Director of Sport

Forest School seeks to appoint a passionate, outstanding, innovative Director of Sport who can lead and develop a large successful department with a talented team of qualified P.E. and Sport specialists. The ability to inspire and stimulate to the highest level is essential.

The Director of Sport will have responsibility for all Sport and P.E. at Forest School, ensuring a continuum of development from EYFS through to senior levels. They will also have responsibility for academic outcomes in Physical Education at GCSE and A Level. This appointment comes at a time of significant growth and success for the department with a broad sporting provision. The successful candidate will be integral to the process of shaping and delivering the vision for the future of sport at Forest School.

 Sporting excellence is part of our heritage and Forest is well known for the quality of its sport. As well as fielding strong teams, our pupils are regularly selected at district, county and national level. What we value most, however, is that everyone, whatever their level is encouraged to join in and enjoy sport. 

At the heart of the Forest PE programme is the ethos and vision to instil a lifelong love of physical activity in all pupils. Forest’s sport and physical activity programme is extensive and underpinned by a significant commitment from wider teaching and non-teaching staff from all areas of the School. Through this shared effort, all pupils understand physical literacy and wellness and can access and engage fully with Forest’s sporting programme from participation to elite performance.

The core PE curriculum has recently undergone significant transformation and follows a physical literacy model. We encourage all pupils to develop their movement competency through various environments; parkour, surf-lifesaving, fundamental movement skills, health-related fitness, learn-to-run and invasion games. Pupils have exposure to holistic, competitive, and sometimes international opportunities at every stage of their educational journey.

In common with all Forest School departments, the Physical Education Department is well resourced, plays a key role in the life of the School and has built a strong reputation for excellence. The P.E. curriculum is taught by specialists in the department, and the Games programme is delivered in collaboration with other members of the teaching staff.

 The department is staffed by P.E. specialists, Sports professionals, PGCE students, Graduate Assistants, sports coaches and strength and conditioning specialists, most of whom have an input in all three sections of the School; academic, pastoral and Co-Curricular. There is considerable contribution from the wider staff body into the Sporting programme also due to its breadth and levels of pupil participation.

 The School benefits from excellent indoor and outdoor facilities, including:

 Indoor Facilities

• Sports Complex that has a 25m swimming pool and a learners’ pool

• Gymnasium

About Forest

Forest is a large, vibrant school, with approximately 1500 pupils from 4 to 18. Our traditional House structure means that each pupil is treated as an individual, of whom we have the highest expectations, while our size enables us to offer breadth and depth of opportunity. 

Location

Forest is a city school surrounded by Epping Forest, within easy walking distance of Snaresbrook Central line tube station and Wood Street Overground station.

Why work at Forest?

There are many benefits of working at Forest school as staff are our single most important asset. Key benefits include:    

• Generous CPD budget               
• Comprehensive Professional Development Review system               
• Opportunities to contribute to the wider community via our extensive Outreach Programme       
• Free hot lunch (takeaway sandwich lunch also available) and refreshments throughout the day               
• 20% fee remission (pro-rata for part time staff) for children attending Forest which is applicable Y3-Y13               
• Subsidised membership to the Sylvestrian Leisure Centre             
• Membership of the School's Group Life Assurance scheme and Personal Accident Scheme        
• Contribution towards private medical insurance fees               
• Membership of a pension scheme

Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis so early applications are encouraged. The School reserves the right to make an appointment at any stage.

Applications close on Monday, 13 November 2023, 08:00am

First Round interviews: 24 November 2023

Second Round interviews: 5 December 2023

Details on Online Profile:

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) asks schools to carry out online searches on shortlisted candidates as part of the process of assessing suitability. If you are shortlisted for the role, we may carry out an online search based on the information you provide to the school. If we carry out a search, we will also search more widely for any other online information about you.

You (and all other candidates) are therefore required to provide the following information as part of your application:

· the social media platforms on which you have accounts;

· the account names / handles for all of your social media accounts, including any under a nickname or pseudonym;

· any websites you are involved with, in or featured on or named on; and

· any other publicly available online information about you of which the School should be made aware.

You are not required to provide account passwords or to grant the School access to private social media accounts.

If you are not shortlisted for the role, online searches will not be carried out on you.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. We are an equal opportunities employer.