St Helen’s Church and Tarporley CE Primary School are delighted to be taking part in a brand new national Church of England project called Flourish, and are seeking to appoint a new children and family worker to support us in leading this exciting project here at Tarporley.
Flourish is an innovative pilot project which is taking place in around 40 schools across the country, seeking to start new, intergenerational worshipping communities within schools. Each Flourish project will be very different, and we are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic and committed leader, who will prayerfully and creatively develop & lead the project in Tarporley.
Although each Flourish project will be unique, there are five core values underpinning them all:
1. Young people’s voices will instinctively be at the centre of all leadership decision-making and implementation
2. There will be a clearly articulated and shared purpose to grow a younger and more diverse community of Christian disciples
3. There will be a strategic leadership partnership between school/college and at least one church community
4. Each Flourish project will be an intergenerational faith development experience, involving children and their families of all ages
5. Flourish will lead worship that is fully integrated into the regular rhythms, practices, structures and resources of the school/college’s vision for the flourishing of children and adults
So, we are seeking to appoint someone to work with the children in our school, involving them in the journey of creating a brand-new worshipping community for children and their families.
Some information about us:
Tarporley Church of England Primary School is a wonderful school based in the heart of the village of Tarporley and provides an education for currently around 280 children aged from 4 to 11 years, divided between 10 classes. Our school vision is for everyone to 'Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.'
For more information about our school please visit our website: https://www.tarporleyce.cheshire.sch.uk/
The school has a very well developed, mutually supportive, and close working relationship with St Helen’s, the Anglican church in the parish. School regularly visits church for termly services, and RE lessons. The church community is actively involved in the life of the school, with involvement in Collective Worship by the clergy, several church members offering time to supporting reading across the school, as well as congregation members serving enthusiastically as members of the Governing body.
For more information about our churches, please visit our websites: https://www.tarporleyparishchurch.org/ https://www.facebook.com/ParishofTarporley
The new role:
The main aim of the Flourish Children’s and Families Worker role is to develop a vision for how a new intergenerational worshipping community can be started within the life of Tarporley Primary school, and then to establish & lead a strategy to implement that vision.
This will include:
- Working with children in the school, giving them opportunities to help shape the direction of the new worshipping community as it is established
- Having the flexibility to work during the school day (for example within existing patterns of
- Collective Worship and Spirituality), and outside of school hours (establishing new intergenerational worship opportunities for children and their families)
- Considering national Flourish resources, and opportunities offered by organisations partnering with the national Flourish initiative
- Collaborating with the churches to explore opportunities for children and their families to continue as members of Flourish, or other local worshipping communities, when children move on to high schools
- Collating and submitting project evaluation data, working with the Diocesan and national Flourish teams to assess the impact of the pilot, and helping the wider church to learn lessons for future Flourish projects
About the successful candidate:
To enable this exciting new project to succeed, we are seeking to appoint someone who:
- Has a strong and active Christian faith (there is a Genuine Occupational Requirement for the postholder to be a committed Christian)
- Has experience of working with children, young people, or families
- Has experience of working in schools (desirable)
- Is a good team worker, with excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Is a creative and strategic thinker
- Is committed to the best Safeguarding practices
- Has a commitment to continue developing their own skills
The role is conditional upon the holder undertaking an enhanced DBS check (with barred list) and being entitled to work in the UK.
What we can offer:
This is a part-time role (12 hours a week), with a fixed-term contract (until 31st August 2026), with a proposed start date of January 2025.
To help the successful candidate fulfil the role, we can offer:
- £12.65 per hour
- Six weeks annual leave (to be taken during school holidays)
- School and church communities who are welcoming, and committed to encouraging faith development for all children and families
- Supportive Diocesan and National Flourish networks, providing special Flourish resources and training
- Flexible working opportunities, with Flourish events taking place at the school site, and opportunity for home working for preparation and planning
To apply:
Please complete the job application form, and return it to Revd Jim Bridgman (revjimb1017@gmail.com) by 5.00pm on Monday 25th November 2024.
Interviews for shortlisted candidates will take place on Thursday 5th December 2024
For more information, please contact Rev Jim Bridgman at revjimb1017@gmail.com or 01829 732491