Primary Early Years Teacher
Academia Britanica Cuscatleca
El Salvador
- Expired
- Job type:
- Full Time, Fixed Term
- Start date:
- August 2023 or as soon as possible
- Apply by:
- 20 August 2023
Job overview
The Academia Británica Cuscatleca is an established and highly regarded community bilingual international school in the beautiful Central American country of El Salvador that aspires to change the world through the young people who graduate from it. The school is a warm, vibrant learning community with a passionate commitment to its holistic and values-based philosophy.
The school is seeking to appoint a Pre-Kinder (3-4 year olds) teacher to its renowned Early Years section. This appointment forms part of a ''language bridge" strategy that the school is using to support the children's journeys as bilingual learners and so candidates must have a very high level of English.
Our Early Years section is a world-class centre for innovation and curriculum development. It is comprised of 4 Pre-Kinder classes and 4 Kinder classes set in our recently remodelled Lower Primary section, with open classrooms allowing free-flow into our outdoor garden spaces. There is a dedicated library, music room, swimming pool and atelier. We provide a child-centred education with the teacher as a facilitator leading each child’s developmental journey. We pride ourselves in having a highly professional, committed and caring teaching community who enjoy an engaging, rewarding and supportive school environment.
Our Early Years teachers provide an environment where children are encouraged to be independent, curious and confident. Children design their own learning experiences and collaborate with their peers on their own interest projects. Teachers plan learning experiences based on the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum, emphasising active learning through play, allowing each child to reach their potential at their own pace and level. Our Early Years Teachers provide for the needs of the individual children by creating a challenging, stimulating and secure environment. The majority of our students are Spanish speakers and we aim to provide a full-immersion English curriculum with a language-rich environment.
We are looking for a teacher with a passion for child-centred, play-based education and with the skills to create positive relationships with second language English learners. Previous experience in teaching in Early Years is essential with a knowledge of Development Matters and best practice EAL teaching desirable. Experience of child-centred educational approaches similar to Reggio, for example, Stiner or Montessori is also desirable.
“The school’s strongest traits are its relations and strong community which are a fantastic foundation for the education it provides. The school is focused on encouraging and empowering students to thrive within a positive community where a sense of value, purpose, relationship and joy has been key to their many learning successes to date. ” - CIS Team Evaluation Report, 2019
The ABC is committed to safer recruitment, child protection and to safeguarding the wellbeing of our young people. We will undertake full background checks on all candidates and expect from our staff, as role models, exemplary standards of professional and personal behaviour.
Early Years Teacher - Person Specification
Education
- Essential - A degree or equivalent with Qualified Teacher Status
- Desirable - Early Years Teacher specialist
Experience
- Essential - Experience of working within a Foundation Stage classroom and working with children who have English as an additional language.
- Desirable - Forest school experience or experience of using the outdoors to enhance learning. Experience of the Reggio Emilia approach or international experience in a bilingual setting.
Safeguarding
- Essential - Thorough knowledge and understanding of safeguarding children.
- Desirable - Experience of working and engaging with other agencies.
Teaching, Learning & Assessment
- Essential - Be a highly effective practitioner and have an understanding of assessment and progress using Development Matters in the Early Years. Can demonstrate effective partnerships and engagement with parents and values the role of exploration and creativity through play opportunities in the Early Years.
- Desirable - Experience of Letters and Sounds and/or Jolly Phonics.
Performance Analysis
- Essential - Is able to use data to impact on standards within their classroom ensuring high outcomes for all.
- Desirable - Has experience of analysing the performance of different groupings.
Ethos
- Essential - A holistic approach to the well-being and education of pupils. The ability to challenge and engage children in their learning through creative opportunities, with high levels of expectations of all learners. Demonstrates international-mindedness and values of global citizenship.
- Desirable - Values innovation and action research.
Curriculum
- Essential - The ability and commitment to fulfil the school’s vision to ‘To change the world by building responsible outstanding citizens’. A commitment to actively using the outdoors to enhance learning opportunities. Stays up-to-date with the latest research related to the early years.
- Desirable - Keen interest in the arts, which is utilised to enhance classroom environments.
About Academia Britanica Cuscatleca
The ABC is an internationally recognised values-based school which seeks to develop responsible outstanding citizens with a shared community belief that ‘effort leads to success.’
The ABC is in Santa Tecla near the capital city and is situated on a beautiful 13 acre site with science laboratories, libraries, a theatre, a 500 seat Performing Arts Centre, a large multi-purpose auditorium, swimming pools and sports facilities.
Director: Graeme Keslake
Head of Primary: Marianne Konhaeuser
Head of Secondary: David Butcher
Mission: To change the world by building responsible outstanding citizens (ROC's) through our commitment to a values-based and holistic learning experience.
- Pre Kinder (Nursery) to Grade 12 (IB Diploma)
- Recently (July 2019) re-accredited by the Council of International Schools
- An IB World School offering MYP and IBDP
- Member of Latin American Heads Conference (LAHC)
- Member of International Values Education Trust
- UK National Curriculum based curriculum with a play based approach in the Early Years Foundation Stage and the International Primary Curriculum.
- Accredited by the IPC in November 2017
- Teaching staff is mainly from the UK or El Salvador with a range of other nationalities from around the world.
- Student body is mainly Central American with a significant number of international students from other parts of the Americas.
The ABC was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation. The school offers a comprehensive academic education based around positive universal values including respect, responsibility, creativity, curiosity, independence, being ethical and considerate, developing leadership skills and being reflective. At the end of Grade 12, students sit the International Baccalaureate examinations with almost all students being full diploma candidates. The school offers a wide ranging, comprehensive academic programme, with recent positive feedback from five external accrediting bodies including a successful IB DP five year review, MYP accreditation and IPC accreditation.
In addition to the IB DP examinations, the school also enters students for the TOEFL, PSAT and SAT examinations and vocational tests.
The ABC places great emphasis upon involvement in a diverse extra-curricular programme that offers students artistic, sporting, musical and academic opportunities beyond the traditional school day. These activities include an active Student Council throughout the school, empowerment activities, trips including to the UK in Grade Five, drama productions, international competitions, Knowledge Bowl, Mathcounts, arts and crafts and many sports including athletics, soccer, cricket, archery, swimming, basketball and volleyball with a range of on line clubs and activities. The school participates in HACIA Democracy, Model United Nations and LAHC conferences.
The school recruits staff annually and places a great importance on ensuring we recruit the right staff. You will be expected to share our values based approach to education and to be committed to working positively with young people. We also take your professional development seriously and will help you develop as a professional. We invite international and UK based trainers to work with us.
The Lower Primary area accommodates our younger students from 3 to 6 years old. This area has 18 single storey, purpose-built classrooms. Each classroom has its own outdoor patio area and the use of a grassed playground and a solar-heated swimming pool. There is a central office area, music room, medical room, assembly area and staff room.
The Upper Primary area of the school accommodates our students aged from 6 to 11. There are 22 single storey classrooms, an Art room, and the Jubilee Building, which houses a combined Library/computer area, staff room and offices. All Upper Primary classrooms are equipped with a computer and large monitor with wifi internet access and laptops and tablets available for student use. The Upper Primary area incorporate an outdoor theatre, adventure playground and small games areas.
The Primary School is led by a Head of Primary and two Deputy Head teachers coordinating a staff of over 50 teachers and 27 teaching assistants. Each grade is made up of four classes who are coordinated by a Grade leader and vertical subject leaders. Full time learning assistants provide support in classrooms from Pre-Kinder to 3rd grade, with additional assistants supporting Numeracy and Literacy in 4th and 5th grade. Throughout the Primary School, lessons are based on English National Curriculum requirements with the International Primary Curriculum as a vehicle for promoting thematic learning. Swimming, Physical Education and Music are integral parts of the curriculum. Theatrical productions, fairs and student assemblies, are also an important part of school life.
The Secondary School has 30 purpose built classrooms. Students bring their own laptops for use in school. There is a state-of-the-art Learning Resources Centre (winner of a Central American environmental design award) with a central area housing Apple Macs and a film studio. There are 10 well-resourced science laboratories, a Music block, Dance Studio, Green Room and 3 Art and Design rooms amongst the specialist rooms.
The Secondary School is led by the Head of Secondary and a Secondary Leadership Team. The school is organised into curriculum areas with Heads of Faculty. The school is proud of its high academic standards at MYP, IGCSE and IB Diploma. On average the school graduates 80 - 100 students each academic year. Of these 45-50% graduate with Honours. Many students go to some of the best universities in the world including the United States, Europe and Canada.
The school has a Tribal (i.e. "House") system for internal school competitions. The school also prepares students to compete within various national and international competitions and has a popular Team Sports Programme. There is an elected prefect body (including Head students) and also a very active Student Council which promotes many activities including Peace One Day, Save the Children “fun run” and ABC Pride events each year. The school actively supports the local community through its many student led charitable projects. These takes the form of fundraising efforts to actual hands-on work in local old people's and children's homes. Each grade supports its own project and all IB students contribute through their CAS activities.
The ABC is unique with its own special character. We seek to draw on the richness of all the constituent parts of our community to build a caring and positive learning environment which prepares our students to be responsible outstanding citizens in their future lives. If you share this vision please visit our website for a fuller flavor of who we are and what we do and then apply! We look forward to meeting you.
Accreditations
CIS
IB World School (MYP and IBDP)
IPC
Athlete-friendly Education Centre (World Academy of Sport)
Latin American Heads Conference (LAHC)
Values-based Education
Duke of Edinburgh’s International Awards
International Global Citizenship Award
Reports
“At a time when humans are facing unprecedented global challenges, the school’s focus on values provides a compelling framework for global citizenship education.”
“The school’s strongest traits are its relationships and strong community which are a fantastic foundation for the education it provides. The school is focused on encouraging and empowering students to thrive within a positive community where a sense of value, purpose, relationship and joy has been key to their many learning successes to date.”
“The ABC offer is holistic, rigorous and world-class.”
CIS Team Evaluation Report.
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