Primary School Trainee

About SPARK Schools:

Watch our Vision Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOU0TYnNsZo

Take a tour of our Website: https://sparkschools.co.za/

SPARK Schools is a social impact disruptor and is leading change in the education space through its network of affordable private schools. The SPARK Schools network provides transformational education innovation through Africa’s first blended learning model, which elevates student achievement and provides the tools teachers need to serve their students effectively.

The blended learning model, which combines classroom teaching and online instruction, allows teachers to anticipate student needs and equips schools to provide personalized education at an affordable cost. SPARK Schools is pioneering this transformative education model to ensure the accessibility of university and careers for all.

SPARK Schools has a culture of collaboration, because getting South Africa to lead global education takes a team effort. We are innovators who strive for excellence through persistence and a sense of urgency to achieve SPARK Schools’ vision, mission and social transformational objectives. Our work environment is vibrant/cheerful, fast-paced/dynamic, engaging/stimulating, tech-enabled and data driven.

SPARK Schools is a high growth, mission and values-driven, entrepreneurial organisation, operating 21 primary schools and 5 high schools and serving over 15,500 families. We are looking for dynamic people to join our team.

Reports To: Professional Development Manager/ Centre of Excellence Manager

On-sire reporting: Principal

Purpose of Role:

SPARK Schools teachers drive scholar achievement by maintaining high expectations for classroom culture, behavior and  academic growth for all scholars. A SPARK Schools Trainee is a versatile, mission-driven professional who is deployed across primary contexts to maintain instructional continuity during planned and unplanned staff absences. This role requires the ability to teach across multiple subjects and grade levels with confidence, adapt to different school cultures quickly and hold high expectations for scholar behaviour and achievement from the first moment of deployment.

• The Trainee is not assigned to a single school. They are a network asset, allocated by the Support Office based on real-time need across the portfolio.
• Deployment may be same-day, next-day, or advance-planned. The educator must be prepared to travel to any school in the network at short notice.
• This role sits within the Centre of Excellence pipeline and may transition into a permanent school-based role upon mutual agreement.

This is not a passive cover role. The Locum Generalist Educator is expected to deliver prepared lesson plans, manage classrooms with authority and care and integrate into the existing school team as a functional, contributing member — even on short-term engagements.

Requirements

Responsibilities:

Instructional Delivery

• Uphold behavioural expectations, routines and classroom culture from the first period of the first day, whether working inside or outside the classroom
• Flex across any slot or block of the PLM model as needed, providing responsive support wherever scholars and staff require it
• Assist with delivering engaging, rigorous instruction using available learning materials, platforms and resources across assigned subjects
• Provide personalised learning facilitation support in experience labs or online instruction settings
• Support co-teaching arrangements alongside permanent staff, operating with expectations similar to those of a teaching assistant role
• Assist in the creation and innovation of school systems, routines and processes that improve the learning environment and scholar experience
• Support the administration of formative and termly assessments and contribute to tracking and analysing scholar progress data to ensure all scholars meet required proficiency ratings

School Community & Operations

• Attend morning huddles, team meetings and any other school-based gatherings as directed by school leadership
• Communicate professionally with school staff, scholars and parents in line with school protocols
• Submit attendance registers, lesson records and any required data as specified by the school
• Adhere to the school’s child protection, anti-bullying, health and safety policies at all times
• Participate in Saturday events, parent community meetings or school open days as required
• Lead scholar social and emotional development through CQ (Character Quotient) sessions and reflections. 
• Report all damages to hardware to the School Operations Manager and fill out relevant incident reports if needed. 
• Hold individualised intervention sessions for scholars who need extra support in subjects 
• Nurture a high achieving work environment where all scholars feel genuinely valued and supported.

Professional Development & Centre of Excellence

• Complete all pre-placement trainings and orientation sessions delivered by the Centre of Excellence before deployment
• Attend professional development sessions and training on weekdays, weekends or school holidays, if applicable. 
• Attend scheduled professional development sessions during placement periods as directed
• Actively engage with feedback from school leaders and CoE coaches and implement changes promptly
• Demonstrate a growth mindset and a willingness to be trained across different school models and grade phases
• Be trained progressively across all school contexts in the portfolio — building a deep understanding of each school’s culture, instructional model, and scholar population so that each deployment is more effective than the last
• Attend all scheduled CoE professional development sessions, workshops, and learning sprints during non-deployment periods

Mobility, Deployment and Logistics:

The Locum Educator’s effectiveness is directly dependent on their ability to be where they are needed, when they are needed — without logistical constraints becoming an obstacle to the school network.

Transport Requirements

• Must own or have reliable, exclusive access to a roadworthy private motor vehicle
• Must be willing and able to travel to any school within the network’s portfolio, including schools located across different districts and municipalities
• Must be available to travel at short notice.  Same-morning deployment notifications are standard and the educator must be ready to arrive at an assigned school within a reasonable travel window
• Must factor commute time into their own availability planning and communicate any travel constraints to the Support Office proactively, not reactively

Deployment Flexibility

• Available with deployments ranging from a single day to an extended multi-week placement
• Prepared to step into any role at or at the level of educator, including: classroom teacher, blended learning facilitator, co-teacher, small group tutor, experience lab TA, homework support facilitator or exam invigilator

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• Professional proficiency in English
• B.Ed. or PGCE degree: new graduate 
• SACE registration 
• Clear criminal record

Qualities:

• Grit: Persistence and composure through the challenges of a fast-paced, changing environment
• Flexibility: Genuine willingness to work across different schools, subjects, grade levels, and roles
• Nurturing and gentle 
• Agile
• Encouraging and joyful
• Play-based and creative
• Patient and  simple
• Warm and cheerful
• Coach-like
• Consistent and reliable
• Excellence: A track record of high personal and professional standards
• Mission Alignment: A deep belief in the transformative power of quality education for every scholar
• Self-Reflection: Ability to receive and implement feedback without defensiveness
• Collaboration: A team-first orientation that places scholar outcomes above personal comfort or preference
• Tech-readiness: Comfort with digital platforms, learning management systems, and educational technology

Values: Service, Persistence, Achievement, Responsibility and Kindness (SPARK)

Benefits

SPARK offers:

• fair market linked remuneration

• performance-based annual bonuses and increases

• above average/good annual leave

• life, disability and funeral cover

• employee wellness support

• educational support & study leave

• individualised professional development, support and mentorship

• employee discount on school fees

• opportunities for career growth

Compensation: R7,500.00

Position Type: Temporary

Location: Johannesburg Region

SPARK schools is an equal opportunities employer and preference will be given to candidates from designated groups with due consideration of the company’s Employment Equity goals and targets.

SPARK schools encourages persons with disabilities to apply.

SPARK Schools may expire the posting of this advertisement at their own discretion.

Kindly note that should you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date please consider your application unsuccessful.