Careers at Bournside

"Inspiring lives through learning."

Thank you for your interest in joining Cheltenham Bournside School.

Choosing where to work, teach and support students is a big decision and we're here to support you with your next career steps. We are the largest comprehensive school in Gloucestershire; an established single academic trust with an excellent reputation, a wide catchment, and a strong presence in our local community. 

Ofsted rated us 'Good' in all areas in 2022. The report highlights that “leaders put the welfare of pupils, as well as academic achievement, at the heart of everything they do” and that the “headteacher has very high expectations of the school”. “Pupils enjoy school” and there is a “strong sense of community for both staff and pupils”.  

Bournside is consistently oversubscribed with a PAN of 300, with most of our students choosing to stay with us post-16 in our thriving Sixth Form. 

 

Current vacancies

Graduate Programme Teaching Assistant
HOURS: 30.5 hours per week, 39 weeks per year

Graduate Programme Teaching Assistant

HOURS: 30.5 hours per week, 39 weeks per year DEADLINE 19 Aug 2024

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join Cheltenham Bournside School as a Graduate programme Teaching Assistant.

We are looking to appoint a Teaching Assistant to work within our Special Educational Needs Department, supporting the effective operation of the SEND provision on a day to day basis in school.

Graduates in Maths, English or Science would be desirable, although other subjects specialists would be considered.

This opportunity is specifically aimed at recent graduates who are considering a career in teaching. We are founder members of the Gloucestershire Initial Teacher Education Partnership (GITEP) who are one of the few training institutions rated by the OFSTED as “Outstanding”.

If appointed we would provide tailored support to help with your application to GITEP and as you take the next step in your career. The Graduate programme includes in-house training sessions, observational visits to other schools, coaching programme and additional CPD activities depending on your specialist areas. Although starting with us would not imply a firm commitments to train as a teacher, the appointment would be 1-year fixed contract which will give you the opportunity to decide whether you would like to make teaching your career.

Candidate Information Pack

Application Form


Submitting your application

If you would like to apply for any of our positions, please email your completed application form to recruitment@bournside.gloucs.sch.uk. We would be delighted to take applicants for an informal tour of the school so you can see for yourself why Bournside is a special place to work. We look forward to hearing from you.

General

• Provision of all necessary IT equipment.

Lifestyle and wellbeing

• Attractive salary and pension
• Free one-to-one wellbeing support
• Family-friendly policies
• Onsite parking facilities and cycle storage
• Free access to the school’s Gym
• Cycle to work scheme
• Techscheme – save money on the latest tech from Apple and Currys PC World
• A comprehensive range of staff social events throughout the year
• Our dining centre and Pit Stop Café is open between 8.30am and 1.30pm every day.

Professional development

• Every year, there is some disaggregated INSET time, resulting in additional holiday days per academic year
• Personalised CPD hours to develop areas specific to your practice and needs
• Support to complete further academic study and professional qualifications
• Access to high-quality in-house and external leadership development programmes, tailored to a wide variety of
levels of experience
• Membership of your subject association through your department
• Membership of the Chartered College of Teaching for ECTs
• A well-stocked CPD library.

Statutory and other benefits

• A wide range of statutory benefits including sick pay, maternity, parental, and adoption leave 
• Enhanced Paternity Leave Policy
• We will honour your continuity of service in other state-funded schools in relation to sick pay and pension rights.

General

• Provision of all necessary IT equipment.


Lifestyle and wellbeing

• Attractive salary and pension
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Free one-to-one wellbeing support
• Family-friendly policies
• Onsite parking facilities and cycle storage
• Free access to the school’s Gym
• Cycle to work scheme
• Techscheme – save money on the latest tech from Apple and Currys PC World
• A comprehensive range of staff social events throughout the year
• Our dining centre and Pit Stop Cafe are open between 8.00am and 1.30pm every day.

Professional development

• Support to complete further academic study and professional qualifications.

Statutory and other benefits

• A wide range of statutory benefits including sick pay, maternity, parental, and adoption leave
• Enhanced Paternity Leave Policy
• We will honour your continuity of service in other state funded schools in relation to sick pay and pension rights.

We will fully support you with your transition to Bournside. Our superb ECT Programme is overseen by our
Assistant Headteacher (Teaching and Learning) who also acts as your Induction Tutor. Unlike some schools, your Mentor will always be an expert colleague in your specific subject area.

Training Partner

We are partnered with our local Teaching School Hub who use UCL as their main delivery partner. Through our partnership with our Teaching School Hub, you will attend face-to-face cluster meetings with other ECTs in the region and grow your network of other new teachers in your area of subject expertise.

Mentor and Tutor Support

In your first year, your mentor will meet with you each week to support you as you progress through the ECF and UCL training modules. In your second year, you will meet with your mentor each fortnight as you continue your development.

Your Induction Tutor will meet with you to complete the formal assessments that form part of your ECT years. At Cheltenham Bournside, your tutor will also meet with you fortnightly to offer further training and support in teaching in our school context.

We use Doug Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion as a core text as part of this training and, consequently, provide a free copy to all ECTs. We also pay for membership to the Chartered College of Teaching for all ECTs.

Supporting workload

As an ECT, you will have a reduced timetable. We use an online tracker aligned with the Teacher Standards which allows you to quickly track activities and areas for development throughout the two-year programme.

What our ECTs say:

My tutor and mentor could not have done more for me, I am so grateful for everything they have done to make time for me and support me in a really personalised and transformational way.

I am so happy with the decision I made to join Cheltenham Bournside. Both my mentor and induction tutor have been so supportive - nothing is too much trouble and they have always had time in order to support me and assist me.

We will fully support you with your transition to Bournside. Will Penny, Deputy Headteacher, oversees the
provision for new staff, including your induction during the first year of teaching with us to support you in
understanding and coping with your new role.

Induction 

Teaching staff will be invited to an induction day in the term prior to joining us. This full day of training provides information about the aspects of Bournside school life which will be needed as soon as you start, such as:

• School Behaviour Code including rewards and sanctions
• Being a tutor including assemblies
• Use of electronic registration and laptops
• Procedures in the Sixth Form
• School Leadership Structure – who to see for what
• Duties
• School communication and meeting systems
• Induction procedures, performance management, and professional development
• Inclusion Support and SEN
• ICT
• Health and safety procedures
• Educational visit procedures
• Our School Library.

Your mentor

You will also be allocated a mentor – most likely your line manager – who will meet with you regularly to ensure you have the support you need.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

We are forward-thinking in our approach to CPD and pride ourselves on the opportunities we offer to support your
progression. Whether you join us as a member of teaching or support staff, we invest in your career through whole staff training, sharing best practice, instructional coaching, personal and departmental development time, focused
workshops, external courses, and performance management and review.

We are delighted to have been awarded the Gold Award for Professional Development from the Teacher
Development Trust (TDT) in recognition of our CPD provision for teaching and support staff. The auditor praised the consideration of the needs of all colleagues is a real strength at Bournside, in particular considering how best to support the CPD needs of part-time staff and flexible working, showing a real understanding of the impact that a supportive working environment can have on teacher wellbeing and outcomes for students.

For support teams

New members of the support team will also be fully supported in their transition to Bournside. The HR
Department oversees the provision for new staff, including your induction to support you in the understanding your
new role.

You will be allocated a mentor – most likely your line manager – who will meet with you regularly to ensure you
have the support you need.

Depending on your start date, you may be invited to an induction day before joining us. Alternatively, this will typically be your first day. New starter training provides information about the aspects of Bournside school life, including:
• School Leadership Structure – who to see for what
• School communication and meeting systems
• Induction procedures, performance management, and professional development
• ICT
• Health and safety procedures
• Safeguarding training
• Key policies
• Introduction to basic training requirements.

Continuing Professional Development for support staff

We strive to offer all members of staff excellent CPD opportunities and consider ourselves forward-thinking in our approach to CPD. We use a variety of activities to engage staff with sharing best-practice including whole staff training options, departmental development time, focused workshops, and time for performance management and review.


Professional development

We are delighted to have been awarded the Gold Award for Professional Development from the Teacher Development Trust (TDT) in recognition of the exceptional level of CPD provision for teaching and support staff. The TDT is the national charity for effective professional development in schools and colleges and this external audit evaluates school culture and wellbeing, focus, needs analysis and evaluation, internal support and challenge, use of expert knowledge, processes and structures of CPD, and use of research, evidence and innovation. The coveted 'Gold' award in is very much a reflection of our genuine, shared commitment to inspiring the lives of both students and staff through learning.

The school has a proven track-record in designing and delivering a high-quality, research-informed programme of CPD, which senior leaders quite rightly take great pride in. It was a great pleasure to speak with a range of staff who clearly feel well supported and appreciative of the developmental opportunities unique to the school.

- Auditor, June 2023

We are forward-thinking in our approach to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and pride ourselves on the opportunities we offer to support your progression. Whether you join us as a member of teaching or support team, we invest in your career through whole staff training, sharing best practice, peer observation, personal and departmental development time, focused workshops, external courses, and performance management and review.

 

Professional Development

Initial Teacher Training

We are delighted to welcome many trainee teachers each year at Cheltenham Bournside School. Find out more here.

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