Job Description

ALLOTMENT/HORTICULTURAL EXPERIENCE ESSENTIAL

Allotment Education is a small Community Interest Company (CIC) in Nottingham. We are an agile, professional, pupil-focused business and our goal is to imbed horticulture into the school day. We are passionate about teaching children and young people where their food comes from and the powerful mental health benefits of gardening.

Our work environment includes:

On-the-job training Casual work attire Lively atmosphere Safe work environment Immense job satisfaction

Salary and contract

26,000 per annum pro rata

Fixed Term: Initially for 1 year

Locations

Wednesday:

Woodland View Primary School, Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 2LH

Thursday:

Rose Hill School St Matthias Road Nottingham, NG3 2FE

Hours

Part time,2 days a week 16/17 hours a week, including lunch break.

Potential to expand to three days a week.

Wednesday and Thursday, hours as follows:

September- November 8am-4pm.

December - March 8am-3.30pm

April - July 8am -4.30pm

Holidays

7 weeks holiday (inclusive of public holidays) to be taken as follows

1 week October half term

2 weeks Christmas break

1 week February half term

1 week Easter break

2 weeks August summer break (Middle 2 weeks of school holidays only)

Snapshot

You will have the chance to create lasting and significant learning experiences in horticulture for pupils who may have never gardened before. This is a role filled with job satisfaction, challenge, hard work and reward. It is a real chance to do something different and see the impacts of your work first hand.

You will be delivering the Allotment Education syllabus that has evolved through 12 years of working in schools. You will be working in both SEN and mainstream schools, often with children who have additional learning needs. Some of the children with whom you will be working will be pre-verbal. You will be fully supported by Allotment Education in your training and supervision until you are ready to work alone in your schools.

We work with some of the most vulnerable children in the city who may be survivors of trauma and/or living with trauma and challenging environments. These children can at times, require an extra layer of patience, kindness, respect and nurture. It is a privilege to work with such vulnerable children, though can be challenging at times.

All the tasks encompassed in starting allotments from scratch, raising food and flowers from seed and growing organic produce will be orchestrated by you with the support and guidance of Allotment Education. You will be able to build relationships with the parents and carers at the seasonal plant and produce sales you will deliver each summer and Christmas.

If you are passionate about organic vegetable production, skilled at building relationships and enjoy a physically active role in all weathers, this is the job for you.

Job Specification

You will be working independently with small groups of up to 6 children in mainstream education and smaller groups in SEN schools. You may occasionally work with whole classes with the support of school teaching staff.

You will deliver the Allotment Education syllabus that will enable children to grow their own food organically.

Working spaces under your management will include a polytunnel, school allotment and raised beds. On completion of the school day, you will be required to create a brief update for each school detailing the day's outcomes and children's behaviours. You will then communicate this electronically to pertinent members of the staff team.

If children are unable to transition to the allotment outside, you will deliver "tabletop" gardening in the classroom. You will be provided with a trolley and training to facilitate this.

Once every 12 weeks you will be required to purchase the materials needed for the Bee Banquet. This will be fully reimbursed by Allotment Education on provision of the relevant receipts.

You will be responsible for managing and delivering a school wide Vegetable Takeaway project, where every child in the school is provided with a plant to take home and grow in their own gardens. This will require you to grow approximately 500 high quality vegetable plants, suitable for children to take home. You will be responsible for ensuring quality control across the plants, it will also be your responsibility to ensure every child receives a plant.

Candidate Skills/Specific Knowledge

Skills and experience ESSENTIAL

? Minimum of3 years' experience of producing food and flowers from seed for a domestic garden/allotment, community garden or similar

OR

RHS level 2

? Strong communication skills with both children and adults

? Ability to build rapport in short time frames with both children and staff

? Ability to work independently but also integrate into a team if required.

? Ability to plan and prepare the appropriate environment for high quality learning

? Driver's licence and access to car

? Computer literate, proficient in Word

Knowledge ESSENTIAL

? Comprehensive knowledge and experience of organic, domestic horticulture to include annual edible and ornamental crops.

? Understanding of how to support wildlife through organic gardening and beneficial activities that can be done to encourage this.

? Knowledge and appropriate practical skills to maintain polytunnels and allotments organically

Personal Attributes ESSENTIAL

? You will be kind, enthusiastic, hardworking and highly motivated individual who is passionate about horticulture and nurturing children

? You will be committed to, and able to support the Allotment Education ethos of nurture through horticulture, improving well-being and providing strong role models

? You will be passionate about promoting high standards of learning, development and behaviour

Experience DESIRABLE

Working in a primary school

Working in a SEN school

Working with pre-verbal children

How to apply

Please submit your CV together with a 250 word statement explaining why you would like to work for Allotment Education and what you can bring to the role.

All applications to be sent to: anna@allotmenteducation.co.uk

Closing date : Monday 26th January

Interviews: Thursday 5th February Nottingham City

Panel interview and assessed practical session

Acceptance

You will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check together with a Child's Barred list check.

You will not be able to start employment with Allotment Education until such checks have been performed.

Safeguarding and Prevent Duty training are mandatory and will be provided by Allotment Education. Child Protection and Health and Safety Policies must be read, understood and adhered to at all times.

Start Date

Week comm 16th March (dependent on appointee's notice period)

For further information surrounding the role please contact Anna Bond at anna@allotmenteducation.co.uk

Job Types: Part-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months

Pay: From 26,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Casual dress On-site parking
Education:

Certificate of Higher Education (required)
Work Location: In person