{"id":1156498,"url":"https://alion.io/job/spark-schools-primary-school-trainee-spark-centre-of-excellence-2026","title":"Primary School Trainee -SPARK Centre of Excellence - 2026","company":{"id":686215,"name":"SPARK Schools","domain":"sparkschools.co.za","url":"https://alion.io/company/sparkschools","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"is_intermediary":false,"ats_vendor":"Workable","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":75,"open_postings":3,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":null,"computed_at":"2026-09-24T05:45:00Z"}},"role":"Early Careers","role_family":"Early Careers","seniority":"intern","employment_type":"contractor","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Johannesburg, South Africa"],"countries":["ZA"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":11000,"max_usd":21000,"period":"year","method":"global_role_cell_scaled_by_country","sample_n":181},"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Agile","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-23T21:50:34Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-23","last_verified_at":"2026-09-24T10:25:33Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":0,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":0},"description":"About SPARK Schools:\nWatch our Vision Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOU0TYnNsZo\nTake a tour of our Website:https://sparkschools.co.za/\nSPARK 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.\nThe 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.\nSPARK 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.\nSPARK 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.\nReports To: Professional Development Manager/ Centre of Excellence Manager\nOn-sire reporting: Principal\nPurpose of Role:\nSPARK 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.\nThe 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.\nDeployment 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.\nThis role sits within the Centre of Excellence pipeline and may transition into a permanent school-based role upon mutual agreement.\nThis 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.\nRequirements\nResponsibilities:\nInstructional Delivery\nUphold behavioural expectations, routines and classroom culture from the first period of the first day, whether working inside or outside the classroom\nFlex across any slot or block of the PLM model as needed, providing responsive support wherever scholars and staff require it\nAssist with delivering engaging, rigorous instruction using available learning materials, platforms and resources across assigned subjects\nProvide personalised learning facilitation support in experience labs or online instruction settings\nSupport co-teaching arrangements alongside permanent staff, operating with expectations similar to those of a teaching assistant role\nAssist in the creation and innovation of school systems, routines and processes that improve the learning environment and scholar experience\nSupport the administration of formative and termly assessments and contribute to tracking and analysing scholar progress data to ensure all scholars meet required proficiency ratings\nSchool Community & Operations\nAttend morning huddles, team meetings and any other school-based gatherings as directed by school leadership\nCommunicate professionally with school staff, scholars and parents in line with school protocols\nSubmit attendance registers, lesson records and any required data as specified by the school\nAdhere to the school’s child protection, anti-bullying, health and safety policies at all times\nParticipate in Saturday events, parent community meetings or school open days as required\nLead scholar social and emotional development through CQ (Character Quotient) sessions and reflections. \nReport all damages to hardware to the School Operations Manager and fill out relevant incident reports if needed. \nHold individualised intervention sessions for scholars who need extra support in subjects \nNurture a high achieving work environment where all scholars feel genuinely valued and supported.\nProfessional Development & Centre of Excellence\nComplete all pre-placement trainings and orientation sessions delivered by the Centre of Excellence before deployment \nAttend professional development sessions and training on weekdays, weekends or school holidays, if applicable. \nAttend scheduled professional development sessions during placement periods as directed\nActively engage with feedback from school leaders and CoE coaches and implement changes promptly\nDemonstrate a growth mindset and a willingness to be trained across different school models and grade phases\nBe 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\nAttend all scheduled CoE professional development sessions, workshops, and learning sprints during non-deployment periods\nMobility, Deployment and Logistics:\nThe 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.\nTransport Requirements\nMust own or have reliable, exclusive access to a roadworthy private motor vehicle\nMust be willing and able to travel to any school within the network’s portfolio, including schools located across different districts and municipalities\nMust 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\nMust factor commute time into their own availability planning and communicate any travel constraints to the Support Office proactively, not reactively\nDeployment Flexibility\nAvailable with deployments ranging from a single day to an extended multi-week placement\nPrepared 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\nQualifications:\nThe ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:\nProfessional proficiency in English\nB.Ed. or PGCE degree: new graduate \nSACE registration \nClear criminal record \nQualities:\nGrit: Persistence and composure through the challenges of a fast-paced, changing environment\nFlexibility: Genuine willingness to work across different schools, subjects, grade levels, and roles\nNurturing and gentle \nAgile\nEncouraging and joyful\nPlay-based and creative\nPatient and simple\nWarm and cheerful\nCoach-like\nConsistent and reliable\nExcellence: A track record of high personal and professional standards\nMission Alignment: A deep belief in the transformative power of quality education for every scholar\nSelf-Reflection: Ability to receive and implement feedback without defensiveness\nCollaboration: A team-first orientation that places scholar outcomes above personal comfort or preference\nTech-readiness: Comfort with digital platforms, learning management systems, and educational technology\nValues: Service, Persistence, Achievement, Responsibility and Kindness (SPARK)\nBenefits\nSPARK offers:\nfair market linked remuneration\nperformance-based annual bonuses and increases\nabove average/good annual leave\nlife, disability and funeral cover\nemployee wellness support\neducational support & study leave\nindividualised professional development, support and mentorship\nemployee discount on school fees\nopportunities for career growth\nCompensation: Market related\nPosition Type: Temporary\nLocation: Johannesburg Region\nSPARK 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.\nSPARK schools encourages persons with disabilities to apply.\nSPARK Schools may expire the posting of this advertisement at their own discretion.\nKindly note that should you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date please consider your application unsuccessful.","description_format":"text","description_chars":8922,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[{"language":"English","level":"Advanced (C1)","optional":false}]},"benefits":["Annual bonuses","Annual leave","Equity","Professional development"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Primary Education","Education","Higher Education","Secondary Education"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-23T21:50:34Z"}],"liveness":{"score":86,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.86,"p_room":1,"age_days":0,"expected_fill_days":60,"reasons":["conf:3","win:early","comp:junior"],"computed_at":"2026-09-24T05:45:00Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/spark-schools-primary-school-trainee-spark-centre-of-excellence-2026","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/spark-schools-primary-school-trainee-spark-centre-of-excellence-2026.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-09-24T13:35:25Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers"}}