Learning Resource Centre Manager

We are currently looking to appoint a Learning Resources Centre Manager to manage and oversee the Learning Resource Centre at Harris Academy Purley , maintaining a professional, stimulating and tidy learning environment at all times and foregrounding student achievements.

About Us

At Harris Academy Purley our motto is ‘to learn, to think, to act' it enshrines a core tenet of our philosophy and that is that education in the classroom is only the beginning of a young person's development and of education in general. Learning can only come to fruition once it is assimilated and an individual is able to think for themselves. In turn, thought must lead to action and practical application.

A motto cannot just be a soundbite so those values and that ethos will apply to all we do and will be the foundation of the educational and extra-curricular opportunities offered to our students throughout the year.

Our students, boys and girls aged 11-19, deserve nothing less than an outstanding education and our aim is to make sure that our students of today are prepared for whatever challenges await them in the future. For that to happen, our staff must be experts in their field and must always encourage individuals to reach their potential. The curriculum is designed so that students, regardless of starting points, will thrive in an educational environment where the rigours and demands of the different subjects are embraced and taught in a supportive manner without compromising the academic challenges needed for success at all key stages.

We expect our students to be polite, mature, enthusiastic and demonstrate exemplary behaviour and they understand that we work together as team. They also understand the role they play in the quality of the school and are as integral to our success as every member of staff.

Although our exam results speak for themselves, at both GCSE and Sixth Form, we never rest on previous success and each year we aim to improve the quality of everything we do here at Harris Academy Purley.

Our sporting, music, art and creative facilities are first class and after a difficult couple of years when many of our extra-curricular activities were necessarily curtailed, we are excited to once again offer a full programme of events and enrichment for all our students.

Main Areas of Responsibility

Managing LRC

• Management, organisation and supervision of the Learning Resources Centre;
• To ensure that all learning resources equipment is well maintained, reporting all computer faults immediately to the ICT team;
• To maintain a professional, stimulating and tidy learning environment at all times, foregrounding student achievements;
• To contribute to presentation and consultation evenings and meeting with parents to encourage reading beyond curriculum time;
• To provide advice to staff, students and the community regarding use, provision, development of Learning Resources;
• To devise and offer INSET activities in teaching and learning techniques in relation to learning resources and training in the use of Learning Resource materials;
• Time-tabling LRC/enterprise centre/post 16 study centre and other resources, for group or individual use, ensuring optimum use of facilities;
• To liaise with the English and media team to publicise and organise an annual book week, liaising with authors, publishers etc;
• To liaise with the English and media team to organise frequent visits from writers to raise the profile of reading and writing for pleasure;
• Encouraging the effective use of the Learning Resource Centre across the curriculum at Key Stage 3/4 and 16+;
• Providing guidance to groups and individuals using the Learning Resource Centre;
• Liaison with other information agencies including other resource areas, as well as LRC managers across the Federation in order to provide an excellent service;
• Development and implementation of study and information skills linked into the curriculum;
• Participating in community links, including opening out of academy hours. A flexible approach to working hours is required;
• To be responsible to the Resources Manager for the management of the Centre's delegated budgets
• Disseminating information on resources and access to staff and students;
• To monitor, evaluate and review the use and development of the area, this to include procedures for collecting data, e.g. student questionnaires;
• To organise and supervise after hours, lunch time and break time use of resources for students. E.g. study support and homework clubs

Accelerated Reading

• To oversee and manage the Accelerated Learning/ the chosen reading scheme programme for all students in KS3;
• To devise and offer INSET activities to ensure that all KS3 tutors and English staff fully understand how Accelerated Learning/ the chosen reading scheme operates and how to maximise student's reading progress and attainment;
• To devise intervention programmes to support and challenge targeted students to accelerate reading skills;
• To analyse data and provide detailed reports to evaluate success rates of students on an individual, tutor group, year group and faculty level;
• To liaise with Accelerated Learning/ the chosen reading scheme to ensure that licenses are accurate and that all aspects of the programme are exploited to maximise student success rates;
• To manage the rewards systems for Accelerated Reading/ the chosen reading scheme to maximise student engagement and motivation;

Qualifications & Experience

Qualifications, Knowledge & Training

• English and Mathematics GCSE or equivalent
• Degree or equivalent
• Knowledge of library systems
• Knowledge of Accelerated Reading scheme
• Knowledge of National curriculum particularly for English

Experience

• 3 years experience of working in an inner city school or educational establishment
• Experience of managing a library service
• Experience of a range of reading schemes

Personal Skills & Qualities

• Ability to communicate with students from a range of different backgrounds
• Skilled in the use of databases
• Ability to produce user friendly data
• Ability to communicate with parents and other key stakeholders
• Ability to remain calm under pressure
• Ability to work to tight deadlines
• Ability to generate ideas and drive solutions
• Ability to work with challenging young people
• Commitment to equality and diversity
• Empathy with the aims and objectives of the Harris Federation

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants. Before applying, please review our Policy Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders.