Happy children at the old vicarage school derby sat on a picnic bench

Current Vacancies

Thank you for your interest in a post at the Old Vicarage School.

Teaching Vacancies

There are no current Teaching Vacancies.

Support Vacancies

There are currently no support vacancies.

Why work at the Old Vicarage School

We are always glad to hear from experienced, enthusiastic practitioners who share our approach to education. The Old Vicarage School is a family-run, independent day school set in wonderful grounds in Darley Abbey, Derby. We may be smaller than other Derby Prep Schools however our size encourages a close-knit, supportive culture for both staff and pupils that we have built together.
We may recruit across a range of roles throughout the year, including class teachers, teaching assistants and learning support staff. Whenever a vacancy does arise, whether EYFS, Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2 practitioner, or a role supporting our wraparound care and clubs programme, it will be advertised here first.
If you would like to register your interest ahead of a vacancy being advertised, please write to Mrs Kerry Wise, Head of School, with a copy of your CV and a short covering letter explaining why you would like to join our team, email secretary@oldvicarageschool.co.uk. Please note: If you use email to send letters and applications as attachments, please ensure that all attachments are in Word or rtf format. Please do not send files in zip format.

Postal Address: Mrs Kerry Wise, Head of School, Old Vicarage School, 11 Church Lane, Darley Abbey; Derby, DE22 1EW

 

What it’s like to work here

Staff at OVS benefit from small class sizes, with no more than 18 pupils in a class, a genuinely supportive common room, and a school where every member of staff (and pupil) is known and valued individually. Our most recent ISI inspection, in October 2025, confirmed that all standards were fully met, a reflection of the whole team’s contribution to school life.
To find out more about our team and what makes OVS special, visit our Meet the Team and Why Choose OVS? pages.

The Application Process

All shortlisted candidates will be required to complete a ‘Suitability to work with children: self-declaration form’. This form must be completed, signed, and returned to the school prior to the interview taking place.

Safeguarding

This role will involve contact with children. The Old Vicarage School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. All applicants should read the school’s safeguarding policy (available on our website) and are required to declare any criminal convictions, cautions or disciplinary proceedings related to young people. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Services. Full details are given on the application form.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the School is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are “spent” unless they are “protected” under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

Equal Opportunities

The Old Vicarage School is an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from appropriately qualified persons from all backgrounds. We are dedicated to creating and sustaining an environment that values individuality and difference and celebrates the diversity of both staff and pupils by fostering perseverance, tolerance and integrity. We believe in equal opportunity for everyone, irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or socio-economic background. Candidates will be assessed against relevant criteria only (i.e. skills, qualifications, abilities, experience) in selection and recruitment. We know that more diverse teams are stronger teams, and that the more inclusive we are, the more our staff and pupils will feel a sense of belonging and will thrive.