Head of Academic PE

Job profile for ((name))

Head of Academic PE

Head of Academic PE

Dunottar School05/05/2024

Dunottar is a co-educational school for pupils aged 11-18 set in extensive grounds of 15 acres on the outskirts of Reigate. With a new Headmaster in September 2017, the school is on a very exciting journey. The school is experiencing fast growth in pupil numbers, and it recently announced a £6.6Million capital development programme to build a new Sixth Form Centre and a whole school Assembly Hall to accommodate future growth. Dunottar is a great place to work, with a team of highly professional and committed teachers and support staff. We incorporate best practice from independent schools and academies right across the United Learning Group, whilst retaining our unique, friendly ethos in Reigate where pupils are nurtured to make significant personal progress at the same time as achieving excellent academic results. Dunottar is part of United Learning, a large, and growing, group of schools aiming to offer a life-changing education to children and young people across England. United Learning is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All positions are subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and shortlisted candidates will be subject to an online check.

Job details

Job details

SalaryUnited Learning pay scaleContractual hours37.5BasisFull TimeRegionSurreyDate posted22/04/2024Job referenceREQ001179

Job description

Job description

The PE Department at Dunottar is a forward thinking and dynamic department which focuses on promoting a love, passion and enjoyment of sport and physical activity through enthusiastic, outstanding and innovative delivery. Pupils enjoy over three hours of timetabled physical activity each week, with a broad co-curricular programme to support this. The majority of sporting fixtures take place on Saturday mornings, and a healthy fixtures calendar is established in the pupils’ major sports of netball, football and cricket for girls and rugby, football and cricket for boys. The PE Department is well-equipped with facilities both on our main site and at high quality local specialist venues. Dunottar has exciting partnerships with Old Reigatians, South Park FC and Dorking Wanderers. Academic PE is offered to our pupils at both GCSE and A Level where the AQA specifications are followed.

As a result, both of our school’s expansion, and the ever-increasing uptake of PE (both as an academic subject and for co-curricular activities), we are looking for a highly skilled and enthusiastic Head of Academic PE who shares our passion for physical learning and can help us build on our thriving sporting community. The ideal candidate will have the vision, enthusiasm and energy to help further develop the work of the department, alongside contributing to the school’s co-curricular programme. We would be pleased to hear from a graduate, ECT or more experienced teacher. This is an exciting opportunity for an aspirational teacher to join the PE Department here at Dunottar.

We are seeking a dynamic and enthusiastic Head of Academic PE on a full-time basis for September 2024. Part time applications will be considered depending on the level of flexibility offered. This role will suit a practitioner with an ability to stimulate curiosity and interest in PE and Academic PE. The successful candidate must be prepared to give full commitment to the aims and ethos of the department and to Dunottar School. In return we can offer all the benefits of working in a thriving and collegiate school environment.

Main Responsibilities

• Have high expectations of pupils
• Create a stimulating and positive learning environment
• Show a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainment of the pupils, and that these have been taken into account when planning lessons
• Maintain up-to-date records of attendance, assessment, planning, reports and communication with parents
• Contribute to curriculum planning, including the development of schemes of work
• Contribute to the departmental extra-curricular programme
• Participate in ongoing professional development related to new developments in Academic PE and PE
• Attend staff and departmental meetings
• Promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young persons for whom you are responsible and with whom you come into contact

The Role

Strategic direction and development of Academic Physical Education

• Provide dynamic and inspirational leadership of A Level and GCSE PE, and work alongside the Director of Sport to develop the KS3 curriculum
• To be a passionate and inspirational leader of Academic PE through role modelling and leading by example
• Be responsible for the strategic leadership of Academic PE with a focus on continuous improvement
• Deliver the highest standards of teaching and learning across the department and promote best practice
• In conjunction with other departments, share best practice and collaborate to ensure the best outcomes for the pupils
• Ensure that Curriculum Physical Education continues to develop as a high-profile subject at the school
• Be responsible for the monitoring and tracking of pupil progress in their Academic PE
• Have a clear view of the aims of the Academic PE courses and ensure that these are delivered
• Be responsible for planning both the practical and theory aspects of the courses, sharing resources and ensuring the team are consistent in their approach
• Ensure that schemes of work are up to date and followed
• To plan and deliver an Academic PE development plan
• Oversee budgets allocated to Academic PE teaching
• To liaise with the Director of Sport to ensure that staff deployment into Academic PE is ensuring the pupils have access to the best teaching at GCSE and A Level
• Through coaching and mentoring, actively help other members of the department to develop their curriculum teaching and effectively delegate responsibilities for aspects of the department’s work

Curriculum teaching:

• Ensure that all students are assessed regularly in line with both the PE Department’s and the school’s Quality Assurance policies
• Ensure all pupils are following an appropriate scheme of work that will enable them to have access to all aspects of the specifications
• Be responsible for the setting of internal examinations and organise the marking
• Attend standardisation and support meetings run by relevant exam boards to ensure the course is in line with current guidance
• Be responsible for assessing all practical work according to exam board criteria
• Ensure that the department possesses relevant course resources
• Provide analysis to the Director of Sport on all examination performance

Management of Academic PE:

• Work with the Director of Sport to balance the time and resources needed for PE with other aspects of the calendar in this busy school
• Be a key member of the Physical Education department, teaching a timetable of lessons and games as appropriate, working closely with the Director of Sport
• Contribute to the school’s sporting provision at weekends
• Hold regular, minuted department meetings to share Academic PE information across the team
• Attend Heads of Department Meetings
• Update the Department Handbook annually
• Encourage staff training and provide opportunities for the members of the team to widen their teaching experience
• Liaise with the Assistant Director of Sport in mentoring PGCE students and ECTs