Work With Us

Why Bedford Free School?

BFS aims to become a centre of educational and personal excellence for students between Year 7 and Year 11, playing a key role at the heart of the community it serves.

We have created a culture in which the highest expectations and aspirations surround all of our students, delivering on the rightful demand from parents for an excellent education opportunity for their children.

Our school has a positive, ‘can-do’ culture built around…

  • Respect for all
  • Honesty from all
  • High expectations

What makes us different?

“Go the extra mile”

Fundamentally underpinning everything the school does, we believe that every child, given the right circumstances, can achieve incredible things – and that to achieve this requires all of us, students, parents, Governors and staff, to go the extra mile to make this happen.

“Small school, big curriculum, infinite possibilities”

We believe that our innovative structure enables us to benefit from being deliberately small, so that every child can be truly known and supported, yet offer the big curriculum that they have the right to experience.

Culture of high expectations

We believe that provided with the right support, every child is capable of academic and personal success. Everyone in our school community will work to our culture of positive behaviour and high expectations and will be supported to attain these.

A focus on numeracy and literacy

We believe some students struggle because they have never mastered the basics and that the solution is to ensure that every child has these skills. As a result we dedicate extra time and resources to numeracy and literacy.

An education in the widest sense

We offer an education that is not only academically demanding but seeks to enrich our students’ lives. We offer a broad range of extra-curricular opportunities including our highly regarded electives programme, development days, Global Communities lessons and our Extended Projects programme in Year 7. We are also strongly committed to preparing our students for further education or the workplace. We run work experience in Y10, university visits in Y11 and hold post-16 options and careers fairs to support the transition of our students.

 

What are we looking for?

Our staff will:
  • Share and uphold our values of respect, honesty and high expectations
  • Believe every student is capable of the highest level of academic and personal success
  • Go the extra mile for our students and their families
  • Have the ability to inspire students to ensure they achieve the best possible individual outcomes within an aspirational environment
  • Demonstrate a commitment and desire to continually improve

What do we offer?

We are committed to supporting our staff to continually develop their practice. We invest significantly in a number of professional development programmes.

Teacher training opportunities

More of the best graduates and professionals are training to teach. That’s because there are more great reasons to pursue a career in teaching than ever before. You get the chance to inspire young people and use your skills to give something back – making sure every pupil gets the same access to a quality education and the opportunity to succeed. Plus you can benefit from financial support during your training, and once you’ve qualified you can enjoy enviable job security and a generous pension.

Make a difference

By bringing your knowledge and skills to teaching, you can make a real difference to young people’s development. There aren’t many careers that combine tangible awards with the chance to play an important role in others’ lives, but that’s exactly what teaching offers.

A great career opportunity

The job satisfaction that comes with teaching is hard to beat. It gives you the chance to inspire the next generation and make a lasting difference to young people’s development. It’s also a career that’s full of opportunities for you to discover and hone a range of new skills. As a teacher, you’ll learn to be a brilliant mentor, manager and consultant.

For more information about teacher training please visit: www.getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/

Or visit our local teacher training partners:

Volunteering and Work Experience at Bedford Free School

Volunteering in a school offers a fantastic source of work experience for those considering a career in teaching or working with young people. It is also a great way to develop communication skills that are valued by all employers, whether working with young people or not.

If you are considering applying for teacher training, getting some experience in a school before you apply will not only strengthen your application, but provide you with an invaluable insight into what teaching is really like through observing classes and shadowing teachers. The time you spend in a school will be invaluable. You’ll gain a better understanding of how schools work, how you can fit into teaching, and important insights you can take into your training. It’ll also help you prepare the strongest application possible and get you fully prepared for the interview stage.

If you are interested in volunteering or work experience please contact us at recruitment@bedfordfreeschool.co.uk.

Useful links:

Safeguarding

We are a small, intimate school, where teachers and students know each other and look out for each other. Safeguarding children enrolled at the school is of paramount importance, and we are fully committed to the protection and safe care of our students. Any successful applicants will be required to undertake appropriate checks as well as providing proof of your right to work in the UK.