Head of Lacrosse

Tes is seeking a passionate and experienced Head of Lacrosse to join an outstanding girls' school from September 2020.

This is an exciting opportunity to join an academically enriching working environment within the beautiful Wiltshire countryside, with easy transport links to Bristol, Bath and London.   It has around 365 girls aged 11-18, including 120+ girls in the Sixth Form.   As well as innovative teaching, learning and scholarship, the school offers outstanding pastoral care and a vibrant, warm community.  Extra-curricular opportunities beyond the classroom are a vital and integral part of life for pupils. These opportunities are woven into the timetable during the day, in the evenings and at weekends.

Sport plays a very important part of life and, in recent years, the school has enjoyed a strong and improving reputation for success. They are looking for a dynamic, enthusiastic and experienced Lacrosse practitioner to develop, direct and implement the strategic vision for Lacrosse. There are ten members of the Physical Education Department (some of whom carry other responsibilities) under the direction of the Director of Sport. Reporting to the Director, the successful candidate will have responsibility for player and coach development throughout the school (Years 7 – 13) and oversee the day-to-day management and effective administration of Lacrosse programme. The school is regularly in the top 16 schools at all age ranges at the National Schools’ Lacrosse Championships.

The school also boasts excellent sporting facilities. It has seven hard tennis courts and netball courts, a full-size floodlit Astro which provides an additional twelve tennis courts in summer, and two lacrosse pitches. The Sports Centre provides a Sports Hall with four badminton courts/basketball or netball court, a dance studio, a fitness suite and a six-lane indoor swimming pool. Additional grass facilities are used locally, offsite.

"We aim to inculcate habits for life, enabling the girls to relish the prospect of hard work; to develop and deploy the necessary qualities of perseverance and determination; to learn how to do well; to acquire the belief and self-confidence that they are capable of high performance and success – both in the short term and in the future; to instil a sense of desire and an appreciation that the future, indeed their future, lies within the grasp of their own efforts."

Some Key Responsibilities:

• To build and continue to develop the high standard of Lacrosse at the school
• To develop and increase enjoyment and participation for Lacrosse throughout the school; offering opportunity for School representation where possible (A-C teams)
• To enhance the school reputation as a leading independent school by overseeing, managing and developing the Lacrosse fixture list, providing a depth and quality of matches, tournaments and tours
• To engender and instil strong values, discipline and appropriate sporting behaviour, attitude and conduct expected
• Deliver coaching sessions that are student-centred, structured, progressive, enjoyable and of a high quality
• Define annual targets for performance and development of Lacrosse
• To develop and implement the coaching framework from Years 7 – 13

The Ideal Candidate Will:

• Be an excellent professional role model
• Have experience of coaching Lacrosse at School level up to U19 is essential
• Coaching at Club and/or Regional and National Talent Pathway is desirable and/or having played Lacrosse at a high level
• Knowledge of up to date National and International thinking in Lacrosse
• Excellent verbal and listening skills, setting high standards for students
• Ability to work as a team member and to use own initiative
• Strong organisational, planning and evaluative skills
• ICT proficiency, organised and resourceful
• The ability to derive the very best performance from teams
• Patience, resilience, commitment, tolerance and a good sense of humour
• Ability to manage multiple competing demands on time whilst remaining calm and exuding positivity
• An ability and energy to engage with and enthuse children and young adults
• P.E. teaching across the schools’ age range and ability to also teach a range of sports, but especially Hockey and Athletics (desirable)
• QTS is desirable

The School Can Offer:

• Excellent and tailored CPD within the department and across the school
• Highly motivated girls with lessons taught in small groups
• Competitive salary and membership of the Teacher Pension Scheme, or contributory pension scheme
• Discounted membership at the Sports Centre
• Complimentary meals in the Dining Hall during term time
• Free on-site parking

To apply to this role, please fill in the attached application form. To find out more information, please email katie.rossiter@tes.com   REF KR 1317280