Learning Resources Manager/Librarian

Harris Boys' Academy is looking for a Learning Resources Manager / Librarian to manage our vibrant library. Working in collaboration with our English and SEN departments, you will support our students with literacy and inspire them to read.

About Us

Harris Boys' Academy East Dulwich opened in September 2009 and is part of the Outstanding Harris Federation. Our vision is clear: nothing is impossible, and everything is possible, irrespective of personal characteristics or background. Every problem has a solution. We believe we are more robust, resilient and determined as a team than as a group of individuals. We support, challenge and hold each other to account at all levels within the academy to ensure that our students achieve their potential, are motivated, engaged and fully prepared for life beyond our academy. The academy's specialisms are Enterprise and Sport with a ‘can-do' ethos of always improving upon your personal best. The Academy will accommodate 750 boys when full. Harris Boys' benefits from a state-of-the-art purpose-built building with the very latest facilities and equipment. The Academy offers a co-educational Post 16 with the nearby Harris Girls' Academy, together comprising capacity for 400 Sixth Formers. Harris Boys was judged to be an outstanding school by Ofsted in December 2011.

Academy Ethos

We encourage our students to be critical thinkers and promote these skills throughout the curriculum. A student at Harris Boys' Academy will learn how to engage critically with foreign affairs, religion and society, issues of citizenship and the media, so they acquire the skills, and recognise the value of, thinking for yourself and thinking in a well-reasoned manner.

“We are very lucky to have an amazing staff team who work together, and what you get from this is an inertia of this body of professionals who are striving to be the very best they can be. It is down to these two points – staff who are on board, who want to change futures and want to be better at what they do, and students who buy into this idea of ‘I'm at school because I can make myself a better person and I can flourish in life.' When you have these two points together, which is what we have worked very hard to obtain, then you can make wonderful things happen. And that's shown through our outcomes and is also shown through if you've ever had a chance to speak to the boys and the parents of this school community.” Peter Groves, Executive Principal

Main Areas of Responsibility

Your role will be to:

• Liaise with and order from book representatives, wholesalers, internet and any other cost effective source.
• Liaise with teaching staff over acquisition and management of stock to support the Curriculum.
• Evaluate books for age, content and condition and support the school's Literacy schemes.
• Manage class sets and provide materials for DEAR Time reading sessions.
• With appropriate manager, write LRC action plan – monitor, evaluate and review throughout the year.
• Implement annual action plan review, identifying needs and resources.
• Review and update LRC policy annually in line with School Development Plan.
• Create an inclusive environment and open the library to students at break time, lunch time and after school.
• Work closely with SENCO to accommodate SEN students in the library both during breaks and lesson times as required.
• Lead & manage student induction days.
• Plan and teach library lessons as required.
• Research and provide resources for Curriculum use/lessons based in library including subject-specific, cross-curricular and multi-media resources.
• Research and produce displays and competitions relating to relevant curriculum topics and world current affairs.
• Organise author visits to the school.
• Organise library events such as National Poetry Day, World Book Day, Carnegie Shadowing.
• Oversee use of LRC ICT equipment.
• Oversee Library Homework Club.
• Stock take of catalogue annually.
• Conduct yearly surveys/feedback on what students think of the library.
• Produce termly newsletters and updates to staff and students.
• Engage with Southwark Education Librarians' Forum and Harris Librarians network to share good practice.
• Assist with exam invigilation as required.
• Supervise, develop and appraise staff for whom directly responsible.

Qualifications & Experience

The successful candidate will have:

• Experience of working in a school library
• In-depth knowledge of children's and YA literature
• Evidence of relevant qualifications & further training
• Experience of working under pressure and meeting deadlines
• Experience of working on one's own initiative and to work within a team
• Experience of working flexibly in response to changing situations
• Sound knowledge of Management information systems
• Good organisational & interpersonal skills which indicate a warm, efficient and hospitable manner to all.

Desirable attributes:

• Chartered member of CILIP
• Working knowledge of Capita Reading Cloud LMS
• Experience of teaching KS3 library skills
• Experience of supporting young people in a pastoral role

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be helpful for you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.

Rewards & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan including access to a virtual GP, electric car scheme, and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.

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 young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.