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Responsible to: Head of Dame Bradbury’s

Location: Dame Bradbury’s School, Saffron Walden

Role Description:

At the Stephen Perse Foundation, we believe passionately in the importance of our libraries in inspiring a love of learning. New innovative library spaces are designed to capture the imagination of the children encouraging them to read voraciously, whether fiction or non-fiction. The librarian's role is therefore critical in ensuring the new libraries are properly integrated into the wider school life taking advantage of learning opportunities and wider engagement in the world of the library. This role will be a September 2023 start.

Main Responsibilities:

• To foster a love of reading and a strong desire in children to enjoy a wide variety of genres
• across the 3-11-year-old age range
• To have comprehensive knowledge of children’s literature, including what is being published
• currently, in order to guide children towards reading fiction, from a range of authors, and also
• nonfiction
• To set up, monitor and support a system which allows open access to parents during the start and end of the school day
• To inspire children to read by organising special age-appropriate events across the age ranges; these could include reading challenges, bookathons, competitions, House competitions and author visits
• To work with the children and teaching staff in such a way that individual children’s reading
• abilities and tastes become known and are catered for appropriately
• To encourage teaching staff to use the libraries as flexible learning spaces where they can
• promote reading through a variety of activities, using books, digital tools, newspapers etc,
• and facilitate the creation and performance of pupil generated material, such as stories,
• poems and plays
• To support staff in finding theme related text to have in classrooms, or easily accessible in the library, to match their half termly topic
• To support the maintenance, management and organisation of independent reading books that are stored in classrooms and taken home, primarily in Years 1 and 2
• To keep staff informed of new books, publications and resources which will maintain the high
• profile of reading in all schools and to support teaching and learning in other ways, e.g.
• sourcing new materials for integrated topics and projects
• To look for opportunities to invite authors, speakers and workshops into the schools and to
• 
  book festivals etc. To liaise with relevant departments of Stephen Perse Foundation to ensure most cost-effective ways of maximising children’s access to such events
• To support initiatives relating to national/international events (e.g., World Book Day, Poetry
• Day, Commonwealth Day), current affairs, cultural diversity and one-off school occasions through displays, reading sessions and special library events
• To engage with the wider community including parents of Stephen Perse Foundation pupils and teachers and children from local schools, as appropriate. This could involve setting up shared reading opportunities for 3 - 7-year-olds and their parents, organising Outreach activities and supporting the involvement of Stephen Perse Foundation teachers and pupils in such events
• To develop ways in which parents can access the library with their child or children
• To provide a strong message about the importance and value of reading in Stephen Perse Foundation schools for prospective families and other visitors whenever appropriate, including on Open Days
• To provide advice and guidance on the purchase of new stock and effective ways of regularly rolling this across the schools with attention to age appropriateness
• To liaise with other librarians within and beyond the Stephen Perse Foundation, especially in the Senior School with a view to smooth transition for readers
• To manage online calendars to support maximum use of the library in being used flexibly

General Responsibilities

• Act as an excellent ambassador for the Foundation at all times.
• Build and maintain good working relationships with all Foundation colleagues.
• Assist as necessary in other Foundation areas at peak times.
• Work at all times towards the aims and goals of the Foundation and any individual objectives and targets you may have agreed.
• Proactively identify areas for improvements within the Foundation.
• Actively promote the Foundation’s Equal Opportunities Policy, encouraging staff awareness and participation in all areas.
• Act in accordance with the Data Protection principles at all times.
• Adhere at all times to Foundation operational and employment policies and procedures.
• Take care of your own health and safety and that of people who may be affected by what you do (or do not do).
• Cooperate with others on health and safety, and not interfere with, or misuse, anything provided for your health, safety or welfare.
• Follow the training you have received when using any work items the Foundation has provided.
• Adhere to the Foundation’s Privacy Notice and ensure private and confidential data is kept secure and disposed of in the appropriate manner.

This job description is not necessarily comprehensive and the position holder will be required to carry out such other duties as may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.

Terms and conditions

All appointments for the Stephen Perse Foundation are subject to satisfactory reference and disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks, online checks, proof of identity and eligibility to work in the UK, completion of a medical questionnaire and proof of qualifications.

Hours of work

16 hours per week, working 10:30am-2:30pm, 4 days per week (possibility to consider alternative working pattern).