Appointment Brief Head of Football, Boys Games and Director of the Fooball Academy From September 2016 1
This is outstanding opportunity for a dynamic and inspirational Head of Football and Boys Games to lead the future development of football for boys and girls, building on recent successes and to oversee the boys games programme from September 2016. 2
Content The Role 4 The College 9 The Football Academy 11 College Sport 12 Terms of Appointment 13 The Application Process 14
The Role Ardingly College is looking for an exceptional PE teacher and/or Sports Coach specialising in football, but not exclusively so. He/she should have proven motivational and organisational skills, with the tact and firmness to lead a team. He/she will have stamina and drive, the ability to communicate well with pupils, colleagues and parents and the vision to carry forward the nationally acclaimed Football Academy. Candidates should have a successful record of working with elite school-age footballers as well as with the broader range of abilities. Previous experience in schools (either independent and/or maintained) is expected, as is an enthusiasm for the ethos of an independent co-educational day and boarding school. The ability to teach PE as an academic curriculum subject at GCSE, and possibly also A Level and/or BTEC courses would be a distinct advantage. The successful candidate will be expected to engage in professional development opportunities to teach the range of GCSE, A Level and BTEC courses. Football has a high profile within the College, with a strong history and a recent track record of success. We are current holders of the ISFA Under 18 National Cup and Southern League Champions. Girls Football is starting to grow in popularity and its continued development will be a key role for the successful applicant. 4
The Role continued... HEAD OF FOOTBALL Reporting This post is line managed by the Director of Sport. The post holder will be responsible for the line management of the Head of Upper School Football and Head of Middle School Football. Internal Lead and take responsibility for 17 school football teams, ranging from recreational football to 1st XI team level, liaising with staff taking each team in order to ensure team sheets and notices are put up on time and communication and selection is effective and fair. Manage and lead coaching staff, ensuring all understand the needs and timings of sessions within the Football Club. Manage each coach s professional development, whilst working with the coaching staff to develop a coaching philosophy that runs right through the college. Communicate effectively with parents regarding selection policies, match and training details, tours and pre-season training. Organise and take responsibility for the Football budget, liaising with the Director of Sport in setting each year s financial needs, and ensure that the Football Club adheres to these. Liaise with the Referees secretary of the Sussex FA to ensure that all appropriate matches are covered by qualified officials where applicable. Oversee the continued growth of Girls Football within the College exploring ways in which the sport can ultimately flourish in the medium/long term. Ensure that high standards of attire are met by all pupils and staff related to the Football Club, creating a high quality corporate image for Ardingly College. Liaise with the Manager of the school shop in securing sponsorship for such attire, and ordering it in at the correct times. Organise all National, Regional, County Cup entries for the College, ensuring all players are registered and qualified to play for the College. Liaise with the various governing bodies as to results and match reports. Organise INSET for all staff taking football teams, supporting each manager in the coaching and running of each team. Communicate effectively with the Medical Centre, Physiotherapy department and Strength & Conditioning Coach ensuring that each injured player within the Football Club has a well-conceived and structured rehabilitation programme. Ensure that each pupil s family is aware of this, and manage their progress both in the physical sense, but also socially and psychologically. Utilise and support the Strength and Conditioning coach as he delivers a physical development programme for the elite/ academy footballers within the College. 5
The Role continued... Liaise and communicate with the Grounds team in order to provide the best surfaces available for both training and matches, and plan effectively both for the short term and long term of football at Ardingly. Organise tours for the school football club for differing age groups and abilities, working closely with the school partner tour organisation. Organise a pre-season programme (2-4 weeks) for the senior teams of the College, ensuring appropriate fitness testing and training programmes are organised, whilst also ensuring each players accommodation needs are met. Uphold the professional culture around the College, ensuring that all players are aware of the codes of conduct throughout the College. Organise the end of term Awards Night for the Football Club. External and marketing Foster and promote positive links with the Governing bodies that enhance Ardingly College football and the Schools standing as a leading Independent school for football. Establish new Prep school links, particularly the London market and build on existing relationships with Prep schools. Coaching visits and Masterclasses should be included in the yearly schedule. Organise the annual U12 Prep Schools Football Festival, developing the number of feeder schools that are invited, and ensure that each tournament is run effectively, safely, whilst ensuring the maximum number of participants play. Attract and assess high quality students that are talented in football whilst contributing to the academic life of the College. Promote Ardingly football to former students, parents, prospective parents, and professional agencies. 6
The Role continued... HEAD OF BOYS GAMES Lead and develop Boys Games throughout the College, and administer the day to day Boys Games programme. including facilities, venues and staffing. Coach a major team set each term, including in the Prep School. Ability to coach Hockey and Cricket desirable but not essential. In collaboration with the Director of Sport, co-ordinate and administer the Boys Games programme for the entire College and its fixtures, as well as organise house match programmes. Monitor the quality of coaching in all games and male pupil performance throughout the College. Administer the Boys School fixtures, House fixtures and other invitation events in consultation with the Director of Sport. Play a full and active role in the activities programme. Produce and implement safety procedures in consultation with Director of Sport and the school medical staff. Update boys Games notice boards and Website and ensure all Boys fixtures are on the school website prior to each term starting. Attend weekend fixtures (Saturday or Sunday). Tutor pupils in either a Day or Boarding House. Produce and upkeep boys school sporting records. Maintain links with the former pupils sports clubs. Ensure effective boys games staffing including: - Appoint staff to games sets in liaison with the Director of Sport and Deputy Head. - Delivery of induction process for new boys games staff. Liaise closely with the Medical Centre and Strength and Conditioning Coach on all matters relating to safety and injuries in consultation with Director of Sport. Liaise closely with Director of Sport, Deputy Head and Deputy Head (Academic) on Games relationship to the academic life of the school. Contribute to decisions relating to awarding of Sports Scholarships and other awards. 7
The Role continued... DIRECTOR OF THE FOOTBALL ACADEMY Direct, manage and develop the prestigious Ardingly Football Academy, including the line management of the Head of Upper School Football and Head of Middle School Football. Oversee the extra weekly sessions (evenings) for the Ardingly Football Academy, ensuring that elite coaching is available to all players within the Academy. Ensure that effective communication is taking place between the Heads of the Academy and parents and pupils regarding training times, venues, additional fixtures and any selection issues. Oversee the implementation of Academy fixtures where possible a term in advance so they can be included in the School Calendar. Oversee the development of each pupil not just in terms of their football but also their academic, social and emotional development. Report with the Heads of the Football Academies to the Director of Sport every half term on the progress of each pupil. Develop a reporting system with the Academy Coaches that will go to parents every half term. Oversee the inclusion of an U17 element to the Academy from September 2016. This will bridge the gap between the U15 1st XI Academy. Ensure pupils are adequately prepared for representative football, including the provision of individual sessions where required. Ensure communications with Football Clubs are continued and developed, and, where applicable, work with each Football Club to develop opportunities for future contracts and playing opportunities for players leaving the College. Oversee the organisation of holiday programmes (October Half Term, Christmas, February Half Term, Easter) for the Academy, organising training and matches against elite opposition in order to further each players development in these periods. Attend when possible any relevant representative matches for which Ardingly players are selected in order to support and develop an insight into their development. Ensure that all players have access to the Head of Football to discuss any concerns regarding overload of work, sport or social issues surrounding the Football Academy. Liaise with the Head of Middle School and Head of Sixth Form as to each player s academic progress, and, where applicable, put measures in place to ensure that the highest level of academic progress is adhered to. 8
The College Ardingly College is a 2 18 school situated in a spectacular setting in the Sussex Weald. As a Woodard school, the College puts the human flourishing of each pupil at the heart of its educational purpose, and has a strong recent record of innovation and development. It is a school that looks to the future with imagination and enthusiasm to create the best of 21st century education. THE SCHOOLS The College comprises three schools: The Pre-Prep School on the southern edge of the campus is a Nursery and Pre-Preparatory School catering for 110 pupils from 2 to 7 years of age. The Prep School, which is situated in and around the north-western wing of the main school building, caters for 260 girls and boys from 7 to 13 years of age. The Prep School shares some of its facilities with the Senior School, but is a separate school in its own right. The Senior School is a co-educational day and boarding school with approximately 560 pupils from 13 18. The Senior School provides an all-round education centred on a strong academic core that offers students the choice of A Levels or the IB Diploma in the Sixth Form. The most recent ISI report judged the College to be Outstanding in every aspect: academic provision and the quality of teaching, the personal development of the pupils, and governance and leadership. 9
There are few things more valuable than real people being genuinely engaged and positively interested in your progress, and at Ardingly there were. The College continued... Ardingly achieves high academic standards at GCSE, AS, A Level and IB. Last year had a 100% pass rate at A Level/IB, with 80% of those passes being A*-B and an IB average of 38 points. College life is based on a strong boarding and all-round ethos, and all staff are expected to contribute to the pastoral and co-curricular life and duties in this busy and successful school. The school offers an outstanding range of co-curricular activities and has a proud tradition of sporting achievement, especially in Football, Hockey, Shooting, Cricket and Tennis. Over the past fifteen years, the College has built a new Sports Hall, three new boarding houses and a Music Recital Room. The Prep School has been re-located and now enjoys first rate teaching facilities, and at the top end of the Senior School, a new 6 million co-educational Upper Sixth House was opened in 2013. A second all-weather astro-turf pitch opened in 2015. Future development include improvements to facilities for girls boarding, Drama and Science. Ardingly has a strong international perspective and approximately 25% of the students are from overseas. Around 30 nationalities are represented at Ardingly, with the largest contingent coming from mainland Europe. This is seen as one of the College s strength, as the diverse range of international students adds considerably to College life. 10
The Football Academy The Ardingly Football Academy is nationally known as a unique structure where élite performers play at the highest level possible whilst gaining a full and excellent education. The model enables élite footballers to train at the College in a schedule that fits around their academic education, rather than at the expense of it. The balance between their academic and sporting life is the key to its success, and has a track record of producing well-balanced student-footballers. Ardingly College has a national reputation in boys sport, with the 1st XI winning the U18 ISFA National Cup in 2015, and also in recent years the Independent Schools National U15s Cup, the U14 and U15 Ibstock Place 6-a-sides and the U15 and U16 Sussex Cups. Last year, ten players represented full national Independent Schools sides and Ardingly have produced three professionally contracted footballers in the last four years. The school runs 17 football teams, which all play on Saturdays against some of the strongest schools in the country. 11
College Sport Ardingly s Hockey has undergone a transformation over the last four years. In 2015, the U18 and U15 boys and U16 girls won their respective county championships, both in the indoor and outdoor forms of the game. National players from England and Germany have represented the 1st team in the last few years. The coaching team in Hockey comprise current and former Great Britain and England internationals. Boys Hockey runs ten teams in the Lent Term. The cricket at Ardingly is of a similar standard. Over the last three years, several players have represented County age group teams, and Ardingly have had representatives in the England, Australian and UAE U19 national squads playing for the first team. The Cricket Club runs seven sides, and the coaching staff comprise former professional and international cricketers. All pupils have two 2 hour games sessions per week and have the opportunity to play fixtures at the weekend. The Academy programmes add further to this contact time in evenings and weekends. The College has excellent facilities and also close links with several sporting organisations including ISFA, professional football clubs, Sussex County Cricket Club, the German Hockey Federation and the UAE Cricket Federation. The College has a modern Fitness Suite which is run by the Strength and Conditioning Coach and there is a weekly physiotherapy clinic that pupils can attend. The fixture list is very strong and matches are played on some Games afternoons and every Saturday. Many students are of County/Regional/National standard. Curricular PE is offered to all Year 9 pupils and a significant number of students opt for igcse PE. A/S, A2 and BTEC PE is offered in Years 12 and 13. Several students continue this further at University. 12
Terms of Appointment Ardingly has its own generous pay scale and the financial package offered will be commensurate with the responsibilities of the post and the experience of the person appointed. A remission of 65% of fees is available for the successful applicant s children when they enrol in Reception or above at Ardingly, assuming a place is available and entry requirements are met Accommodation may also be available under some circumstances. The role comes with a 35% reduction in teaching load. It is also expected that the successful applicant will have a full clean driving licence and ability to drive the school minibuses. The appointment is pensionable and the College participates in the DfES s Teachers Pension Scheme. 13
The Application Process In order to apply please submit the following: Applications should be made to the Headmaster of Ardingly College, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 6SQ, including a statement setting out the candidate s suitability for this post, a completed Employment Application Form (www.ardingly.com/vacancies) and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of two referees, one of whom must be the applicant s current Head. Ardingly College is committed to ensuring the welfare of our pupils and appropriate checks will be made before the appointment is finalised. The closing date for applications is Wednesday 10th February 2016 but applications will be considered upon receipt. First interviews are due to take place on Thursday 25th February 2016. Ben Figgis Headmaster Ardingly College is a registered charity and a member of the Woodard Corporation. Registered Charity No. 1076456 14
Ardingly College Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 6SQ England Telephone: +44 1444 893000 E-mail: registrar@ardingly.com Website: www.ardingly.com 15