Acting Lead Practitioner – Wincheap Preschool - Full-time

The Canterbury Academy Trust

• Ref:KCC-F83-176-S
• Posted:16/10/2025
• Pay:£13.73 per hour
• Start Date:TBC
• App Close Date:31/10/2025 at 09:00
• Interviews:TBC

Advert

We are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for an Acting Lead Practitioner at our Wincheap Preschool, covering a maternity leave position. This role is open to all practitioners holding a Level 3 qualification or above, with a proposed start date of Monday, 24th November.

The Lead Practitioner at Wincheap plays a key role in supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families. The successful candidate will be supported in continuing this vital aspect of the role.

Working Hours:

• 46hrs 15mins per week
• Monday to Friday, 7:45 AM – 5:00 PM
• An additional week will be required to attend Leadership Training & Development Days, which may fall outside of standard working hours.

Application Process:
If you are interested in applying, please submit your application as soon as possible. As we are keen to appoint promptly, candidates should be available for interviews during October and November.

The interview will include:

• A 5-minute presentation outlining your ideas for maintaining and enhancing the high standards at Wincheap Preschool.
• A demonstration of your understanding of working with preschool and school-ready children.

Job Descriptions are available upon request.

We look forward to receiving your applications and hearing your ideas for continuing the excellent work at Wincheap Preschool. This is a valuable opportunity to take on a leadership role and make a meaningful impact within our team.

Information about the federation

Based in the heart of the historic City of Canterbury, The Canterbury Academy Trust came into existence in October 2010 when schools judged by Ofsted to be ‘outstanding’ were allowed to convert to academy status, benefit from greater freedoms and shape their futures.

Since then The Canterbury Academy Trust has grown and it now provides a variety of services ‘to improve the life chances of children and to help in the community’. These include: City View Pre-School and Nurseries Ltd; a newly built and expanded two form of entry The Canterbury Primary School; a Specialist Resourced Based Provision for primary ASD pupils; The Canterbury Academy, which has expanded to take an additional form of entry; a Specialist Resourced Based Provision for secondary Speech and Language students; The Cullum Centre, in partnership with The National Autistic Society; The Sixth Form, Enterprise and Employability Centre, which includes one of the largest Sixth Forms in Kent; The Canterbury Youth Commission, The Ashford Youth Commission, and area wide Inclusion and Engagement Service and Professional Learning and Community Centre with café.

The Canterbury Academy Trust consists of ‘schools for all the talents’. Our beliefs which underpin and drive all we do are simple. We believe that every learner matters and that every child is good at something – that all children walk with genius – and that school should be the place where children discover and build upon their own individual talents.

We believe in the comprehensive ideal. We believe that all students should be valued. We believe that academic excellence is important but that there are also other important things. We believe that art, music, drama, sport, practical skills, being a good person, caring for and working with others are all valuable. We believe in team work and that all of our students should have pride in themselves and their contribution to their school.

Our aim is to provide ‘as much as possible, as often as possible, for as many as possible’. We believe that education and learning can be fun. At the end of their time with us we aim for all students to leave as happy, positive, confident individuals, proud of what they have achieved, prepared to be life-long learners and ready to play an active and constructive part in society.

The Canterbury Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. A disclosure and Barring Service Certificate will be required for all posts. All posts will be subject to enhanced checks as part of our Prevent Duty. A satisfactory DBS disclosure must be presented to the Academy before any employment can commence. In line with KCSIE guidance, as part of the shortlisting process, The Trust reserves the right to conduct an online search on shortlisted candidates as part of our due diligence and any relevant information found, concerning a candidate's suitability to work with children, will be discussed at the interview stage.

Job Contact Information

• Name:Miss Jemma McClean
• Address:The Canterbury Academy Trust,
  Canterbury,
  Kent,
  CT2 8QA
• Telephone: 01227 463971
• Email: recruitment@canterbury.kent.sch.uk

Fax: