Director of Tennis

September 2021 JOB DESCRIPTION | D I R E C T O R O F TENNIS

Contents

From the Headmaster p. 2 An introduction to School p. 3 A Global Family of Schools p. 5 Repton Sport p. 6 Repton Tennis p. 7 The Commercial Opportunity p. 8 Key Responsibilities & Qualifications p. 10 Working & Living in Repton p. 12 Information for Candidates p. 13

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From the Headmaster

Repton is a wonderful and inspiring place to The Director of Tennis will oversee the work: one of the UK’s foremost co- School's tennis programme alongside running educational boarding and day schools, a community based club, and will work with located in the heart of the English some of the most promising junior players in countryside, yet within easy reach of major the country utilising an extensive range of first- cities; strengthened by a history that goes class facilities including both outdoor back over a thousand years, yet with a keen and indoor courts, and a recently opened eye on the challenges of the twenty first sports centre, which houses our S&C suite as century. well as a sports health and wellbeing clinic.

Sport is central to life at Repton with some We are a school with ambition and purpose, pupils aspiring for sporting excellence and eager to employ and reward staff who share others simply enjoying the camaraderie of our values and aims. Repton is a very taking part with their friends. We have attractive place to work. recently invested heavily to improve our sporting facilities and we are looking to I hope very much that you will read this strengthen our coaching team. In recent document with interest and I encourage you to years we have appointed an Olympian, Scott apply. Talbot, to oversee our Swimming programme and have former Test - Keeper, Chris Read, as our Director of .

Mr Mark Semmence Headmaster

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An Introduction to

Repton is the ancient capital of , and the School, founded in 1557 from a bequest from Sir John Port of Etwall, was established on the site of a 7th century Anglo-Saxon Benedictine abbey and latterly a 12th century Augustinian priory.

The School today incorporates many of the original buildings from the estate, namely, the Guest Chamber and Prior’s Lodging (which as the Old Priory currently houses the School Library and Common Room), Overton’s Tower, Tithe Barn, and the Arch. The latter is all that now remains of the Priory’s original gatehouse and which helped inspire the School’s motto: porta vacat culpa.

Today Repton is a world class, modern, flourishing community with a clear sense of purpose and momentum. As a pre-eminent co-educational and boarding and day school, Repton provides an exceptional broad-based education, blending heritage with the pursuit of excellence in a 21st century context, offering world class facilities as well as high quality teaching and pastoral care.

The School has a thousand pupils across the Prep and Senior School, making it large enough to achieve excellence in and out of the classroom, yet small enough for individuals to grow and flourish. At Repton Senior, each pupil, whether day or boarding, is a member of a House, of which there are 10 (six for boys and four for girls).

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Academic standards are high and creative activities, including music, art, drama and design, flourish. The School has a national profile in sport, in particular in football, hockey, tennis and swimming. Our pupils thrive both in and out of the classroom and they develop the skills, qualities and values that will lead to a successful life.

Whilst Repton is undoubtedly modern in terms of practice and outlook, the traditional values of encouraging pupils to aim high whilst showing respect for all are still of utmost importance. The School continues its strong educational vision, recognising the importance of being able to offer a Repton education to potential pupils from all backgrounds by providing scholarships and bursaries in a wide range of subjects. The School’s considerable strengths were recognised in the 2020 ISI Inspection which found Repton to be ‘Excellent’ in each of the areas examined. The inspectors judged that Repton pupils ‘achieve highly and make excellent progress across the wide range of academic and extra- curricular opportunities available to them’. The School was found to have met all the requirements of the ISI Regulatory Compliance Inspection.

Repton and have always enjoyed a very close relationship and in 2020, the schools became a through-school with the aim of securing the very best pupil outcomes. Robert Relton, the Head of Repton Prep reports to Mark Semmence as Headmaster of Repton and Chief Executive of both schools.

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A Global Family of Schools

Repton was a leader amongst British schools in the international market with the establishment of Repton School Dubai in 2007. From this has sprung the Repton Family of Schools, the development of a global community which is key to Repton’s future vision. Currently, Repton has schools in Dubai (2), (2), China, and Malaysia with plans to open a further four more over the next few years.

The additional income generated by our overseas schools provides a financial support that will enable Repton to select pupils simply on merit and without regard to their parents’ financial means. The Headmaster and Senior Management Team play a key role in shaping the growth of Repton International as a leading educational brand.

Repton also currently has three schools in the UK (Repton, Repton Prep and St Wystan’s) with the ambition to increase its UK family of schools.

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Repton Sport

It is Repton’s aim to discover and develop the sporting and athletic potential within every pupil, as part of a balanced and challenging curriculum. Repton continues to provide a sporting programme that has a positive influence on all ages and abilities of pupils. We aim to develop every pupil’s interest in sport, from aspiring internationals to those for whom sport is just part of a healthy lifestyle.

Our long tradition of sporting excellence gives us the experience required to maximise every pupil’s potential, regardless of the level of sport that they play. To help us achieve this, we offer outstanding facilities and an exceptional team of coaches. This level of support guarantees the best possible environment for every pupil to develop their skills, including the very elite.

Repton has enjoyed significant national sporting success in recent years. The School has a significant number of elite performers, both at junior and senior international level. These athletes are provided with close personal tutoring and training, and in some cases, a tailored academic programme can be developed for their individual needs, to support their sporting ambitions while safeguarding their vital academic development.

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Repton Tennis Repton School runs an extensive tennis programme, seeking to inspire a genuine enjoyment of the game and the capacity to improve and develop in players of all levels of ability, from those who choose it as a games option in the Summer Term to those who have ambitions within the sport.

Repton's tennis heritage is a proud one, from a Wimbledon champion in H.F.Lawford (1897) and a finalist in Bunny Austin, to a long list of county and national standard players. Repton has won the maximize Boys' National Schools Championship eleven times, the Independent Schools' Championship fifteen times and the Girls' National Schools Championship on four occasions. This tradition has produced a very strong Old Reptonian team, one which is currently the holder of the d'Abernon Cup, the national schools alumni competition, and which in the past six years has won the trophy four times and been finalists on the other two occasions.

Tennis at Repton is a supportive and challenging programme of intensity and commitment but one which is aware of the demands on its pupils in their daily academic lives. Those for whom tennis is the dominant sport will be allocated to one of three squads to train across the Michaelmas and Lent Terms on the twelve outdoor courts and in the indoor facility. The Elite Squad trains on a daily basis, as befits players who have international rankings and travel on the ITF and TE circuits; the Performance Squad develops players who have the potential to attain county, regional or national standard; and the Development Squad offers an opportunity for players of all ages and abilities who wish to train over the winter.

In the Summer Term, the Elite and Performance Squads retain their intensive programmes as the emphasis shifts to fixtures and national competitions. The chance to play for the School is important, as is the opportunity to win national competitions, but for some, the scholarship pathway to American colleges, overseen by specialist agencies who are in partnership with the School, represents a potentially life-changing progression.

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The Commercial Opportunity

Repton Enterprises Ltd is responsible for maximising the commercial assets, skills and intellectual property of both Repton and Repton Prep. Our aim is to provide a sustainable source of non-fee income, whilst promoting the outstanding facilities and expert coaching available at both schools.

Focusing primarily on tennis and working closely with the Chief Development & Commercial Officer, the Director of Tennis will play a key role in developing a community rackets club. In addition to tennis, the club will also work closely with Repton’s relevant master’s i/c to develop and promote both Squash & Fives.

Utilising facilities at both Repton & Repton Prep, key to the success of the role will be the ability to develop a recognisable brand by increasing community club membership, whilst ensuring our performance athletes receive the quality of coaching to enable them to compete successfully in national and international school and club competitions.

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Our success in creating a national brand and being recognised as a centre of excellence will support both the commercial activity of the School as we start to offer more residential & day camps for UK and overseas players and build partnerships with the LTA, whilst also supporting our pupil admissions strategy. The Director of Tennis will therefore be responsible for the leadership, management and performance of the full offering of the Repton Rackets Club.

The aims of the Repton Rackets Club are as follows:

• Develop the most successful school tennis programme in the country alongside a successful community club model whereby pupils can play with club members to represent Repton Tennis Club in local, regional and national club competitions.

• Ensure a world-class coaching regime that meets the needs of all our athletes.

• Take a balanced long-term view on individuals’ tennis development and ensure that the unique welfare requirements of our performance athletes are met.

• Maintain first-class facilities, including the tennis courts, strength and conditioning suite and a fully-equipped gym.

• Support a holistic and well-balanced education for all our athletes.

• Promote the activities, ethos and values of performance sport within the School, ensuring that all pupils at Repton appreciate the qualities required for success.

• Oversee a broader rackets club program to incorporate the development of tennis as an inclusive sport, whilst working closely with colleagues to support the needs of both Squash & Fives.

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Key Responsibilities & Qualifications The Director of Tennis is responsible for the planning, development and of a comprehensive and inspiring tennis programme for boys and girls across both the senior school and the Prep, catering for all abilities. The Director of Tennis will have two reporting lines: to the Assistant Head Sport for all school-related issues and to the Chief Development and Commercial Officer for all club-related matters.

Leadership • Provide leadership and development for all tennis programmes (boys and girls; student- athlete, performance pathway and social players) including strategy, coaching, training programmes (training curriculum and competition programme) and facilities. • Ensure a high standard of programme governance, management and administration. • Develop effective in-depth market intelligence to ensure Repton Tennis remains competitive and a viable option for talented youth tennis players. • Support the development of new income streams for Repton Rackets Club i.e. Padel Tennis, as well as working with Repton Enterprises to deliver a broader range of racket sports such as squash and table tennis.

Coaching & Player Development • Provide technical coaching to boys and girls across the programme as required. • Ensure there is a ‘coach and teacher development’ programme for every specialist coach and every teacher-coach who continues to support the Repton Tennis programme. • Ensure every Repton Tennis performance pathway athlete has an Individual Development Plan (IDP) that is regularly reviewed to test and challenge each player. • Ensure sport and academic programmes can support Repton’s higher ability performers in tennis through bespoke & individualised dual development pathways in education and sport. • Develop a range of transition opportunities from Repton School for those looking to continue their development through sport, e.g. Universities (UK & Oversea), apprenticeships or other pathways from school. • Engage with Houseparents to better manage individual need and ambition.

Community & Stakeholder Engagement • Maintain existing and develop new links with the surrounding community, external sporting bodies and other international networks in tennis. • Liaise with local / regional schools as well as other community outlets to promote Repton Tennis ‘access to all’ scheme. • Liaise with the regional LTA representatives to promote tennis in the community and to promote Repton as a suitable venue for national and international tournaments and player development camps.

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Communications and PR • Develop an innovative and educated approach to recruitment and be able to link with the school admissions department regarding student athletes. • To liaise with the Marketing team to communicate and promote Repton Tennis & Repton Rackets Club in a consistent and ‘on brand’ manner. • In collaboration with the Deputy Head Marketing & Admissions, contribute to the delivery of all school Open Days to showcase Repton Tennis, supporting scholarship places. • To build relationships with likeminded partners to further elevate Repton Tennis and take the message far and wide. • Design and deliver a ‘parents in sport’ programme that integrates, educates and supports all parents of performance pathway athletes. • In partnership with Enterprises, develop a wide range of opportunities for sport related holiday camp programmes / festivals and showcase fixtures as part of Repton’s public benefit, entrepreneurial activity and outreach and promotion of Repton School. • Support and develop Repton Preparatory School links to enable a consistent and aligned sports programme in tennis.

Governance • To ensure everyone through Repton tennis is trained to deliver best practice in safeguarding in their daily operations. • To work with the Chief Development & Commercial Officer to plan and manage the budgets required to effectively run the Repton Rackets Club. • To ensure all relevant school health and safety, safeguarding, critical incident and other relevant policies and processes are adhered to.

Qualifications & Skills • An understanding of delivering sport within an education context is essential. • Either Level 4 SPC or Level 5 MCC qualification.. • Dynamic, personable, energetic and communicative team player, with excellent organizational skills. • Experience of managing coaches, preparing budgets, delivering these against agreed programmes, and monitoring their expenditure. • Experience of leading and operating festivals and courses to support outreach and commercial activities. • Proven ability to be able to communicate effectively with parents, children and management. • An excellent (current) knowledge of the tennis community, and experience of working with National Governing Bodies of sport and/or similar or related organisations.

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Working and living at Repton

The School is committed to employing and rewarding staff who share its ambition, its aims and its values. This will be reflected in a highly attractive remuneration package as well as the investments in both staff and facilities.

Benefits include • Highly competitive salary • Generous annual leave

In its buildings and grounds, Repton combines the old and the new. The heart of the School is a beautiful 12th century Augustinian Priory, but following a major period of investment, the School has outstanding new and refurbished facilities in most teaching areas, most notably with our new sports centre, which include: • 13 outdoor courts - 10 at Repton & 3 at Repton Prep Living in Repton • 2 Indoor courts at Repton • Fitness Suite Repton itself is a thriving village with a • Strength and conditioning performance fascinating past. Situated in the Trent gym valley between and Burton on Trent, on one side of the village is the Old • 2 Glass back squash courts Trent, the remnants of the former course • Sports Health & Wellbeing Clinic on site of the river, and on the other, there is • 2 sports halls attractive rolling farmland. The village has a vibrant community with clubs, societies, • Fitness suite shops, pubs and other attractive • Team room for video analysis and team amenities. briefings • 25m 6 lane pool at Repton It is close to the cities of Derby and Nottingham and major transport routes, • 25m 6 lane pool at Repton Prep and much of the wonderful Peak District National Park lies within itself.

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Information for Candidates

Candidates should apply to Mr Mark Semmence ([email protected]) with a covering letter, CV and a fully completed Repton School application form, which includes the names and addresses of two professional referees, by Friday 11 June 2021 at 6pm.

Applicants will be contacted for interview if they have been successful in the short-list process. Interviews will take place the weeks commencing 14 and 21 June 2021.

In accordance with the Children Act any Promoting and safeguarding the welfare of appointment to the Repton staff is conditional on children and young persons for whom you criminal records clearance and the successful are responsible and with whom you come candidate will be required to supply the into contact. necessary information and documentary Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 it is a evidence. References will be obtained on all criminal offence for a person over 18 (e.g. candidates called for interview and applicants teacher, matron, sports coach) to have a sexual should be aware that the interview will contain relationship with a child under 18 where that questions relating to the candidates’ suitability to person is in a position of trust in respect of that working in a post involving children. child, even if the relationship is consensual. This The School is committed to safeguarding and applies where the child is in full-time education promoting the welfare of children and young and the person works in the same establishment people and expects all staff and volunteers to as the child, even if s/he does not teach the share this commitment. Therefore the following child. Moreover, whatever the age of the pupil, a shall be deemed to be included, in addition to the sexual relationship between an employee and a duties that you may be required to perform: pupil will be considered an abuse of a position of trust and gross misconduct, likely to result in .

13 Repton  Derbyshire  DE65 6FH repton.org.uk