THE DHARMA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Full/Part-time

KS2 Class Teacher

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in this full/part-time role as KS2 Class Teacher. We hope you find this information pack a useful introduction to the role and our school.

Founded 20 years ago in Brighton, the Dharma Primary School was born of the desire to provide a primary school education based on Buddhist principles with mindfulness at its heart. Today the school is one of only a handful of Buddhist-inspired schools in the western world. It has 75 pupils, 27 part-time staff and a thriving parental community.A happy and inspiring place, it is widely recognized for its ability to nurture creativity, raise self-awareness, encourage empathy and develop confident children with a love of learning.

The school is open to families and staff of all religious faiths, spiritual and cultural backgrounds. Although we encourage applications frompracticing Buddhists, the school is committed to excellence in teaching and work practice and as such we do not make it a requirement. We do however expect all staff to take an interest in, read about and embrace key aspects of the Buddhist teachings such as the significance of practicing meditation and the five precepts, and to commit to deepening their understanding of Buddhist philosophy.

With the arrival of a new Head Teacher, Clare Edison, in September 2015, we are looking for an exceptional KS2 teacher to join the staff team and teach our oldest class - Lotus Class (Year 5 and Year 6) - alongside the Head. This is a critical year in our children’s development as they prepare to make the transition from our small primary school to much larger secondary schools in Brighton and as such we are looking for an experienced individual with the skills and confidence to support them in making this transition successfully.

For the right individual this post represents a rare opportunity to work in the UK’s first Buddhist-inspired school, at an exciting time in the school’s development, when the Buddhist values of mindfulness and compassion are at the forefront of educational thinking.

Please find attached an application form, job description, person specification, employment details and some information about us that you may find of interest. Further information can be found on our website: Any queries on the application process, please contact Darius Norell – .

This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post requires an enhanced DBS check.

With warm wishes,

The Trustees

EMPLOYMENT AND APPLICATION DETAILS

Role:Part-time KS2 Teacher teaching years 5 and 6 – Lotus Class

Salary:By negotiation and dependent on experience.

Note that class sizes are small (12-20 children) and you will have the additional support of a TA.

Start Date:Sept 2015

Hours of Work:60-100% teaching role = 3-5 days per week

Term time: 37 weeks including 3 inset days and 2 planning/review days.

Plus 3 weeks during the school holidays to complete necessary preparation, including classroom setup.

Applications:Please find an application form at the back of this pack. Before applying please ensure you have read the job description and selection criteria carefully. Note that CVs will not be accepted.

Closing Date:Friday 12th June 2015

Shortlisting:By Friday 19th June 2015

Interview and Assessment: Week of Monday 6th July 2015

As the role involves working with children, we need to follow careful recruitment procedures to help us maintain a secure and safe environment for those in our care.

For this reason, you may find we ask for more information about you than you have experienced before. We hope that this will not discourage you from applying. We are no longer able to accept CVs as part of the application process.

If invited for interview you will be required to bring documentation for checking identity and original copies of qualifications relevant to the job you are applying for. You will also be required to provide two referees, who we will contact prior to interview. If you have not heard from us within ten days of the closing date, this means that you have not been short listed for interview.

Any offers of employment will be made subject to DBS checks which disclose any cautions or spent convictions. The job application pack contains a Self-Disclosure Form. If you are retuning your application via hard copy we would ask that you complete this form and return it in a sealed envelope, with your name clearly printed and marked “Self-Disclosure – Private & Confidential”.This envelope will only be opened if you are short listed for interview. Alternatively if you return your application digitally please send separately, again this will not be viewed unless you are short-listed.

If you are short listed for interview we may also ask you to complete a Fitness Declaration form and a Disqualification by Association form. We do this so that we can satisfy ourselves that you are physically and mentally fit to carry out the work.

Please ensure you read through the application form carefully and when completing the application, please remember to use the criteria listed in the person specification.

ABOUT US

A foundation for all-round excellence, designed with mindfulness at its heart

The Dharma Primary School is the first primary school in the UK to be based on Buddhist principles. The school opened it doors in Brighton in September 1994. It was conceived by a group of parents who spent many happy times at the Amaravatti Buddhist Monastery family camps in Hertfordshire. The pilot scheme for a primary school was established in the front room of a house in Sussex with four pupils.

Since then, the Dharma Primary School has gone from strength to strength and in June 1995 with an increase in pupils the school moved to its present location at The White House, in Patcham, Brighton, a 1930s detached house set in its own grounds. Currently the school has more than 75 pupils on the roll from three to eleven years of age spread over five classes.

Ethos and Vision

We intend that our pupils leave our school with a good heart, sound ethical values and a sense of responsibility combined with the academic and social skills that enable them to make a successful transition into secondary education. We hope our pupils will then go on to act in ways that will help to create a more compassionate, intelligent and peaceful world.

Children are introduced to the benefit of stillness through regular mediation practice enabling them to develop a reflective understanding of themselves, their life and the world around them. We discuss key Buddhist teachings to help children understand cause and effect, cooperation and change, know as karma, interdependence and impermanence.

Core Objectives

-To guide students to develop mindfulness, wisdom and compassion through the sharing of Buddhist teachings and practices.

-To provide a sound academic education, which is informed by the National Curriculum and enables children to learn and be challenged in ways that accord with their needs an potential.

-To foster self-esteem by teaching emotional literacy and problem solving skills and enabling children to learn form and transform conflict.

-To constantly strive to create a nurturing environment in which a love of learning is fostered, and positive, respectful relationships are developed among and between all tiers of the school: children, staff, parent community and trustees.

THE STAFF

In the safe, secure environment of a small community school, our committed, skilled staff are dedicated to helping children excel. Working together they provide a rounded academic education informed by the National Curriculum, but with the flexibility and creativity to respond to the children’s needs, talents and interests.

Almost all of our 27 teaching staff work part-time and share their classes. This is an approach that has evolved over the years and we believe brings renewed energy to the classroom and a diversity of skills and interests to a small school.

This year the staff will begin an ambitious piece of work revisiting the school’s ethos and curriculum with the intention of developing, refining and then publishing a Dharma Primary School curriculum. How do you teach maths mindfully? How do you bring the dharma into sport? How can literacy embrace the noble truths? It’s something we hope to develop and share with the wider educational community.

We asked our staff why they chose to come to the Dharma Primary School. Here are some of their replies:

“A desire to work with children in an atmosphere that means there is time for the individual.”

“The chance to be a part of something so special and unique.”

“A deep commitment to and love of teaching, coupled with the opportunity to take part in the creation of a unique curriculum truly underpinned by the Buddhist ethos of the school.”

THE CHILDREN

Most children join the school in reception but there are many who arrive later on, possibly from home schooling environments or the mainstream system. The school is very experienced at smoothing these transitions allowing the children to very rapidly settle in and thrive.

A cherished characteristic of the school is the mixing that occurs between year groups and the close friendships that result – it is not uncommon to find a 4-year-old inviting a 10-year-old to their birthday party. This is encouraged by our vertical grouping system, with two year groups in each class, and by interclass projects such as reading buddies.

From the Dharma Primary School children make successful transitions to secondary education with most moving on to local state secondary schools and a few to the independent sector. Secondary schools often comment on how confident, expressive and emotionally intelligent our children are.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job title: Class Teacher

Reports to: Head Teacher

Purpose: To contribute to the provision of a high quality of education within The Dharma Primary School by taking responsibility for the education and welfare of a class.

Key responsibilities:

1.Teach the class, making sure the curriculum is delivered effectively and the children are treated in a warm and caring manner reflecting the school’s Buddhist ethos, so that the children receive a high quality education in a supportive setting.

For instance, by:

  • Providing a happy, safe and stimulating learning environment
  • Taking class Puja
  • Being a positive role model in your own behaviour
  • Treating children with respect within the context of clear boundaries
  • Having regard to the educational, emotional and physical needs of each child

2.Plan for the educational needs of the class, within the context of the relevant curriculum standards and liaising with the other part-time class teacher as necessary, so that the teaching of the class is well-planned and organised.

For instance, by:

  • Ensuring sufficient classroom materials are ordered
  • Gathering resources for lessons
  • Undertaking term and lesson-planning
  • Keeping written records of term and lesson plans

3.Assess children’s work and record their attainments, so that their progress is monitored, recorded and appropriate action is taken where necessary and maintain appropriate records for internal and regulatory purposes.

For instance, by:

  • Marking and assessing children’s work regularly
  • Keeping accurate records of individual targets and achievements
  • Keeping anecdotal notes of children’s work particularly in regards to strengths and weaknesses

4. Provide direction for the Classroom Assistant so that they are aware of how they can best support you to fulfil your teaching responsibilities and are able to focus on the education and well-being of the children.

For instance, by:

  • Discussing with the Classroom Assistant plans for the day and identifying how they can best provide support
  • Holding meetings with the Classroom Assistant to provide feedback and guidance, and undertaking formal appraisals for the Classroom Assistant to help them develop their practice.

5. Liaise with parents about the education and welfare of their children whilst maintaining appropriate professional boundaries so that they feel valued, informed and confident about placing their children in our care.

For instance, by:

-Responding with care and consideration to the concerns of parents

-Keeping parents appropriately informed of any relevant information about their child or the class’ activities, including writing yearly school reports

-Holding parent’s evenings twice a year and class meetings twice a year

6. Liaise with SENCO and the Classroom Assistant so that they are fully informed about how they can best assist in the provision of support for the special needs of a child, or children, in your class.

For instance, by:

  • Identifying children with special needs
  • Planning assignments and a differentiated curriculum with SENCO
  • Giving guidance to the Classroom Assistant in working with children with special needs.

7. Carry out playground supervision and lunch duty when required, observing and intervening appropriately to support the children ensuring they are playing together happily, safely and securely.

For instance, by:

  • Assisting with the emotional and physical needs of children
  • Being a positive role model in your behaviour
  • Reinforcing expectations and the school Buddhist ethos and boundaries, e.g. stopping rough play, preventing hitting and curbing bad language. Ensuring children show consideration for the playground environment
  • Initiating interactions with children
  • Reporting any concerns to the relevant class teacher/Head Teacher

8. Work as an integral part of the school staff team by keeping informed of school policies, procedures, plans and activities and carrying out additional duties as required, contributing to the effective functioning of the school as a whole

For instance, by:

  • Attending and contributing to weekly teacher meetings, team teacher meetings, monthly staff meetings and INSET days
  • Assisting with class cover and playground supervision and lunch cover and Pujas as required
  • Meeting with other professionals as required

9. Take care of own continuing professional development in order to maintain and improve the contribution made to the education and well-being of the children within the context of the school’s Buddhist ethos.

For instance, by:

  • Reflecting on, identifying and planning own professional development
  • Making continued effort to deepen own understanding of Buddhism and how to reflect the school’s Buddhist ethos in own work
  • Attending and participating in visits to the school made by Buddhist monks and nuns particularly attending after school, evening or weekend talks and meditation teachings at the school.

10. Contribute to the community aspect of the school recognising that this is an essential part of the life of our school and that the children’s school experience as the community as a whole is enriched through social gatherings and charitable involvement.

For instance, by:

  • Contributing to and attending all major school events at The Dharma Primary School such as the summer fayre, and main events which involve all school planning, the children and a large community involvement such as The Brighton Children’s Parade. Contributions involve helping organize, set up, volunteer to do shifts during the fayre and clean up. Contributions to an out of school activity such as the Parade would involve helping organise, making costumes, attending the parade at the agreed times, joining in the march and helping to keep the children in an orderly group.
  • Extend the children’s school experience and support the many school families working later hours by offering your particular skills or knowledge, on an annual basis, to lead one extra mural opportunity for the children of one half term’s duration.
  • Contributing to and attending any Dharma Primary School event that involves raising the school’s profile and assists in marketing the school such as evening events that interest and draw the local community and fosters links to our work at the school. E.g. Fayres or presentations given by Buddhist supporters on Buddhist countries or themes.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Job title: Classroom Teacher

Qualifications & training:
Essential: Teacher qualification
Desirable: Additional expertise and active interests for benefit of children.
Experience:
Essential: Recent successful teaching experiences developing excellent relationships with children.
Desirable: Experience of working in year five or six classes. Ability to work through difficulties with children – resolving conflict using dialogue and developing strategies and outcomes for children.
Special skills and knowledge:
Essential: Strength in integrating artistic approaches and hands on learning to core curriculum with proven ability to create imaginative, vibrant and stimulating topic work from the planning stage to delivery.
Desirable: Up to date knowledge of national curriculum.
Key capabilities:
Essential: Energetic and dynamic with children reflected in active experiences and activities with classes/groups of older primary children.
Desirable: Willingness to play games with children and offer extra-curricular activities – spending extra mural time with children.
Other requirements:
Essential: Openness to Buddhist philosophy and some background knowledge of Buddhism.
Commitment to The Dharma Primary School ethosand willingness to engage with the development of mindfulness practice within the school.
Desirable:Interest and or experience in teaching mindfulness/meditation in an
educational setting

THE DHARMA PRIMARY SCHOOL

APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT

This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment.