Headington Rye Oxford is a vibrant and welcoming school set in 23 acres of playing fields and grounds. In an environment where individuals come first, Headington Rye Oxford is renowned for its commitment to academic excellence, pastoral support, and an impressive range of extra-curricular opportunities.
We are seeking to appoint a dynamic and inspirational teacher to join the Sports Department at Headington Rye. The successful candidate will have a good honours degree and the knowledge and expertise to deliver outstanding academic PE lessons at GCSE and A Level. An ability to coach a range of sports is essential, although the ideal candidate would have a coaching specialism in Netball, Football, or Hockey.
Sport is a big part of the Headington Rye Oxford identity. We offer outstanding teaching and coaching for all girls and ensure that competitive opportunities in a range of sports are available for all who want them. Our aim is that every girl is able to choose from a range of active options, and while we focus on our core sports of Hockey, Netball, Rowing, and Tennis, interest and participation in Football and Cricket is growing, and our girls regularly achieve national level success in Cross Country, Athletics, and Swimming. Those that prefer non-competitive activities can benefit from options that include Yoga, Spinning, Circuits, Volleyball, Boxercise, and many more. Our aim is for every girl to develop a life-long enthusiasm for being active and staying healthy.
Our programme of curricular and co-curricular sport is delivered by a team of around 15 teachers, supported by a number of skilled coaches, a graduate assistant, and the additional support of a number of teachers from other departments. Our pupils benefit from the use of our full-sized artificial pitch, a number of smaller training pitches, two indoor sports halls, floodlit hardcourts, a state-of-the-art gym and fitness suite, indoor rowing facilities, and a brand new boathouse, just opened at Long Wittenham.
PE and Sport has a strong academic profile in the school. PE is a popular GCSE and A Level option. Our pupils benefit from outstanding teaching and achieve excellent results, many of them leaving us to take up further study in sports-related degrees such as Exercise & Sport Sciences, Sports Management, Psychology with Sport & Exercise, and Physiotherapy.
Role Description
This is a full-time, permanent position starting in September 2025.
Key Responsibilities
Academic responsibilities
In line with the Teachers’ Standards, all our teachers must plan and teach well-structured lessons of a consistently high standard which inspire, motivate, and challenge our pupils. They must be able to demonstrate a clear understanding of how to adapt their teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils. Teachers must monitor the progress of their pupils, set appropriate targets, and give regular feedback, encouraging their pupils to reflect on this feedback. Teachers must communicate effectively with parents by producing relevant reports and attending parents’ evenings as directed. Our teachers are expected to make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the School, developing effective professional relationships with colleagues to support the specific targets of the School, faculty, and departmental development plans. They have a responsibility to work collaboratively with others in their department, contributing to the design and provision of an engaging curriculum within the relevant subject area.
Co-curricular responsibilities
Teachers are expected to make a regular contribution to the co-curricular life of the School, through involvement in extra-curricular clubs, societies, and activities and through attendance on academic, pastoral, and co-curricular school trips. All staff attend competitive house meetings and assist with the running of internal house events, and many staff choose to make a wider contribution to the School’s varied partnership and outreach programme.
Pastoral Responsibilities
All members of staff are tutors. Full-time members of staff are lead tutors, while part-time staff have a supporting role. Duties include registering the tutor group each morning, monitoring their attendance, and initial stages of pastoral and academic welfare, teaching PSHE, attending year group meetings as required, attending assemblies with your tutor group, and organising tutor group assemblies in conjunction with the School Chaplain.
Professional Development
All teachers are expected to show evidence of a continuing interest in professional and personal development and to consider the needs of the School and its development plans when planning Continuing Professional Development.
Headington Rye Oxford supports staff with a wide range of internal and external inset opportunities, including regular internally-delivered teaching and learning sessions, Initial Teacher Training sessions for those in the early stages of their career, and regular whole-school inset designed to ensure teachers are up-to-date with statutory training in a variety of areas.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Experience
* A good honours degree relevant to the teaching aspects of the role
* A recognised teaching qualification
Personal Attributes and Skills
* Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
* Ability to motivate and enthuse others
* Adaptability and good judgement
* A positive manner and a sense of humour
* Sympathy with the values and ethos of the School
* A passion for sport and physical activity
* A coaching specialism in one of Headington Rye’s main competitive sports
Terms of Appointment
Type of Contract
Full-time, permanent, starting September 2025
Pension
As per current legislation, eligibility is based on the School’s terms and conditions of eligibility for the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
Fee remission
In accordance with the School’s policy, which may be subject to change from time to time, up to 50 per cent fee remission for pupils attending Headington Rye Oxford and up to 20 per cent fee remission for students attending Magdalen College School (under a reciprocal agreement) and subject to the terms of their policy. Fee remission is calculated on the number of weeks and hours worked and is pro rata for part-time staff who work at least 50 per cent of a normal working week.
The remuneration package
Headington Rye Oxford offers an enhanced teaching scale with points that equate to teaching experience and a leadership scale for responsibility. The salary offered will reflect the experience of the successful candidate and be commensurate with the post.
Additional Benefits
All staff have access to a broad programme of wellbeing activities. The programme currently includes access to the School’s gym and swimming pool, weekly Step and Tone and Zumba classes, and regular staff social activities such as Book Club and Staff Choir. Staff also benefit from free access to the Employee Assistance Programme, a free, confidential helpline that offers advice on a range of issues. Free restricted parking is available for all staff on site.
Appointment Process and How To Apply
Applicants should submit an application form and a covering letter detailing their skills and experience to recruitment@headington.org
* Applications will only be accepted from candidates completing the application form in full. CVs will not be accepted in substitution for completed application forms. However, they may be sent in addition to the application form.
* We will seek references on shortlisted candidates and will approach previous employers for information to verify particular experience or qualifications before the interview. References will ask about your suitability to work with children.
* If you are invited to interview, you will receive notification outlining the interview process and guidance regarding the documentation you are required to provide.
Application deadline: 12.00 pm Thursday 6th February 2025
Interviews: Wednesday 12th February 2025
Applications are reviewed and shortlisted on a rolling basis, and we reserve the right to interview, appoint, and close adverts early due to the volume of applications we receive. We therefore encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment, as once we have closed a vacancy, you will be unable to submit your application form.
All appointments are subject to satisfactory completion of all employment checks, i.e., references, Disclosure and Barring Service, medical questionnaire, Right to Work in the UK.
Headington Rye Oxford is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Applicants must undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and DBS and barred lists checks. The School expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
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