Permanent Full Time Position - Class Teacher

Closing Date for this vacancy: Midnight, Sunday 7th December 2025

Interviews Held: January 2026, exact date to be confirmed

Start Date: Tuesday 1st September 2026

Please also complete the School Application Form, available on our website.

About Us

York Steiner School is a thriving independent school for children aged 3–16, offering an inspiring Steiner-Waldorf education.

A very important part of our ethos and school structure is that the Class Teacher “holds” the class both academically and pastorally throughout their learning journey. The class teacher forms a very deep bond with the class as they accompany their class ideally through to Class Eight. The job description below includes general class teacher responsibilities but also specific aspects related to Class One in the first instance.

OUR ETHOS AND PEDAGOGY

We work with the pedagogical principles of Rudolf Steiner in partnership with Waldorf UK. The key responsibilities are:

• To lay the foundations for the journey ahead
• To establish good classroom habits and routines, helping the children to develop a class dynamic that is both nurturing and purposeful;
• To seek to understand the children, working to nurture the healthy development of their physical, social, emotional and intellectual capacities, understanding their strengths and weaknesses and structuring work accordingly
• To provide a balanced curriculum at a pace suitable to the children’s age and development, based on an understanding of Waldorf pedagogy/child development
• To maintain good discipline, holding boundaries and developing children’s confidence to ensure that effective learning can take place in the class.
• To work with classroom assistants, subject teachers and learning support in a collaborative and supportive way
• To develop the children’s capacity for critical thinking and problem solving, perseverance, academic curiosity and independent study and research, ensuring good work habits are established
• To engage in pedagogical study/discussion and child observation with colleagues and take a proactive and compassionate approach to addressing areas of concern/need
• To share their subject knowledge with other teachers and classes where relevant
• To strive to be a reflective practitioner on a path of self-development and participate actively in the appraisal process

MONITORING PROGRESS AND PARENT COMMUNICATION

• To take overall responsibility for the progress of the pupils including feedback, assessment and monitoring
• To organise regular class and one-to-one parents’ evenings
• To complete detailed end of year reports
• To provide necessary updates to parents as and when appropriate
• To support and participate in the enrolment process for new pupils

OTHER

• To coordinate the purchase of materials for the class
• To organise class trips, events and festivals
• To provide cover for absent colleagues when the need arises

COMPLIANCE

• To maintain the classroom environment to a high standard and observe Health and Safety policies and procedures
• To participate in staff meetings where relevant
• To operate within the school’s policies and procedures including safeguarding.
• To attend statutory and non-statutory training courses as required

Training: For non-Steiner trained teachers who have PGCE/QTS, the school will fund a Postgraduate Diploma in Waldorf Education and Creative Pedagogies run by Bath Spa University. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

Qualifications, Training and Experience

Teacher Qualification (either PGCE/QTS or Steiner Waldorf training)

Degree level qualification (desirable)

An understanding of Steiner Waldorf Education and the Ethos of York Steiner School

At least two years teaching experience (desirable)

IT skills including Microsoft Office and G suite

Maths and English GCSE

Personal Qualities

Professional, positive, friendly and approachable

Ability to relate to and inspire children

Ability to work cooperatively as part of a team and on your own

A commitment to the school and a desire to become part of the school community

Excellent interpersonal skills in dealing with parents and internal and external colleagues

A positive attitude to work, being responsible, self-motivated, pro active and flexible

Resilience and a sense of humour in times of pressure

Adaptability in the context of a small school

There will be a 12 month probationary period for this post.

We implement safeguarding protocols in all aspects of our working practices and we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All successful applicants will be required to undertake an enhanced DBS check and this will include social media checks.

York Steiner School is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to ensuring that every job applicant or employee receives equal treatment irrespective of sex, marital status, age, race, nationality, disability, sexuality or religious belief.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Application forms can be downloaded from our website and emailed to hr -at- yorksteinerschool.org