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Music Teacher (part-time)

The Dharma Primary School, in Brighton, is a non-selective independent school and welcomes children aged 3-11 years from all backgrounds and faiths and with all

abilities. Our philosophy is rooted in Buddhist principles and for more than 20 years we have successfully integrated a holistic ethos with an excellent academic education. Through the practice of mindfulness, the school aims to cultivate wisdom, reflection

and compassion in children and to help them unlock their full potential. More information about the school can be found at http://www.dharmaschool.co.uk.

The school is seeking an experienced Music Teacher on a 0.1 contract, currently on a Tuesday afternoon. The salary offered will be in the range £25,500-£26,500 prorated. The successful applicant will have a strength in delivering Music to all primary years,

including mixed year groups. It would be desirable to also to offer an after-school music club which will be paid extra.

Applicants should download an Employment Application form from http://www.dharmaschool.co.uk/job-vacancies/, complete including names and

contact information of two professional referees, and forward to:

Claire Moody, Bursar at cmoody@dharmaschool.co.uk.

The closing date for applications is Friday 10th May at 5.00 pm.

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All

positions within the school require an Enhanced DBS

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THE DHARMA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Our vision is a Buddhist school based on Buddhist principles taken from the dharma, the teachings of the Buddha. Our school has staff and parents from a variety of Buddhist and other spiritual and religious backgrounds. Although we seek Buddhist teachers and staff we are committed to excellence in teaching and work practice and do not require applicants to be practicing Buddhists. However, we expect all staff to take an interest in, read about and embrace aspects of Buddhist teaching such as the significance of meditation and mindfulness, the five precepts, and deepen their understanding of Buddhist philosophy such as an understanding of the four noble truths and recognising interrelatedness in a world of change and impermanence.

ABOUT US

A foundation for all-round excellence, designed with mindfulness at its heart The Dharma Primary School is the first primary school in the UK to be based on Buddhist principles. The school opened it doors in Brighton in September 1994. It was conceived by a group of parents who spent many happy times at the Amaravatti Buddhist Monastery family camps in Hertfordshire. The pilot scheme for a primary school was established in the front room of a house in Sussex with four pupils. Since then, the Dharma Primary School has gone from strength to strength and in June 1995 with an increase in pupils the school moved to its present location at The White House, in Patcham, Brighton, a 1930’s detached house set in its own grounds. Currently the school has more than 65 pupils on the roll from three to eleven years of age spread over five classes. Ethos and Vision We intend that our pupils leave our school with a good heart, sound ethical values and a sense of responsibility combined with the academic and social skills that enable them to make a successful transition into secondary education. We hope our pupils will then go on to act in ways that will help to create a more compassionate, intelligent and peaceful world. Children are introduced to the benefit of stillness through regular mediation practice enabling them to develop a reflective understanding of themselves, their life and the world around them. We discuss key Buddhist teachings to help children understand cause and effect, cooperation and change, know as karma, interdependence and impermanence.

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Core Objectives

- To guide students to develop mindfulness, wisdom and compassion through the sharing of Buddhist teachings and practices.

- To provide a sound academic education, which is informed by the National Curriculum and enables children to learn and be challenged in ways that accord with their needs an potential.

- To foster self-esteem by teaching emotional literacy and problem solving skills

and enabling children to learn form and transform conflict.

- To constantly strive to create a nurturing environment in which a love of learning is fostered, and positive, respectful relationships are developed among and between all tiers of the school: children, staff, parent community and trustees.

THE STAFF In the safe, secure environment of a small community school, our committed, skilled staff are dedicated to helping children excel. Working together they provide a rounded academic education informed by the National Curriculum, but with the flexibility and creativity to respond to the children’s needs, talents and interests. Almost all of our 25 staff work part-time and often share classes. This is an approach that has evolved over the years and we believe brings renewed energy to the classroom and a diversity of skills and interests to a small school. We asked our staff why they chose to come to the Dharma Primary School. Here are some of their replies: “A desire to work with children in an atmosphere that means there is time for the individual.” “The chance to be a part of something so special and unique.” “A deep commitment to and love of teaching, coupled with the opportunity to take part in the creation of a unique curriculum truly underpinned by the Buddhist ethos of the school.” THE CHILDREN Most children join the school in reception but there are many who arrive later on, possibly from home schooling environments or the mainstream system. The school is very experienced at smoothing these transitions allowing the children to very rapidly settle in and thrive.

A cherished characteristic of the school is the mixing that occurs between year groups and the close friendships that result. This is encouraged by our vertical grouping system, with two year groups in each class, and by interclass projects such as reading buddies.

From the Dharma Primary School children make successful transitions to secondary education with most moving on to local state secondary schools and a few to the independent sector. Secondary schools often comment on how confident, expressive and emotionally intelligent our children are.

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JOB DESCRIPTION Job title: Music Teacher Reports to: Head Teacher Purpose: To contribute to the provision of a high quality of education

within The Dharma Primary School by taking responsibility for the education and welfare of a class.

Key responsibilities:

1. Teach the class, making sure the music curriculum is delivered effectively and the children are treated in a warm and caring manner reflecting the school’s Buddhist ethos, so that the children receive a high-quality education in a supportive setting.

For instance, by:

● Providing a happy, safe and stimulating learning environment ● Being a positive role model in your own behaviour ● Treating children with respect within the context of clear boundaries ● Having regard to the educational, emotional and physical needs of

each child 2. Plan for the educational needs of the class, within the context of the

relevant curriculum standards and liaising with the other part-time class teacher as necessary, so that the teaching of the class is well-planned and organised.

For instance, by:

● Gathering resources for lessons ● Undertaking term and lesson-planning ● Keeping written records of term and lesson plans

3. Assess children’s work and record their attainments, so that their progress is monitored, recorded and appropriate action is taken where necessary and maintain appropriate records for internal and regulatory purposes.

For instance, by:

● Keeping anecdotal notes of children’s work particularly with regards to strengths and weaknesses

4. Provide direction for the Teaching Assistant so that they are aware of how

they can best support you to fulfil your teaching responsibilities and are able to focus on the education and well-being of the children.

For instance, by:

● Discussing with the Teaching Assistant plans for the lesson and identifying how they can best provide support .

5. Work as part of the school staff team by keeping informed of school

policies, procedures, plans and activities contributing to the effective functioning of the school as a whole

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6. Take care of own continuing professional development in order to maintain and improve the contribution made to the education and well-being of the children within the context of the school’s Buddhist ethos.

For instance, by:

● Reflecting on, identifying and planning own professional development

● Making continued effort to deepen own understanding of Buddhism and how to reflect the school’s Buddhist ethos in own work

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Person Specification Job title: Music Teacher

Qualifications & training: Essential: Experience in working with children & teaching music

Desirable: Additional expertise and active interests for benefit of children such as offering extra-curricular work, musical events

Experience: Essential: Recent successful teaching experiences developing excellent relationships with children. Desirable: Experience of working in primary classes. Ability to work through difficulties with children – resolving conflict using dialogue and developing strategies and outcomes for children.

Special skills and knowledge: Essential: Choir work with children and ability to integrate musical instruments into music lessons.

Desirable: Up to date knowledge of national curriculum in music.

Key capabilities: Essential: Energetic, dynamic and patient with children reflected in active experiences and activities with classes or groups of primary aged children. Desirable: Ability to play and teach string and/or keyboard instruments.

Other requirements: Essential: Contribution to the wider school key performances and events e.g. Christmas concerts, children’s parade Openness to Buddhist philosophy and some background knowledge of Buddhism. Commitment to The Dharma Primary School ethos.

Desirable: Willingness to offer extra-curricular activities such as music club,

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APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT

The Dharma Primary School SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

The Dharma Primary School has a commitment to safeguarding children and young people, through its policies, procedures and practices. The interview for any post will follow guidelines for safer recruitment and include questions about safeguarding. If you are shortlisted for this post, we will take up references before interview and ask about any discrepancies or anomalies in the information provided or arising from references.

When received, the information on this front sheet is kept separate from the rest of the application form, so those involved in the selection process are not influenced by the information.

Please note the job description, person specification and other information provided and read through carefully before starting to complete this form.

This application form must be completed in full before it can be considered. An incomplete application form or form containing gaps in the information provided may be returned for completion before it can be considered.

Contact details First and middle names

Daytime telephone

Surname

Title Evening telephone

Previous names used

Mobile

When is the best time to call?

N I number

Email

Address

Would you prefer to receive letters from us by post or by email?

If applicable your teacher's GTC registration details:

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The vacancy What position are you applying for?

How did you hear about this vacancy?

The front page and this second page of employment history are initially kept separate from the rest of the application form, so those involved in the initial short-listing process do not have information from which reveals your gender, nationality or ethnic origin. This means you must not presume that those reading this information will have access to the information you give below about your education and work history. At this stage we are mainly asking for safeguarding reasons and looking for gaps in your education and work history. When you answer later questions you will need to repeat this information relating it specifically to the job description and person specification. If short-listed and invited to interview your education and work history will be reviewed before interview and during the interview an explanation may be sought from you for any gaps in your education and work history. As part of our pre-employment checks, we may subsequently contact your previous employers or education establishments to ask them to verify your education and work history.

Your education and work history Please start with current job and work backwards to your secondary education which will also need to be included. Please explain any gaps in your history. Please include voluntary or part-time work.

Dates from – to (please give month and year)

Please describe briefly what you were doing, with whom and sufficient information to enable us to contact them if necessary.

Please explain why you left.

e.g. March 03 – Sept 04 Teaching assistant at St Edwards School, Oxford.

Offered a better job.

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Relevant education, qualifications, training and membership of professional bodies

Please provide details of your education, qualifications, training and membership of professional bodies which may demonstrate that you fulfil the person specification for this position. We will need details of any academic and/or vocational qualifications with details of the awarding body and date of award. Please include details of relevant training undertaken recently (e.g. teaching courses, First Aid, IT skills).

We will ask you to provide evidence of qualifications required for the position and we may ask for evidence of any of the other information you give in this section.

Previous employment history

Please describe your previous employment, focusing on how it helps you demonstrate that you fulfil the person specification for this position. Please include detailed information about teaching experience (e.g. age range, subjects, posts held, details of special areas of teaching interest). Please note, we also ask you to provide specific details of your current or last employer in the next section.

Your initials

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Current or last employment Job title

Salary

Main responsibilities

Start date

Notice required

If left, leaving date and reason for leaving

Reason for seeking new position

Name of employer

Description of employer’s activities

We will need a reference – who would you like us to contact?

Address

Their job title

Can we contact them before interview? □ Yes □ No

Email

We may contact the organisation to confirm the person you have given is a suitable, senior person who knows your work and is able to give a reference on behalf of the organisation.

Telephone number

Second reference

Ideally we would like two work references; one reference should be from your last or current employer. If you have previously worked either paid or voluntarily with children please give a contact for this reference. If you are unable to provide work references (because you are a school/college leaver or are returning to work after a significant break) please give academic or personal references and explain their relationship to you clearly.

Name

Name (only if unable to give current or last employer)

Job title/relationship

Job title/relationship

Address

Address

Telephone number/Email

Telephone number/Email

Period of employment/relationship

Period of employment/relationship

Can we contact them before interview? □ Yes □ No

Can we contact them before interview? □ Yes □ No

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Your initials

Supporting information

Please consider the job description and person specification for this role carefully before answering this section. We decide whether to call for interview based on what you tell us in this form. Selection will be based on the criteria set out in the person specification. Please go through the items on the person specification in the order they are listed and provide additional information to support your application. We suggest you provide specific examples where you can of how you have demonstrated what we are looking for, drawing on your work (including voluntary work) and life experience.

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Your application

Please tell us a little bit about what motivates you and your dreams and ambitions. Why are you applying for this position? What is it about working with us in this position that interests you?

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Additional space, if required

Please use this space if you did not have room on previous pages. Please indicate clearly which question you are continuing to answer.

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Additional information

Because we are a school, we will apply for an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) before you start work, and this will disclose all criminal convictions including spent convictions or cautions.

Included with this pack is a self-disclosure form, please complete and return in an envelope with your name and marked Private & Confidential. This self-disclosure will only be opened if you are short listed for interview. Having a criminal record does not mean we will not employ you, we will carefully consider the nature of your record and the nature of the position carefully.

We will also need to ask you whether any disciplinary actions or formal complaint has been made against you as we will need to ask for this in references.

If invited to interview we will carry out an identity check. Original documents will be required, and two of the following must be seen, passport and driving licence or birth certificate.

Also original certificates/diplomas etc. of qualifications related to the position applied for will be required.

We are required by law to check this before you start work. Is it legal for you to work in the UK?

□ Yes □ No

Do you have any family or close relationship to existing employees or trustees? □ No □ Yes, please provide details:

If we invite you to an interview we may ask you to complete a fitness declaration form stating that you are physically and mentally fit to carry out the work involved in the position. We may also ask you and your current or last employer for details of your sickness absence.

Declaration

The information I have given on this form is true and accurate and nothing relevant has been omitted. I understand that false or misleading information may result in my dismissal.

I understand that this form and all paperwork relating to this recruitment process will be kept for 12 months before it is destroyed. I understand that if successful this application form and other relevant documents from the recruitment process may be retained and used for personnel administration and the monitoring information used for general management purposes. Signed: _______________________________________ Date: _____________________________

If you have any questions about the completion of this form please contact: Claire Moody at the school. Please return this form to: The Dharma Primary School, The White House,149 Ladies Mile Road, Patcham Brighton BN1 8TB. Tel: 01273 502055 E-mail: cmoody@dharmaschool.co.uk

Your initials

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SELF-DECLARATION FORM

Do you have any criminal convictions including spent or unspent convictions? Yes No If yes, please give details:

Do you have any cautions, including spent or unspent cautions? Yes No If yes, please give details:

Are there any cases outstanding, or bind-overs or have you been dismissed or resigned over concerns connected with your suitability to work with children or are you currently disqualified from working with children? Yes No If yes, please give details:

If invited to interview you will be asked to bring a signed copy of this form. At interview you will be asked about any information disclosed on this form. Having a criminal record does not mean we will not employ you, we will carefully consider the nature of your record and the nature of the position carefully.

Your initials

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Declaration

The information I have given on this form is true, accurate and nothing relevant is omitted and I understand that false or misleading information may result in my dismissal. Signed: _________________________________ Date: _____________________

THE DHARMA PRIMARY SCHOOL

MONITORING INFORMATION FORM

We committed to ensuring that applicants and employees from all sections of the community are treated equally and not discriminated against on the grounds of gender, colour, race, nationality, marital or civil partnership status, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability or age.

This form assists us in monitoring who is applying for employment with us, our adherence to equal opportunities best practice and our progress towards identifying any barriers to diversity among those we employ. These objectives comply with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

This form is used solely for monitoring purposes and will be removed from your application and kept securely. It will not supplement of form part of your application, the selection criteria used or the selection process generally.

Post title:

Date of birth:

1. GENDER

Male Female 2. COUNTRY OF BIRTH

My country of birth is:

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3. ETHNIC ORIGIN

I would describe my ethnic origin as:

1. White 4. Asian, Asian British, Asian

English, Asian Scottish or Asian

Welsh

British English Scottish Welsh Irish Any other White background (please specify)

Bangladeshi Indian Pakistani Any other Asian background (please specify)

2. Black, Black British, Black

English, Black Scottish or Black

Welsh

5. Chinese, Chinese British,

Chinese English, Chinese Scottish or

Chinese Welsh

African Caribbean Any other Black background (please specify)

Chinese Any other Chinese background (please specify)

3. Mixed 6. Other ethnic group

White & Asian White & Black African White & Black Caribbean Any other Mixed background (please specify)

Other ethnic group (please specify)

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4. RELIGION I would describe my religion as:

None Christian

(including Church of England, Catholic, Protestant/all other Christian denominations) Buddhist Hindu Jewish Muslim Sikh Any other:

5. DISABILITY The legal definition of disability is ‘a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities’. Some specific conditions deemed to be disabilities include HIV, cancer, multiple sclerosis and severe disfigurements. Do you have a disability, long-term illness (mental or physical), on-going medical condition or treatment that we should be aware of? Yes: No:

Data Protection

I hereby give my consent for the Recruitment Monitoring Information provided on this form to be held on computer or other relevant filing systems and to be shared with other accredited organisations or agencies in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and subsequently the GDPR 2018.

Signature:……………………………………… Date:……………………………