Job reference: 009216
Salary: MPS/UPS based on experience
Closing date: 31/05/2026
Department: Teaching
Location: Leigh Academy Bearsted
Employment type: Fixed Term
Hours Per Week: Full-time
Start date: September 2026

Job Description

MPS/UPS (England & Wales) + Teacher Pension Scheme + 24/7 access to a free virtual GP Service + collaborative MAT network + additional LAT benefits.

Are you a qualified teacher seeking an opportunity in an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ IB World school? Do you have the passion and drive to help all children achieve? Leigh Academy Bearsted is looking for a Reception Class Teacher to join our friendly and ambitious team from September 2026.

Leigh Academy Bearsted is looking to appoint a passionate and dedicated Reception teacher looking for a truly inspiring place to make a real difference. In being part of our vibrant and thriving academy, you will contribute your energy and vision to drive the academy to achieve its full potential. You will receive the support and guidance you need to not only develop the academy but also your own career within the supportive environment of the Trust. We are an academy that thrives on teamwork, recognises the importance of high quality support for the teachers and offers a creative and responsive package of CPD for all staff.

What makes Leigh Academy Bearsted a special place to work:

Shape the future - make a lasting impact on our pupils’ learning and development.

Develop your career - if you’re interested, there’s an exciting opportunity to join an ambitious staff body. We welcome ambitious practitioners who wish to progress towards senior leadership.

Time to grow - we value collaboration. Our professional development offer is bespoke and supportive. We value work life balance and prioritise collaborative planning opportunities and instructional coaching.

Be part of a community - join a supportive staff team who work together to ensure every child thrives.

Ready to inspire bright futures? We encourage you to apply!

Note that whilst the position is offered on a maternity cover basis initially of one year, every effort will be made to offer a substantive position thereafter, either at Leigh Academy Bearsted or within the wider family of academies across Leigh Academies Trust. The central Recruitment Team will keep in touch with you throughout your contract to discuss options available to you.

This is a full-time, one year fixed term opportunity offering MPS/UPS, based on experience.

Working with us at Leigh Academy Bearsted

Leigh Academy Bearsted is an "exceptional academy in every way" as judged by Ofsted in January 2023. We are a growing academy, housed in a new, spacious, and modern building with well-resourced classrooms and extensive outdoor learning areas.

At our core is a broad and balanced curriculum, significantly enhanced as an authorised International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) World School. This inquiry-led framework fosters independent learners and challenging experiences, developing a genuine thirst for learning. We focus on the whole child, nurturing social, emotional, and academic skills, encouraging them to challenge, question, and take ownership of their learning.

Ofsted highlighted our outstanding ongoing professional development for staff, delivered both internally and by Trust curriculum experts. We are committed to providing a safe, caring environment where children feel empowered to take risks, embrace learning, and develop pride in their achievements.

Discover more about our vibrant academy by visiting our website.

Applying for this Opportunity

Thank you for your interest in joining us. If you’d like to find out more about this role or arrange a visit to the academy, please don’t hesitate to contact Amy Wenban (Recruitment Advisor): amy.wenban@latrust.org.uk / 01634 412 205.

To support your application, we recommend viewing the Job Pack by clicking here, which outlines the full role responsibilities and person specification. This will guide you in preparing a strong application and understanding what we’re looking for.

Early applications are encouraged, as we reserve the right to interview before the closing date. All applications must be submitted through our online application form prior to the deadline.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding, Equality & Diversity

Leigh Academies Trust and all of our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust and consistent recruitment process across all academies and business units which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates - you can read more about it on our Careers site. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

As a Trust, we are passionate about diversity and recognise that as individuals, we all bring something unique to the role regardless of any protected characteristics which is why we treat all of our people equally, without compromise. We are committed to providing equality and fairness throughout our recruitment and employment practices and not discriminating on any grounds.

Take a look around the company http://www.latcareers.org.uk/