EYFS Leader; Mat cover - Valentine Primary School

EYFS Leader (Mat cover) - Valentine Primary School

Join to apply for the EYFS Leader (Mat cover) - Valentine Primary School role at Southampton City Council.

As EYFS Leader, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the most formative stage of primary education, nurturing children’s curiosity, excitement and sense of wonder. This is an exceptional opportunity for a skilled practitioner to lead, inspire and model excellence across our Early Years provision.

This role blends strategic leadership with class teaching. We are seeking someone with strong, demonstrable classroom practice who can champion high-quality pedagogy and support colleagues to deliver the very best outcomes for our youngest learners.

Valentine Primary School is a vibrant, inclusive and ambitious community. Following our May 2025 Ofsted inspection, the school achieved Good in all areas under new leadership — a significant milestone after twelve years of Requires Improvement. Our EYFS provision expanded in Autumn 2025 with the opening of our school-based nursery for children aged 0–5, strengthening our early years offer and building a strong pipeline into the school.

As we continue to grow, this post has the potential to develop into a substantive senior leadership role.

• Outstanding classroom practice and a deep understanding of early childhood development
• Proven ability to lead, inspire and develop staff
• A commitment to inclusive, child-centered learning
• Strong organisational and communication skills
• Alignment with the competencies outlined in the post definition (these will be essential for shortlisting)

We believe recruitment is a mutual process. Your interview day is designed to help you understand whether Valentine Primary is the right place to advance your career. We aim to make the experience supportive, transparent and welcoming. Visits to the school are strongly encouraged, as are informal conversations with the Executive Headteacher. If you have any questions before or after submitting your application, please contact Kevin Brown, Operations Manager.

• Mid-Senior level

• Full-time

• Other

• Government Administration