Foundation Stage Team Leader

[Guest]

Help!

I have just rec'd a letter inviting me to interview for the above post at a school on Thursday. The school is having a children's centre built which will house a local nursery and opportunity playgroup . There are two classes of 30 Reception children at the school. Is there anyone already doing this role who could help me with some key points I will have to tackle as I have to give a ten minute presentation to all 12 Govenors. I also have to teach a class of 30 for 20 mins with 2 TA's. It seems to be a really funny length of time and it has been a while since I had an interview. Can't decide if we should all do something together on the carpet which involves groups or whiteboards or something to bring some action in or if I should do 10 mins carpet and 10 mins at tables to show use of TA's?!

I would appreciate some advice. Thanks.

[HappyMaz]

Welcome to the Forum, Hills.

 

Sorry I can't help - but I did want to welcome you anyway!

 

Someone clever will be along to help, I'm sure!

 

Maz

[mundia]

Hi Hils and welcome.

 

I have questions for you so that we can help you better perhaps?

 

Are you going to take on the role of the Children's centre teacher? If so, your role would be quite different from a FS leader in a school (having done both, they often bear little resemblance to each other) Do you have a title for your presentation?

 

For your lesson, do you have an area of learning or free reign? Do you know how the school organises things now? Im thinking that if the children are not used to moving off into groups, then this may take up too much of your 20 mins organising it and leave you little time for activity. You can still make it interactive on the carpet, with whiteboards or fans something like that?

[Guest]

Hi Hils and welcome.

 

I have questions for you so that we can help you better perhaps?

 

Are you going to take on the role of the Children's centre teacher? If so, your role would be quite different from a FS leader in a school (having done both, they often bear little resemblance to each other) Do you have a title for your presentation?

 

For your lesson, do you have an area of learning or free reign? Do you know how the school organises things now? Im thinking that if the children are not used to moving off into groups, then this may take up too much of your 20 mins organising it and leave you little time for activity. You can still make it interactive on the carpet, with whiteboards or fans something like that?

 

The presentation is titled 'The role of the FSTL in the brand new Children's Centre at ----------- School. I have been told that the new person will be placed either as a Reception teacher or Nursery Qualified Teacher. I also know that one of the Reception teachers is about to go on maturnity and the current QT in the nursery has been told it is unlikely that heir will be a post for her. Keeping options open I would guess!

 

I had also concluded that moving 30 children off into groups could take the whole sesion and do not know if I will have a chance to talk to the TA's before the session although I will ask if I can. I have progressed today to thinking of doing a story making activity with whiteboards for children to draw characters to add, write names etc if they can using music and a story box of objects. We can count characters etc. But it could be a bit wide open with scope for diasters!

[mundia]

Interesting Hils, I do suggest you pop along to the children centre forum and see some of the discussion we have been having there (which reminds me yet again t kick one off about the role of the CC teacher). If you are class based full time, I can't see how you can fulfil a children's centre teacher role as well, unless there is time built in for this (throuhg non class based time). There are CC teachers here and elsewhere who have a class, but for me that doesn't define the CC teacher role as a 'leader of learning'.

 

In your position, Id read around as much as you can about what your LA does, even ringing up a couple of CCs in your area.

Id also look at the FAQs about CCs

here

 

And also sure Starts practice guidance

here

 

In other words, think really carefully about what you think the role is or what you want it to be.

[Guest]

Interesting Hils, I do suggest you pop along to the children centre forum and see some of the discussion we have been having there (which reminds me yet again t kick one off about the role of the CC teacher). If you are class based full time, I can't see how you can fulfil a children's centre teacher role as well, unless there is time built in for this (throuhg non class based time). There are CC teachers here and elsewhere who have a class, but for me that doesn't define the CC teacher role as a 'leader of learning'.

 

In your position, Id read around as much as you can about what your LA does, even ringing up a couple of CCs in your area.

Id also look at the FAQs about CCs

here

 

And also sure Starts practice guidance

here

 

In other words, think really carefully about what you think the role is or what you want it to be.

 

 

Thank You for your words they have given me lots to think about and some important questions to ask. I will look at the CC forum.

[Guest]

Having just read your post I don't see how anyone can be a class teacher and a Children's Centre teacher at the same time. I am in my second year as a Children's Centre teacher and it is so different from being a class teacher. For instance last week, in between having to do the usual paperwork planning, assessment etc. I :

Attended a Management Team meeting;

Ran 2 Play & Stay groups in the centre;

Visited a local Nursery school to talk about running a Play & Stay group there;

Attended Leading the Foundation Stage Early Years Coordinator Update training;

Did a home visit to a family newly arrived in our area who want information on nursery and school places for their children:

Spent 2 half days in the private nursery attached to the centre;

Had a meeting with the Childminder Network coordinator re accreditation for one of her members.