Birkenhead School, awarded the Sunday Times Independent Secondary School of the Year in the North West for 2025, was founded in 1860. It is an HMC independent day school providing education for boys and girls drawn from the whole of the Wirral and as far afield as Chester and North Wales. Situated in the leafy suburb of Oxton, the School enjoys excellent facilities. The main campus has a village green atmosphere, with classrooms and laboratories looking out over the cricket square. Recent capital developments have included a new landscaped playground area and an outdoor classroom.
Birkenhead School prides itself on being a family school and this has been greatly strengthened by the opening of the Nursery in 2006. It is attractive to parents to have all their children in one school and it is a great advantage for the school to be able to establish strong, long-lasting relationships with families.
A key feature of the School is its strength of community, which runs through the student, staff and parental bodies. The School is embedded within the wider Wirral community, and has strong links with local business and charities.
The Role We are looking for a dynamic and flexible individual who will provide cover for lessons where a teacher is absent and has set work for students to complete, alongside leading the duty rota in a specific area of the School. In addition, the candidate will be required to support an area of the co-curricular provision, particularly sport. Both roles will require the successful candidate to work collaboratively with all teams across the School and be prepared to complete routine administration tasks.
Key Cover Supervisor responsibilities include:
Covering up to 6 lessons periods per day
Undertaking general duties and responsibilities relating to lesson cover.
Accurately interpreting the work set for students by absent teachers.
Supporting students and clarifying (on an individual basis if necessary) the instructions given.
Maintaining discipline and order within the classroom by following the Schools behaviour policy
Implementing all whole School policies so that students learning and health and well-being are consistently supported.
Being responsible for the best use, supervision and security of any resources within the classroom, complying with the Schools Health and Safety policies.
Registering the attendance of students in line with Schools registration processes.
Oversee and lead the duty rota across one specified area of the School.
Be the primary presence in your duty area at each break and lunch, five days per week (11am 11.20am and 12.40 1.40pm)
Advising and co-operating with the Line Manager and other Teachers on the preparation and development of cover work and its recording.
Attending assemblies as appropriate if covering a registration period when an assembly is timetabled to take place.
To undertake training appropriate to the needs of the role.
Key Co-Curricular duties include:
Leading co-curricular activities
Having a high level of commitment to Co-Curricular activities
Being a good motivator of both individual students and teams
Taking a holistic approach to the Departments sporting ethos
Have very high levels of organisational and administrative ability
Ensure high standards of behaviour through implementation of the Schools Behaviour Policy
Ensure all relevant school policies and procedures are adhered to
The Person
Understanding and working knowledge of the national curriculum and other learning programmes of core subject areas is advantageous
Knowledge and understanding of principles of effective learning in the classroom and classroom management advantageous
Experience coaching a particular sport is desirable
Skilled individual with high standards, who can act with discretion, enthusiasm and a positive attitude
Be computer literate and able to use email, Microsoft and other computer software including Information Systems
The ability to communicate well with students, peers, parents and visitors
Ability to work on own initiative and collaboratively
A flexible approach to duties in response to the academic calendar
Role model of values, integrity and positive behaviours
Warm and welcoming approach
Excellent customer care skills
Ideally previous experience working in a School environment
The full list of roles an responsibilities can be found on the Information for Candidates, available on the School website under Employment Opportunities.
Hours This is a term time plus role of 40 hours per week A degree of flexibility is required in the role, as candidates will be expected to work as necessary to attend co-curricular events as appropriate.
Holiday
You will be entitled to School holidays and Bank Holidays
Pension
The School operates an auto-enrolment pension scheme.
Other Benefits
We will value and support your contribution to School life and in return provide you with excellent rewards;
Working with fantastic young students
Working as part of a committed team
Wellbeing assistance through the Employee Assistance Programme
Membership of a pension Scheme
Substantial discount on School fees for children of permanent staff attending the School
Free lunch in the Dining Hall during term times
Free use of the fully equipped on-site gym
Support for your continuous professional development
A letter of application indicating skills and experience, together with a completed application form, including the names and addresses of at least two referees, should be sent for the attention of the Bursar via Cheryl Wallace (Personnel Manager).
To meet our safeguarding obligations, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check is undertaken as part of the recruitment process for all new staff. As Birkenhead School is an educational provider, it is permitted to ask whether an applicant has any convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings which would not be filtered in line with current guidance, as defined by The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020). It is a criminal offence for an individual who is barred from working with children to apply for a role which is classed as regulated activity (i.e. involves working with children).
The closing date for applications: 9am on Monday 10 th February 2025
We reserve the right to close this vacancy and complete the recruitment process when we are in receipt of sufficient applications. Should you wish to apply for this post you are advised to complete and submit your application form as soon as possible.
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