Schools Week, Senior Reporter

Are you a determined journalist with a track record of delivering agenda-setting investigative journalism? Do you want to work on one of England’s fastest-growing trade titles and carry out real investigations that change the lives of children across the country?

Schools Week, a leading digital newspaper for the schools sector, is looking for a senior reporter to join our tight-knit team and continue our proud tradition of producing award-winning journalism.

This role would particularly suit an experienced local newspaper reporter or someone covering general news for the nationals who wants to specialise and become an expert in their field.

Since it launched in 2014, Schools Week has amassed a large, loyal readership of school staff, policy-makers, politicians and others who want to be in the know. That audience is growing, too, with our analytics for the previous 12 months showing a 82% per cent increase in online hits, averaging at over 1.15 million hits per month.

As a senior reporter in our team, you will get to the bottom of the various issues facing the schools community.

One day you could be rooting through company accounts to investigate financial issues in academy trusts, and the next you could be travelling across the country to report on a speech by the education secretary.

In exchange for a starting salary of up to £33,500, you’ll be expected to produce cutting-edge investigative pieces for our weekly digital newspaper and clear, concise breaking news stories for our popular website.

About you:

The ideal candidate will be an experienced reporter who has a passion for investigative journalism and an impressive portfolio of hard-hitting exclusives.

You will also have a nose for finding your own scoops – be it by asking the tough questions, cultivating great contacts, or trawling through documents to find the details others miss.

You’ll also be able to demonstrate an ability to engage with readers, and source and promote stories via social media. Experience of turning complex data into stories would also be welcome.

You will have an NCTJ or equivalent qualification, including shorthand and an understanding of media law.

Prior experience covering education would be an advantage but is in no way essential because we expect our reporters to learn and grow on the job. Our only deal-breaker is that you must have two years’ work experience as a journalist for a local or national paper or website.

Diversity matters at our organisation. We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, enabling all of our employees to thrive and achieve their full potential.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and encourage applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles, unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.

Location

Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, our team are currently working from home. When required the team may use our offices in Greenwich. We enjoy being together as a team and therefore look forward to returning to the office in the future. We operate a flexible home working policy.

How to apply:

If you are interested in this opportunity please send a CV and covering letter, including your salary expectations, by clicking 'APPLY NOW' and completing the application form.

Closing Date: 18:00, Friday 8 January, interviews will take place, via Zoom, in early January.

Start date: ASAP

Schools Week is published by Learning & Skills Events Consultancy and Training Limited.