Early Year Lead - Full-time

Castle Hill Community Primary School , Folkestone

• Ref:KCC886-3904-185L
• Posted:11/09/2025
• Pay:MPS 6 - UPS 2 +TLR 2
• Start Date:January 2026
• App Close Date:29/09/2025 at 09:00
• Interviews:09/10/2025

Advert

Leader of Early Years

📍 Castle Hill Community Primary School and The Village Nursery

💼 Salary: M6–UP2 + TLR 2

📅 One year contract initially (Full Time) - potentially leading to permanent from Jan 2027

Are you an experienced and passionate Early Years leader ready to shape the very start of a child’s educational journey? Castle Hill is seeking a Leader of Early Years to join our Leadership Team and drive excellence across our Early Years provision.

This is a non-class-based leadership role with some teaching responsibilities, offering the chance to make a real impact on teaching, learning, and whole-school development. Initially there will be a three-day teaching commitment in Nursery and Reception, but this will reduce to one day from February 2026.

About the Role

• Provide clear vision, leadership, and management for our Early Years phase, including the nursery.
• Lead and inspire staff to deliver a creative, stimulating, and inclusive curriculum.
• Monitor, evaluate, and drive improvements in teaching, learning, and pupil progress.
• Work closely with families, staff, governors, and the wider community to ensure every child has the best start.
• Play a key role in the School Leadership Team, contributing to the school’s strategic development.
• Champion safeguarding, wellbeing, and the highest standards of care for all pupils.
• Support the identification of children with Special Educational Needs and oversee the delivery of quality support to enable their learning and development
• A qualified teacher (QTS) with a degree and proven leadership experience in Early Years.
• An expert in the EYFS statutory framework and passionate about delivering high-quality provision.
• A strong communicator who can inspire, support, and motivate staff and pupils alike.
• Skilled at building positive relationships with parents, colleagues, and external partners.
• Committed to safeguarding, equality, diversity, and inclusion.

About You

Why Join Us?

At Castle Hill, you’ll be part of a forward-thinking, supportive community that values collaboration, creativity, and continuous professional development. We are passionate about Early Years and we recognize that this is such a crucial part in the educational journey. We are committed to ensuring our staff and children thrive together in a nurturing and ambitious environment

Information about the school

Castle Hill is a lively two form entry Community Primary School with a Specialist Resource Provision for Hearing Impaired children. We also have responsibility for running a large and thriving Nursery which shares its premises with the Family Hub on our grounds. The school is situated in an urban area of East Folkestone, on a deceptively large site.

Our children are friendly and lively and deserve the very best we can give them. We are extremely proud of the school and would be delighted to show you around.

The school is committed to the welfare and safeguarding of all our pupils.

We have a fantastic building and facilities that were refurbished / rebuilt in 2010.

Informal visits to the school are welcomed - we would love to show you around.

Job Contact Information

• Name:Pete Talbot
• Address:Castle Hill Community Primary School, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 6HG
• Telephone: 01303251583
• Email: headteacher@castlehill.kent.sch.uk

Fax: (01303) 226537

Documents

Below are documents that have been added to this vacancy.

• Job Description and Personal Spec