Vacancies - ALP Learning

Closing date : 7th October 2026

We are seeking an outstanding Assistant Headteacher to join our current Senior Leadership Team and take on a major leadership role in this popular and high achieving 11-16 academy. As Assistant Headteacher, you will play a pivotal role in the strategic leadership of inclusion across the school. You will work closely with other senior leaders, subject leaders and pastoral teams to ensure that SEND provision is both high-quality and fully embedded within teaching and learning. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, the postholder will also have additional strategic responsibilities.

You will play a key role in leading our SEND provision, working closely with staff, students, parents, and external agencies to ensure all learners receive tailored support. You will be the champion for our most vulnerable learners, ensuring that every student, regardless of background or need, reaches their full potential. We welcome applications from candidates eager to develop their skills within this vital area of education.

Closing date : 9th October 2026

Welcome from the Headteacher

Thank you for your interest in Hartside Primary Academy. We are a thriving one-form entry school located in
the heart of the Wear Valley, County Durham, serving a proud and resilient ex-mining community. Despite the
challenges faced by our local area, Hartside stands as a beacon of excellence, inclusion and ambition.

Our mission is simple: Helping Every Child Progress and Succeed. We believe that every child deserves the
same quality of education you would expect for your own, and we work tirelessly to ensure that no child is left
behind. Our ethos is rooted in six core character traits—respect, kindness, grit, empathy, integrity, and self
control—which underpin everything we do and help our children grow into confident, capable individuals.

We have high expectations of our pupils both in and out of the classroom, and we work in close partnership
with families to support learning, wellbeing and personal development. Our teaching is shaped by research
based principles and a mastery approach that enables children to build deep, connected understanding across
the curriculum. We champion mental health and resilience, and we foster an environment where children feel
safe to take risks, make mistakes, and grow.

Hartside is a place where children flourish, families feel welcomed and staff are proud to belong. If you share
our values and are passionate about making a difference, we would be delighted to welcome you to our team.
Dawn Simpson
Head Teacher

Why work for Advance Learning Partnership

Advance Learning Partnership (ALP) is a child-centred, forward-thinking organisation where people truly
matter. If you’re looking for a role in a workplace that values collaboration, innovation, and professional
growth, ALP offers the perfect opportunity to thrive.

A Culture of Excellence and Collaboration

Our ethos, ‘Your child is our child,’ underpins everything we do. We’re proud to provide an
environment where every decision prioritises the success of our children and the wellbeing of our
team.
As a Times 100 Best Places to Work 2024 and Investors in People Platinum Employer, we are
committed to creating a supportive and inclusive workplace. We were proud to be named Medium
Employer of the Year 2024 by Investors in People, highlighting our dedication to our employees.

Exceptional Benefits

Pension Scheme with Generous Employer Contributions
Flexible and Hybrid Working Opportunities
Generous Annual Leave Entitlement
Family-Friendly Policies

Wellbeing First

Employee Assistance Programme including counselling and financial wellbeing advice.
Health and Wellbeing Support including benefits like mental health support, physiotherapy, free flu
jabs, and 24/7 GP services.
Occupational Health Services ensuring you’re looked after both physically and mentally

Investing in your development

Professional Growth: We’re passionate about helping our staff develop. From bespoke CPD
programmes to leadership pathways, we’ll support you to achieve your career goals.
Leadership Opportunities: Whether you’re just starting out or ready to take the next step, we offer
leadership development programmes to help you succeed.
Added Benefits
Discount Schemes: Enjoy savings on shopping, travel and entertainment.
Salary Sacrifice Options which include our electric car and cycle-to-work schemes.
Why Now?
This is an exciting time to join ALP. We are a growing organisation with a clear vision for the future, and our
commitment to excellence means you’ll be working in a dynamic, inclusive and forward-thinking environment.
At ALP, your contribution will make a real difference—not only to the lives of our children but also to your own personal and professional growth.
Join us and be part of something truly special.
Hartside Primary Academy | Building Children’s Futures Together
The Role
This is an exciting opportunity to become part of our dedicated and supportive team. You’ll be joining a
collaborative team that values professional development, teamwork and a positive work culture. You will
have a direct impact on maintaining high standards and making a difference in a school setting. We are
seeking to appoint a highly organised and efficient Admin Assistant to join our administrative and school
team.
The Person
Exhibits the highest of expectations.
Demonstrates exceptional listening skills and outstanding verbal and written communication abilities.
Displays outstanding expertise in organisational and time management skills, ensuring efficiency and
effectiveness in all tasks.
Exemplifies the values and ethos of the Trust as a positive role model.
Displays an ability to lead and motivate a team and foster a culture of collaboration.
Collaborates as a team player, demonstrating flexibility and commitment to contributing actively to a full
program of extra-activities.
Exhibits excellent people management skills.

Job Description

JOB TITLE Admin Assistant
CONTRACT TYPE Temporary (Maternity Cover) Contract will end upon the return of the substantive post
holder. Term time +5days
ACCOUNTABLE TO Office Manager / Headteacher
HOURS 37 Hours per week
SALARY Actual - £22,631.12 - £23,729.92
GRADE Grade 4 SCP 5-8
REQUIRED November 2026

ETHOS

Employees are expected to support and contribute to the school ethos.

This job description will be reviewed annually and may be subject to amendment or modification at any time
after consultation with the post-holder. It is not a comprehensive statement of procedure and tasks but sets
the main expectations of the school in relation to the post holder’s professional responsibilities and duties.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all employees and
volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to signing our ICT Employee User Policy and having
a satisfactory Enhanced DBS Certificate.

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS

Employees will:

Contribute effectively to the work of the school and to the achievement of the ‘School Improvement
Priorities’.
Play a full part in the life of the school community, to support our distinctive aims and ethos, to encourage
employees and pupils to follow this example.
Follow school policy regarding care, support and supervision of pupils.
Attend training and development activities and courses, ensuring continuing, personal and professional
development.
Contribute to a welcoming school culture by promoting mutual respect for all.
Comply with any reasonable request from a leader to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified
in this job description.
Work as a team member.
Act as a role model to pupils in speech, dress, behaviour and attitude.
Have common duties in the areas of: Quality Assurance, Communication, Professional Practice, Health &
Safety, and General Management (where applicable), Financial Management (where applicable),
Appraisal, Equality & Diversity, Confidentiality and Induction.

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ALL SUPPORT STAFF

Support staff will:

Maintain personal expertise, to be a role model and promote high expectations for all members of the
school community through your role within the structure.
Model the values, ethos and vision of the Trust.
Contribute to the overall ethos, work and aims of the Trust.
Maintain at all times the utmost confidentiality with regard to all records, personal data relating to staff,
pupils and other information of a sensitive or confidential nature.
Attend relevant meetings as required.
Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to safeguarding, child protection,
confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
Show a duty of care to pupils and staff and take appropriate action to comply with health and safety
requirements at all times.
Be aware of, and support, difference and ensure that all pupils have access to opportunities to learn and
develop.
Maintain good relationships with colleagues and work together as a team.
Appreciate and support the role of other professionals.
Attend any training courses relevant to the post, ensuring continuing, personal and professional
development.
Demonstrate and promote commitment to equal opportunities and to the elimination of behaviour and
practices that could be discriminatory.

SPECIFIC CONDITIONS OF THIS POST

The post-holder will be expected to undertake any appropriate training provided by the Trust to assist
them in carrying out any of the above duties.
The post-holder will be expected to contribute to the protection of children and vulnerable adults, as
appropriate, in accordance with any agreed policies and/or guidelines, reporting any issues or concerns
to their immediate line manager.
The post-holder will be required to promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security in the
workplace. To include ensuring that the requirements of Health & Safety at Work Act, COSHH, and all
other mandatory regulations are adhered to.
To carryout duties with full regard to the Trust’s Equal Opportunities and Dignity at Work Policy.
An Enhanced Disclosure with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) will be undertaken before any
appointment can be confirmed.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST HOLDER

To be based in the main school office located at reception.
To provide high standards of telephone and reception skills when communicating with outside agencies,
parents/carers, governors, staff and students.
To provide a professional image when greeting visitors and other stakeholders.
To prioritise telephone calls and visitor queries and deal with all requests appropriately, accurately record
messages and signpost as required.
To ensure visitor signing in procedures are followed correctly including safeguarding checks.
To assist in the coordination and administration of parents’ evenings, options evenings and any other
events similar in nature. This includes but is not limited to sending letters, text messages, creating
registers for parents to sign in, setting up for the event, providing refreshments and covering events
outside of the school hours.
To open, sort and distribute incoming mail and also deal with all outgoing mail, including taking
deliveries to the post office as required.
To co-ordinate data collection sheets as required, ensuring a smooth process is adopted of sending
forms home to parents, monitoring returns and updating information in SIMS to ensure an accurate
record is kept at all times.
To support with reprographic requests and ensure a timely completion and process is followed.
To be responsible for ensuring visitors are met at the main reception door and safely evacuated to their
designated point in the event of a fire and liaise with the Fire Marshalls to update registers.
To process and update free school meal/ pupil premium data.
To assist with student admissions and student transfers including curriculum allocation, CTF files and
hardcopy files
To provide an efficient clerical support in relation to but not limited to sending letters and texts to
parents/carers.

The above list of duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive definition of all tasks associated with the
post.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Assessment against the criteria above will be through the application form, letter of application, work
related assessments, interview process and references.

APPLICATION GUIDANCE

Please return a completed application form in full ensuring you have provided accurate information,
including the names, addresses and relevant contact details of two referees together with your letter of
application.

The letter of application should be no more than two sides of A4 and should set out the particular strengths
that you would bring to the post and how you feel you meet the criteria outlined in the job description and
person specification. Applications received after the closing date/time will not be considered.

Please ensure you also complete and return the required DCCR form.

Completed applications must be received
by the school by 9am, Friday 9th October 2026 addressed to:
Hartside Primary Academy
Hartside Close
Crook
County Durham
DL15 9NN

or by e-mail to the school, D.Simpson@Hartside.org.uk

AFTER SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

SHORTLISTED CANDIDATE GUIDANCE

REFERENCES

References will be requested prior to interview, except for non-teaching roles where there are exceptional
circumstances, and the applicant does not give consent to do so on the application form.

DBS

Advance Learning Partnership is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young
people and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

An application for a DBS certificate will be submitted for all candidates once they have been offered the
position. For posts in regulated activity, the DBS check will include a barred list check. During the recruitment
process, any offences, or other matters relevant to the position will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Any offer of employment will be subject to receipt of a satisfactory DBS Enhanced Disclosure.

DIGITAL CHECKS

Online searches may be conducted as part of the Trust’s due diligence checks. Section 226. KCSIE 2025.

PRE-OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Pre-occupational health checks are an essential part of the selection and recruitment process to assess if any
reasonable adjustments are required.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

We are an equal opportunity employer. We want to develop a more diverse workforce and we positively
welcome applicants from all sections of the community. Applicants with disabilities will be granted an interview
if the essential job criteria are met.
As a disability confident employer, we are committed to employing disabled people and people with health
conditions making reasonable adjustments to support disabled applicants when required.

Closing date : 9th October 2026

We are seeking to appoint two enthusiastic, caring and energetic Lunchtime Supervisors to join our dedicated team at Bowburn Primary School and Little Wings. The successful candidate will help create a safe, happy and positive lunchtime environment by supervising and encouraging purposeful play, supporting children during meal times, and promoting positive behaviour and social skills.

We are looking for someone who enjoys working with children, works well as part of a team, and is committed to supporting the wellbeing and safety of every child.

Closing date : 12th October 2026

Dene Academy is seeking to appoint a passionate and motivated practitioner who can deliver high quality learning across all areas of the Maths curriculum. The department is a popular and highly valued part of the school with seven specialist teachers delivering the curriculum.

Closing date : 12th October 2026

We are excited to expand our highly skilled SEND department and are seeking a compassionate, proactive
Teaching Assistant who shares our belief that every child deserves the chance to flourish. In this rewarding
role, you will support children with a range of needs, helping them build confidence, develop independence,
and access the full richness of school life.
If you are enthusiastic about making a meaningful difference and want to be part of a team that puts children
at the heart of everything we do, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Closing date : 15th October 2026

Closing date : 16th October 2026

At Wolsingham School, we are excited to be able to offer the opportunity for a Teacher of English/Drama. We are seeking to appoint a dynamic and passionate Teacher of English/Drama who will grow within this area of the curriculum within our Academy. The successful candidate will have excellent teaching skills and the ability to inspire and motivate students to want to participate in Drama.

Closing date : 22nd October 2026