilities we are creating at King’s Cross and our unique relationship with
incoming occupiers such as Google UK to develop a first-class educational offer and
enrichment programme.
We are enormously excited about the Academy and we have high expectations of
everyone who works with us.
This is a unique, “once in a lifetime” opportunity for us all. We are looking for
exceptional classroom teachers to share this excitement, work with us and help
develop the Academy, to transform the lives of children and families in King’s Cross.
Kind Regards
Emyr Fairburn
Founding Headteacher
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Introduction
King’s Cross Academy Trust is seeking outstanding teachers who share our
ethos and passion for the role of education in transforming lives. We want to
appoint individuals who care passionately about the children and the Academy;
who work continually to do the best for them, who can get the best from
colleagues and who are vehemently focussed on learning. We want exceptional
teachers to transform the lives of those children who come to the Academy.
About the New King’s Cross Academy
The ongoing transformation of King’s Cross is one of the largest, most significant and
successful urban development projects in the UK. This is a new, thriving and growing
community, which includes 2,000 new homes, commercial and retail properties, higher
educational and other education institutions, leisure and social amenities including 26
acres of open space. Over the next few years, the working population within the
development will rise to 35,000; there will be 7,000 people living here; and there will
be many more thousands visiting every day. At the heart of this project, within the
‘Plimsoll Building’, a unique education campus has been purpose designed. We see
the new King’s Cross Academy as fundamental to the wider regeneration of King’s
Cross, becoming a focal point for and delivering benefits to the whole community.
King’s Cross Academy is collocated with Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children,
situated to the north of King’s Cross and St Pancras station, close to the Regent’s
Canal and Camley Street Natural Park. The schools and an associated community
meeting facility occupies the ground and first floors of a 15 storey building, with new
homes (apartments) above, accessed by a separate entrance off Handyside Street.
The Academy has its own secure playground on site. It also has access to a new
urban park within the re-erected Gas Holder No. 8, the symbol of the school, and to a
multi-use games area in the adjacent building.
King’s Cross Academy opened in September 2015 as a 2 form entry (426 place)
primary school with a 26 place nursery for 3-4 year olds. In 2015 the intake was
restricted to the nursery and two Reception classes. The Academy will expand each
year until 2021 when it will have a total of 446 children. In September 2016 we open
our first year 1 classes. The new premises have been designed with shared spaces
for staff training and collaborative development and for children from both schools to
play together. The new schools’ community will celebrate bilingualism: English, British
Sign Language (BSL) and other community languages. We will have a wonderful and
cultural mix with all children feeling a deep sense of belonging in the schools.
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King’s Cross Academy Trust
King’s Cross Academy is being sponsored by the King’s Cross Academy Trust. The
King’s Cross Academy Trust is a new single Academy Trust formed by the King’s Cross
Limited Partnership (KCCLP) and Michael and Clara Freeman. KCCLP is the
developer responsible for the King’s Cross redevelopment, including The Plimsoll
Building and the new school premises. KCCLP is chaired by Sir David Clementi,
former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England and now a Member of the Academy
Trust.
Our Chair of Governors, Robert Evans, is a Partner at Argent and sits on the KCCLP
Board. He is also a Member of the Academy Trust. Robert has been playing a lead
role in the King’s Cross project since 2001 and was responsible for drawing up the
outline planning application. He was also responsible for commissioning the first
design studies of co-locating the new Academy with Frank Barnes School for Deaf
Children and has worked closely with their Headteacher and other local schools. He
is a member of Camden Partnership for Educational Excellence (CPEE) Board.
Michael Freeman co-founded Argent. Clara Freeman, his wife, a former Executive
Director of Marks and Spencer is now Deputy Chair of the Court of Governors of
University of the Arts, London (UAL), whose Central St. Martin’s campus was the
earliest occupier of the King’s Cross development. They are both Members of the
King’s Cross Academy Trust and Michael is a Governor of the Academy.
The overriding vision for King’s Cross is to create an exceptional area of London, one
that presents a world-class offer to people who will choose to live, work, study or spend
time here. It is an eclectic place: professional without being corporate, with many
different kinds of activity successfully co-existing side by side: well integrated with the
areas around it and designed to be sustainable for many decades. King’s Cross
Academy lies at the heart of this new area.
Our Vision
The Trust’s vision is that King’s Cross Academy should be the best it can possibly
be. Every pupil, every teacher, every helper, everyone involved with the Academy
must have the best possible opportunities, the best possible experience while they are
there and the best possible future prospects.
Our vision for King’s Cross Academy is for a school which keeps pace with our rapidly
changing world, makes the most of this dynamic location within London as a World
City and prepares children for both the opportunities and challenges that will face them
in the 21st Century and beyond. We aim to create a school with an inclusive and
respectful ethos that celebrates the richness and diversity of its location and
population, while promoting high aspirations and high educational attainment,
excellent behaviour and concern for others’ needs and sensitivities.
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The challenge for everyone involved with the Academy will be to realise this vision and
to give local children the best chances from the start. The Sponsors, Governors and
Headteacher are excited at this amazing opportunity of opening a school in this
fantastic location, and we want teachers who will work with the Headteacher and
current staff on ensuring the future success of the Academy.
King’s Cross Academy’s Neighbours
King’s Cross Academy is uniquely placed with opportunities for its pupils and staff to
benefit both in mainstream delivery and enrichment support. UAL has identified the
Academy as a key partner school within its plans for widening participation with
exciting offers of practical art and design support from their staff and Student
Ambassadors for our pupils, staff and parents. The businesses and organisations on
the site or nearby who want to work in partnership with us include Google UK, who will
occupy one of the most innovative office buildings ever designed in the UK, and
Waitrose, a supermarket and cookery school who want to work with local schools.
Other neighbours include BNP Paribas Real Estate, Camden Council, the Aga Khan
Foundation, Argent, Louis Vuitton, The Performing Rights Society for Music, Global
Generation and, within the immediate area, the Guardian, Macmillan and Network
Rail. We have a strong relationship with Camden Council and want to play an active
part in achieving Camden’s vision for the area.
The Academy works closely with other schools and maintains the outstanding primary
education results for the area. There are real opportunities of promoting collaborative
arrangements between businesses and other local agencies. The Academy has
already become a critical hub for King’s cross, delivering benefits for young people
and the whole community. We make use of academy freedoms by extending the
school day and drawing upon the exceptional facilities being created at King’s Cross
and our unique relationships with other King’s Cross occupiers to develop an
enrichment programme, including breakfast and after-school activities.
Teachers
The Early Years and Year 1 Teachers will play a key role in working with the Phase
Leader and Headteacher at ensuring we take advantage of these opportunities to
promote high aspirations and educational attainment for all our pupils.
We need individuals who are ready to become a part of a team that is able to take on
the exciting challenge of creating a new learning community within the heart of a new
and growing wider community.
Our teachers will:
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be outstanding practitioners
have a passion for learning and sees the power of research in informing and
improving practice
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have experience of analysing pupil data and designing interventions to support
pupils’ learning
have a track record of delivering improvement in children’s learning and
teachers’ practice
be flexible and understand the many exciting opportunities and challenges that
lie ahead in opening a brand new school.
All our teachers will be an outstanding practitioners who are able to ensure that our
children and our whole school community share the aspiration to ‘be the best they can
possibly be’.
Curriculum
Our curriculum provides an integrated framework for learning. It will provide breadth
and balance as well as securing the fundamentals of literacy, numeracy, science and
ICT capability. There is a strong emphasis on children’s personal development
including the development of learning and thinking skills and personal, social and
emotional skills. All children have high quality opportunities to take part in music, arts
and sport and find out what they enjoy; and what they are best at. The aim of our
curriculum is to enable all the children at the Academy to be highly successful life-long
learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens.
The curriculum is constructed to make the best use of the Academy’s unique location,
both in terms of the opportunities offered by the collocation with Frank Barnes School
for Deaf Children and the school’s position within the King’s Cross development,
Camden and London. For example:




our curriculum includes the teaching of British Sign Language to all children, as
well as other modern foreign languages;
we maximise the opportunities for arts education that come from being linked to
UAL;
we introduce our children to the joys of nature, to the fun of growing things, to
healthy eating and a love of exercise and sport; and
we plan our curriculum to highlight the scientific, historical and geographical first
hand learning opportunities offered by the ongoing planning, construction and
management of the surrounding development, which includes the refurbishment
and reuse of some 20 historic buildings and structures and the delivery of new
urban squares, parks and gardens.
General Note
Canvassing the Head teacher or members of staff or members of the Governing
Body, directly or indirectly, is prohibited and will be considered a disqualification.
You may request policies associated with our recruitment and selection procedures
by email.
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If you would like to speak with the Headteacher, Emyr Fairburn, to find out more
about the Academy and this post please contact the administration team at
admin@kingscrossacademy.org.uk
To find out more about
kingscrossacademy.org.uk.
the Academy
please
visit
our
website
at
To find out more about the King’s Cross development visit kingscross.co.uk
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JOB DESCRIPTION
Post Title:
EYFS/PRIMARY TEACHER WITH NO
MANAGEMENT POINTS
Grade:
M2 – M6
The Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of
children and young people and requires all staff to share this commitment.
This job description should be read alongside the range of duties of teachers
set out in the annual School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document.
Members of staff should at all times work within the framework provided by the
Academy’s Policy statements to fulfil the general aims and objectives of the
School Development/Improvement Plan.
The postholder will agree major objectives with the Headteacher. These
objectives will include:
1.
Achieving the highest possible standards of education for pupils in the
allocated class.
2.
The implementation of whole school policies and programmes to meet
the needs of pupils and to improve the level of achievement.
PURPOSE OF THE JOB
To support the development of the Academy and embrace the opportunities and
challenges with opening a brand new school.
To ensure the highest possible standards of education of the pupils for whom the
teacher has class/group responsibility - socially, emotionally, physically, intellectually
and aesthetically.
To ensure the progress and development of pupils within the class and wider school
population.
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To ensure continuity of policies, practice and curriculum within the class, promoting
equal opportunities for all.
RESPONSIBILITY
The teacher is responsible to the Phase Leader.
LIAISON AND CO-OPERATION
The teacher will work in liaison, contact and co-operation with:
-
other members of staff, including those from Frank Barnes School for Deaf
Children;
-
professionals from support and advisory services;
-
organisations and networks in King’s Cross, Camden and the wider
community relevant to the teacher’s specialism or subject;
-
parents, governors and the local community.
POLICY AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK
The teacher will work within the framework of:
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national legislation, including Education Acts from 1944 to 1993, the SEND
Code of Practice and the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Act 1991;
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Academy policies and guidelines on the curriculum and school organisation;
and to race and gender equality
TASKS AND DUTIES
1.
Planning
To plan and prepare courses, schemes of work and individual lessons,
appropriate to the needs, interests, experience and existing knowledge of the
pupils in the class.
2.
Setting and supervising work
To teach a class, or classes, sets, groups or individual pupils, and to set tasks
to be undertaken both at school and elsewhere, having regard for the
requirements of the Foundation Stage or National Curriculum.
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3.
Marking and Recording
To mark and assess pupils’ work, and to record their development, progress
and attainment, both at school and elsewhere having regard to the
requirements of the Foundation Stage or National Curriculum and to inform
future planning and ensure differentiation.
4.
Discipline and Relationships
To maintain good order, discipline and respect for others among pupils; to
promote understanding of the Academy’s rules and values; to safeguard health
and safety; and to develop relationships with and between pupils conducive to
optimum learning.
5.
Communication with parents
To build and maintain co-operative relationships with parents, and to
communicate with them on pupils’ learning and progress, drawing attention to
special skills and talents as well as to areas for development or difficulties.
6.
Displays and environment
To create an attractive and stimulating learning environment, and to contribute
to ideas for displays in the Academy as a whole.
7.
Safeguarding
Display a commitment to the protection and safeguarding of children and young
people
8.
Overall policy and review
To take part in whole-school reviews of policy and aims and in the revision of
formulation of guidelines.
9.
Reports
To provide or contribute to oral and written assessments, reports and
references, both at school and elsewhere, relating to the development and
learning of individual pupils and groups of pupils, having regard to the
requirements of the Foundation Stage and/or National Curriculum.
10.
Review
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To evaluate and review own teaching methods, materials and schemes of work,
and to make changes as appropriate.
11.
Professional
To keep-up-to-date with current educational thinking and practice, both by study
and by attendance at courses, workshops and meetings; and to participate in
national or local arrangements for appraisal of staff performance.
12.
Cover
To supervise, and so far as practicable to teach, any pupils whose teacher is
absent to a maximum of 38 hours per annum.
13.
Equality policies
To help ensure that subject-matter and learning resources reflect Academy
policies on race and gender equality, and that the implications of these policies
are borne in mind in relation to all tasks and duties listed.
13.
Model of good practice and Guidelines
To contribute to the production, and continuous evaluation and review, of
whole-school policy and guidelines.
14.
Resources and equipment
To advise the Phase Leader on the requisition or purchase of books and other
learning materials, and of relevant equipment.
16.
Monitoring
To monitor children’s books or folders according to the Academy policy, and to
check appropriateness of the content, progression and continuity, consistency
in marking and responding, and standards of presentation and learning.
17.
Cross Curricular links
To work with curriculum leaders to ensure that the area of responsibility is
taught directly, and also implicitly and indirectly, whenever appropriate, across
the whole curriculum of the Academy.
18.
Own development
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To keep abreast of new thinking and practice, by attending courses and
continuing professional development sessions, and by reading books, articles
newsletters, documents, etc.
19.
Transfers and liaison
To give information to, and to collect information from, schools to which pupils
transfer at 11+; and, whenever appropriate, to promote and improve liaison and
continuity between the foundation stage and other primary stages.
20.
Out of Hours’ Clubs
At least once a week, to run an out of hours’ club which builds on the interest
of our children.
21.
Other Tasks / Duties
To carry out any other tasks linked to the post as directed by the Headteacher.
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PERSON SPECIFICATION
Post Title:
Grade:
PRIMARY TEACHER WITH NO
MANAGEMENT POINTS
M1 – M6
You must demonstrate on your application form and during the selection process
that you meet the following essential criteria:-
EDUCATION
AND
EXPERIENCE
Qualifications
1. Qualified Teacher Status and evidence of appropriate subsequent
continuing professional development.
Experience
2. Experience of teaching, including during Initial Teaching Training of either
EYFS, key stage 1 or 2.
3. Proven experience of leading and managing change at an appropriate level
including the curriculum and classroom organisation and administration in
a primary school.
4. Proven experience of high standards of primary classroom practice.
Personal Qualities
5. Evidence of the personal and intellectual qualities required to set an
example to others.
6. Respect for the views of parents and a commitment to the importance of
the involvement of parents in the learning process.
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Commitment to Excellence
7. Evidence of a commitment to excellence and the maximising of academic
and personal achievement for all pupils.
Leading and Managing Development
SKILLS,
KNOWLEDGE
& ABILITIES
8. Evidence of a clear view about the development of an area in schools and
the potential to lead a managed change in the future
Educational and Curriculum Matters
9. An understanding of the different ways in which children learn and the
appropriateness of a variety of teaching styles to meet the individual
learning needs of each child.
10. Evidence of the ability to organise successfully the curriculum for a class of
pupils of mixed abilities, aptitudes and educational needs through planning,
preparation, monitoring and assessment.
11. A thorough knowledge of the Foundation Stage and National Curriculum
and learning strategies for children of all abilities.
12. Evidence of good general knowledge of the requirements of the Foundation
Stage and National Curriculum and education in the broadest sense.
13. Evidence of good organisational skills to create and maintain a stimulating
and attractive learning environment.
Performance Review
14. Evidence of the ability to define effective measures for the performance of
pupils and classes and to keep these measures under systematic review.
Behaviour and Ethos
15. Evidence of the ability to maintain effective classroom discipline in a
positive context and to promote well-ordered and self-disciplined behaviour
throughout the Academy.
16. Commitment and willingness to meet the needs of the ethos and flexible
working arrangements of the Academy.
17. To have a commitment to following the school’s bilingual ethos and be
willing to implement the language and communication policy.
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Needs of Young Children
18. Evidence of knowledge and understanding of the range of needs of young
children and the implications for their learning.
Interpersonal Skills
19. Evidence of good interpersonal skills and the ability to work as member of
a team and develop and maintain good relations with all members of the
school community. To work co-operatively with the staff of Frank Barnes
School for Deaf Children, the Local Authority and relevant agencies as
required.
Communication
20. Evidence of the ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing
with pupils, parents and colleagues.
Health and Safety.
21. An understanding of the responsibility of the class teacher with regard to
the health and safety of pupils in their care.
Equal Opportunities
22. Evidence of commitment to Equal Opportunities both in service delivery and
employment, and an understanding of its effective operation within a
school. An ability to ensure that each child’s identify is respected and
maintained and enhanced and that stereotypes are challenged in a
sensitive way.
Safeguarding
23. A commitment to the protection and safeguarding of children and young
people.
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