Teacher - Maths and/or English (Functional Skills)

Job Title: Teacher - Maths and/or English Functional Skills  

Salary: Up to £29,992 per annum dependent on experience

Location: Bridge School Malvern, Hanley Swan, Worcestershire

Contract: Full time, permanent 

Hours: 33.75hours per week.

Bridge School Malvern is an independent Special Needs School supporting 11-19’s. We are in a beautiful rural location overlooking the Malvern Hills. The main school is set up with a five-acre care farm on site. We are a small school established as a charity 14 years ago. We have a creative, practical curriculum, and strive to create a working environment where our caring staff have time to care. Our 16-19 provision is based a mile away in Barnard’s Green. Here we have four micro businesses and a team of mentors/careers coaches who support the young people’s wider needs.  

We have 52 pupils on roll, 35 in years 7 to 11, and 17 in the sixth form. Children are given a wide range of support to make positive progression into work and further education, including leaving school with a suite of qualifications from City and Guilds. We are a small, committed and supportive team with high expectations for ourselves and our pupils.

Bridge School Malvern is committed to supporting every pupil to succeed socially and emotionally as well as academically. Your role will include helping young people to develop personally so that they can gain greater control over their lives. We need motivated and inspirational people committed to delivering an excellent education with kindness, empathy, imagination and compassion.

The school has been awarded Gold for the School Games Mark two years in a row, and been Shortlisted for the Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards 2024. 

Main purpose of role 

To provide strong personal development support for children with special educational needs, and social and emotional difficulties. These are difficulties which may be linked to personal trauma, high anxiety and a mix of complex learning needs, including children on the autistic spectrum. You will apply good listening and a range of therapeutic approaches to support children’s engagement in learning, encourage personal awareness and build self esteem. Your role will include helping to empower children to take ownership of their opportunities through education, training and future employment.

Ideally, you will be a qualified teacher or have a good amount of experience teaching functional skills and working with young people with special educational needs including emotional and behavioural difficulties. You must be able to build rapport quickly, be reliable, resilient, and adaptable and have a genuine willingness to make a difference.

You will need to have a positive approach using a variety of creative methods, including the use of ICT to support pupils learning. You must be familiar with dealing with difficult situations. A good sense of humour is essential. You will need to be experienced in record keeping and report writing.

Flexibility, creativity and reliability are essential qualities. You need to be a team player, encouraging and supporting the wider training team and facilitating the sharing of best practice.

City and Guilds functional skills maths and English are taught from entry level to level 2. The role would suit secondary or primary trained teachers, with a desire to support secondary aged pupils with a range of special educational needs and some emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Teaching role

To deliver, in small groups or 1:1, as part of the wider team and under the direction of the Headteacher, a range of subjects including interventions and 1-2-1 mentoring. Teacher specialisms will be accommodated where possible but the post holder must be prepared to be flexible. 

• To be responsible for the curriculum planning and delivery of subjects to small groups or 1:1, or as part of the wider team.
• Record and collate information on learner progress daily; maintain programme records; carry out assessments and write termly reports. 
• To provide pastoral support through direct work with pupils delivering interventions to improve their social and emotional development in an atmosphere which is warm, caring, stimulating, accepting and free from all forms of prejudice and discrimination.
• To provide cover sessions as required.
• Report incidents and causes for concerns promptly. 
• Supervise pupils during breaks and at session change overs

General Pastoral 

To be available and accessible to support pupils out of sessions and help them to develop self regulation skills coping strategies.

• To lead and/or support the wider team with enrichment activities.
• Support the pastoral team to engage pupils in support or re-engage in timetabled sessions. 
• Record out of session outcomes promptly and accurately.
• Engage with the wider staff team to review progress and contribute to action planning for individuals and groups of pupils. 

General Responsibilities 

• Deliver short assembly in rotation with other staff. 
• Work in accordance with BSM policies; particularly in relation to safeguarding, equal opportunities, bullying and harassment and health & safety, and to comply with confidentiality and data protection guidelines at all times 
• Participate constructively in appraisals with management and undertake appropriate training 
• Take responsibility for your own professional development and participate in relevant internal and external training/activities
• Maintain high levels of professionalism in all aspects of the role, including verbal and written communication with parents/carers and external agencies.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as deemed appropriate to the role and task

Person Specification 

• Qualified teacher status is an advantage.  
• A flexible approach is essential. 
• You need to be a team player, encouraging and supporting the wider training team and facilitating the sharing of best practice. 
• You will need experience of working with pupils with challenging behavioural and/or learning needs. 
• You will need to demonstrate empathy for young people, not be easily shocked and be non judgemental.  
• You will need a creative and positive approach to dealing with difficult situations. 
• A proven track record of organising, planning and carrying out projects is essential, as will experience in report writing and record keeping. Computer literacy is also an aspect of this role.

To apply

Applications are to be made by submitting your CV with a cover letter stating your suitability for the role. Contact Lisa Goldsby, lisagoldsby@bridgeschoolmalvern.org. 

Bridge School Malvern and all it's services, are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, therefore all workers and employees within Bridge School Malvern are expected to share this commitment. Social media searches are carried out prior to interview.