Contract: Secondment, September 2026 – July 2027
Closing Date: 12pm, Wednesday 16th September
Informed of shortlisting outcome: Wednesday 16th September
One hour school visit: Friday 18th September
Online interviews, if invited: Wednesday 23rd September, PM
Are you an experienced KS2 Teacher with a passion for reading? Or as a headteacher, do you have a staff member who would add value to your school from completing this secondment?
The DFE English Hub
‘Nurturing confident, life-long readers to achieve, regardless of background or starting point.’
Our English Hub is one of only 34, across England, appointed by the DfE to take a leading role in supporting schools to improve their teaching of reading, oracy and writing.
This network was initially set up 7 years ago to improve reading standards across the country and improve education outcomes for the most disadvantaged children in Primary Schools.
Our English Hub offers different levels of support to schools. Ranging from attendance at conferences or joining our CPD Programmes, to audits of reading provision, funding and Literacy Specialist support, if required.
Following on from the success of our Early Reading support, this year our remit has been extended to support KS2 teachers to improve reading teaching with a focus on fluency and comprehension.
Explore our website to find out more
The Literacy Specialist Role
Yorkshire Endeavour English Hub is seeking to recruit an exceptional, KS2 primary teacher to work as a Literacy Specialist on a secondment basis to support schools in improving the teaching of reading.
You will undergo training through the English Hub programme and DfE, to develop your role and offer support to schools in our region (North Yorkshire Coast, Hambleton, Ryedale, East Riding and York City).
Our Opportunity
We are looking for passionate and experienced KS2 Teachers who have an excellent knowledge of reading and are confident in their ability to drive improvement in literacy through phonics, fluency and comprehension.
The role also brings significant benefits to your own school. Literacy Specialists receive a high-quality training programme funded by the Department for Education, alongside ongoing support from national experts. This professional development will deepen your expertise in evidence-informed reading practice and equip you with effective approaches that can positively impact both the schools you support and your own setting.
This is a rewarding opportunity to develop your leadership experience, expand your professional network, and strengthen your career pathway while contributing to meaningful school improvement across the region.
*Please read the application pack to view the full details of the secondment including pay arrangements.
Time Commitment
The Literacy Specialist will be seconded from their home school for the following commitments during the 2026–2027 academic year:
- Tuesday 6th October – Training Day with Hannah, English Hub Lead, and Chrissy, Deputy Hub Lead, at Lealholm Primary School.
- Wednesday 14th October – HFL Fluency ‘Reading Fluency Across The Curriculum’ Training Day, Malmaison, York.
- Friday 13th November – Whole Team Development Day at Malmaison, York – Leadership & Coaching Training with Andy Buck.
- Autumn 2 – Summer 2 – 20 days of support in allocated Partner Schools. Hannah and Chrissy will accompany you on your initial visits to provide guidance, coaching and support.
- Spring or Summer Term (date to be confirmed) – Literacy Specialist Development Day (location and focus to be confirmed)
Total: 24 days (+0.2% admin time in addition for partner school visits)- October 2026- July 2027.
Role duties:
- Support schools to strengthen KS2 reading provision and improve pupil outcomes.
- Promote evidence-informed approaches to reading, including fluency, comprehension and closing phonics gaps.
- Produce action plans, analyse provision and data, and identify priorities for improvement.
- Deliver targeted specialist support, working alongside leaders and teachers to implement improvements.
- Coach teachers to deliver high-quality whole-class reading, fluency and comprehension teaching, including adapting provision for pupils who are still developing decoding skills.
- Model and team teach reading lessons, to support teacher development and demonstrate best practice.
- Support strong progress in reading for all pupils, including those with SEND, EAL and disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Monitor impact and report developments to the English Hub Leadership Team each half term.
- Attend all English Hub training and contribute to collaborative professional learning.
You will have:
- Qualified teacher status
- Current KS2 teaching post
- Training in at least one DfE approved synthetic phonics programme
- Experience of improving reading, including fluency & comprehension across KS2
- Strong understanding of KS2 reading, including fluency and comprehension
- Experience of coaching and improving practice in others
- Ability to build strong professional relationships with teachers and leaders
- Commitment to a supportive and collaborative approach
Applicants must:
- Be employed in a primary school judged Good or Outstanding under the previous Ofsted framework, or Expected Standard, Strong Standard or Exceptional under the current Ofsted framework.
- Be able to demonstrate strong and sustained outcomes in Key Stage 2 Reading. Over the past three years, schools should have achieved outcomes that were in line with or above the national average for the percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in Reading in at least two of those years.
National Key Stage 2 Reading (Expected Standard) averages:
- 2024: 74%
- 2025: 75%
- 2026: anticipated to be approximately 75% (subject to the publication of national data by the Department for Education).
Where a cohort has exceptional or unusual contextual factors that may have significantly influenced outcomes, please provide a brief explanation, including the size of the cohort and the number of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Funding
For each day worked as a Literacy Specialist supporting a Partner School, the releasing school will receive funding at a rate of £450 per day. This includes 0.2 days in addition to cover planning, preparation and follow-up associated with each Partner School support visit.. All other days are paid at £375 per day. All travel expenses should be claimed by the Literacy Specialist through their home school.
Specialists must be currently employed by a primary school and will continue to be paid through their school’s payroll.
As this role is for an experienced teacher, it is therefore not suitable for ECT’s.
Applicants should submit the following to: NYES.Resourcing@northyorks.gov.uk
Candidates will need to currently be employed directly by a school; we cannot accept applications from candidates employed via agency.
- The written application form including KS2 reading outcomes for the past 3 years, including a 3 year average
- A supporting reference from their Headteacher confirming their commitment to release them for the role within the application form.
Applicants must seek permission for this secondment before applying. A reference request will be made for shortlisted candidates.
Please include your name on the word document file.
Please note CVs will not be accepted.
Key Documents
Queries
Please contact Chloe Bullen at Chloe.Bullen@northyorks.gov.uk or on 01609 536 964
Please note this post is in regulated activity and exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and subject to satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS criminal records and barred list check for work with children. An online search may be undertaken as part of the recruitment process on information available in the public domain. Candidates should disclose anything that may be relevant in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.
North Yorkshire Council (NYC) advertise vacancies and process applications on behalf of schools and external organisations (third parties) in North Yorkshire. NYC are not responsible for the recruitment/employment practices of third parties and accept no liability in relation to the vacancy and any subsequent recruitment/employment processes. Further information on how we process your data can be found here.
