Teacher of Physical Education

This post is a maternity cover, but the successful candidate is likely to be guaranteed a full year in post, starting January 2017.  Possible candidates interested in a shorter term of employment should also apply.

Dollar Academy is a 5-18 co-educational HMC independent school of around 1200 pupils, set in a beautiful location in central Scotland, within easy reach of the university cities of Stirling, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews. It is an academic school, regularly appearing near the top of national league tables.

Dollar has one of the strongest sporting programmes in Scotland. The principal team sports offered are rugby, hockey, cricket and tennis and the successful candidate will be required to coach to a high standard in the sport of hockey. All members of the Physical Education department take teams and this requires them to run after-school practices and to work on Saturday mornings, and occasionally on Saturday afternoons.

Dollar’s success in competitive environments lies in the quality of the coaching, the strength of commitment based on our voluntary policy, and the supportive culture that respects genuine effort. Pupils and former pupils regularly perform at the highest levels, and represent Scotland, the UK and other countries in their own sports.

The department currently consists of nine members of staff, including the Head of Department and Directors of Hockey and Rugby. The appointee will be responsible to the Head of PE for delivery of PE lessons and the Director of Hockey for games (hockey) lessons.

The appointee will be expected to teach across the entire 5-18 age range. Most year groups have two one-hour lessons a week; one of PE and one of Games.  The aims of the department are to stimulate and maintain pupil interest and enjoyment in a wide range of activities within Physical Education. The promotion of Health and Fitness is also a particular area of focus, enabling pupils to gain an understanding of the effects of exercise on the body and the role of exercise in a fit and healthy lifestyle. We encourage as many pupils as possible to involve themselves in co-curricular sport and school events, and provide the opportunity for each pupil to aspire to excellence in his or her chosen activities. Some pupils take Higher and Advanced Higher courses in PE. 

There is a full and varied Physical Education programme in addition to our traditional sports of hockey, rugby, tennis, cricket and athletics.  Our pupils in the Prep and Junior Schools all participate in a comprehensive PE syllabus, including lessons in swimming, gymnastics, ball skills, dance, health related fitness, movement skills, and introductions to our traditional games.  Moving into the Senior School they further develop their skills and understanding in all of these activities, and experience sports including basketball, zumba, step aerobics, golf, volleyball, water polo and badminton. 

The Academy benefits from having outstanding sporting facilities on campus. The department is housed in the recently constructed Maguire Building, which contains a new gymnasium, state-of-the-art fitness suite, extensive changing facilities and a dedicated staff base. The school also has a games hall, swimming pool, a second gymnasium, tennis courts, cricket practice facilities and an extensive area of grass pitches providing first class opportunities for rugby, hockey and cricket. A full size Astroturf pitch for hockey and tennis was opened in August 2009.
 
The appointment will be subject to receipt of a satisfactory PVG Scheme Record or Scheme Record Update from Disclosure Scotland. Salary will be at the appropriate level on the Scottish national main grade scales, with the Dollar enhancement of 10% in addition. It should be noted that the Chartered Teachers pay scale does not apply to teachers employed by the Academy.

Letters of application, accompanied by the completed application form (which can be downloaded by clicking on the link www.dollaracademy.org), should be sent to The Rector, Dollar Academy, Dollar FK14 7DU, as soon as possible and no later than Wednesday 19 October 2016 (or by e-mail to rector@dollaracademy.org.uk).

Contact: 01259 742511 or rector@dollaracademy.org.uk