How we're organised: The staff
There is an executive head teacher who has overall responsibility for both
Brindishe and Hither Green Schools. Brindishe also has an associate head
teacher who is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and management,
and an assistant head teacher.
There is the equivalent of a full time teacher for every class but most classes have two teachers who work part of the week each and share responsibility for the class. We work this way because we believe it enables children to benefit from a wider range of expertise and experience. All teachers have time ‘out of the classroom’. This is used to prepare plans and resources, to assess children’s learning, attend training and to support curriculum and staff development. Our teachers are highly qualified and are often asked to support or advise teachers from other schools. When one of our class teachers is out of class we are usually able to ask one of our own teachers to work with the class. This means that the children are taught by someone who knows them and the way things work at Brindishe.
We have a number of classroom/teaching assistants in school to support children. They are usually attached to a particular class and work alongside the class teacher. They may be supporting individual children or they may work with groups of children or provide general help in classrooms and around the school. Classroom/teaching assistants are seen as equal members of staff, receive training and are consulted in all matters of school policy and practice.
Our administrative staff in the school office deal with a broad range of tasks including helping to organise admissions to the school, managing the wide range of clubs and extra curricular activities we offer children, administering children’s lunchtime arrangements and dealing with all financial matters. The school also has a part time bursar who administers the school budget and ensures that all financial matters follow local and national audit requirements.
We have a housekeeper who provides practical support to staff,
helps with children’s safety, provides first aid and is also responsible
for maintaining and making resources.
Our premises officer is responsible for the upkeep, safety and security of the school building, site and grounds, and, of course, its users!
A team of midday supervisors is responsible for ensuring the safety and well being of children at lunchtime in conjunction with the head teacher.
Brindishe staff work together as a team and relationships amongst us are very good. Staff are encouraged to share ideas, support each other and to refer to each other for advice, ideas and support. We encourage team planning and teaching and where teachers have an area of expertise they have additional responsibilities.
Staff turnover is exceptionally low and most of the teachers have been with Brindishe for many years. The teaching staff are all able to teach and work with children of all ages and share in developing areas of the curriculum and school policy. This means that all staff will get to know, and probably teach, all children at some stage of their primary school career.