HEAD OF BOYS’ GAMES – JUNIOR SCHOOL JOB INFORMATION

HEAD OF BOYS’ GAMES – JUNIOR SCHOOL

Newcastle upon Tyne Royal Grammar School With effect from September 2019

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THE SCHOOL

Tradition has it that the Royal Grammar School (RGS) was founded in 1545. The RGS continues to flourish today as the premier independent school in the North East of England and as one of the country's leading schools. We regularly lead all northern schools in national league tables and pride ourselves on academic excellence, a high level of pastoral support and involvement in a wide range of sports and other extra-curricular activities.

The RGS has grown substantially in recent years. There are now some 1,310 students, circa 260 of whom are in the Junior School. The Sixth Form of 340 students is one of the largest in the independent sector. In September 2001 we welcomed our first group of girls into the Sixth Form and girls have been represented in all year groups since 2008; overall, they now comprise 41% of the school.

The school is based in Jesmond, Newcastle and facilities in addition to classrooms and science laboratories include; a 25m pool, two Sports Halls, a Performing Arts Centre, outdoor football/rugby pitches at Mooracres, an artificial turf pitch for hockey and the former County Cricket Ground in Osborne Avenue, which is just a short distance from the school.

In September 2019 phase three of our ambitious plans to upgrade our facilities will be completed when our new state-of-the-art library building will open. The building will also include art studios, maths classrooms, a pastoral suite and an assembly space.

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THE ROLE

We seek to appoint, for September 2019, a vigorous and inspiring PE specialist to teach and lead boys’ games (and teach PE) in our outstanding Junior School.

This post would suit both someone already experienced, and someone new to the profession. You will be involved in a combination of teaching programmes that include swimming, games and . Hockey, football, rugby, cricket and athletics are currently particularly strong throughout the school, and the ability to contribute successfully to these sports would be an advantage. The RGS has its own generous salary scale and provides NQTs with an appropriate programme of induction leading to QTS, valid in both sectors.

You are likely to be an outstanding sportsperson yourself, and passionate about passing on your enthusiasm and expertise to children, both to those naturally gifted in sports and to those who will need a lot of guidance and encouragement, instilling a lifelong love of sporting activity and understanding of the benefits of fitness and of participation.

Students have access to specialist teaching from Year 3 (the start of the Junior School) and sport remains part of the core curriculum for all students through to Upper Sixth. Students have separate PE, swimming and games lessons all the way through to Year 11, and in Sixth Form they are able to opt from our extensive games programme, which runs on a Wednesday afternoon.

There is a requirement to do a small amount of Junior School class teaching and you will also be involved in Senior School games and fixtures.

A ‘willing to go the extra mile’ approach is a fundamental requirement of all teachers at this

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Job description: Head of Boys’ Games – Junior School Deadline: 12noon, Monday 22th February Contact: Junior School Acting Headmaster, James Miller, [email protected] school: even the most senior members of staff are actively involved outside the classroom, not merely in their own specialist activities but in a huge range of extra-curricular sporting, artistic and cultural work. You will be required to help with regular Saturday fixtures and out of school hours events.

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THE JUNIOR SCHOOL

Sharing the site with the Senior School, the Junior School caters for boys and girls aged 7-11 with three parallel classes in Year 3 and Year 4 (20 per class), and three classes in Years 5 and 6 (usually 24 per class), to give a total school roll of circa 260. Selection is based on performance during assessment days for Year 3, and an entrance exam and activity day for Year 5.

The majority of the teaching takes place in the purpose-built buildings of Lambton House, for Years 3 and 4, and Brandling House for Years 5 and 6. Dedicated art & design technology rooms and a green screen room in Lambton House, plus a science lab in Brandling House set the standards for educational provision within the Junior School.

Boys and girls also benefit from the superb Senior School facilities. These include the Performing Arts Centre and the sports facilities which include a six-lane 25-metre swimming- pool; two sports halls; fitness, weights and aerobic dance facilities; and changing rooms to accommodate all the school’s foreseeable sporting needs. On-site the school has an excellent all-weather hockey (multi-use) pitch, netball courts and one rugby pitch. For cross-country running, both Senior and Junior Schools use the adjoining Exhibition Park and Town Moor, on the edge of which we have three more rugby pitches and one football pitch.

The Junior School curriculum is wide yet balanced, taking account of the National Curriculum, but not dictated by it, and aims to provide exciting and interesting opportunities for learning. Teaching in Years 3 and 4 is predominantly in the charge of a class teacher (a focus on writing, literacy and numeracy does not exclude a strongly creative emphasis), and becomes more specialist and subject-taught in Years 5 and 6 before transfer (without further assessment/selection) to the Senior School.

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Job description: Head of Boys’ Games – Junior School Deadline: 12noon, Monday 22th February Contact: Junior School Acting Headmaster, James Miller, [email protected]

Our students certainly gain excellent learning habits: the Junior School’s record in Key Stage 2 tests is both excellent and consistent. In 2018, 100% of RGS students met or exceeded expectations in maths and reading, completely bucking the national trend. Over the last decade, the aggregate score for SATs performance has put the Junior School routinely in the top ten nationally in Sunday Times Parent Power league tables for Independent Preparatory and Junior Schools.

In the Junior School, we know that all young people have talent and potential that go far beyond their academic ability, and we encourage them to develop these skills through active participation, priding ourselves on the wide range of activities and extra-curricular opportunities on offer.

We currently have residential visits in every year group: Year 3 and 6 go to Kirknewton in the Cheviots, Year 4 go to Patterdale and Year 5 go to the North Pennines. This is a particularly exciting area of continuing development with the opportunity for staff to work together in shaping this programme. Further afield, students travel at Easter to ski in the French Alps.

In sport we want all boys and girls to participate, whilst also aiming for excellence, and there are inter-house competitions and school teams for rugby, hockey, football, netball, cross- country running, swimming, cricket, rounders, athletics, dance and gymnastics. These sports have clubs during the week (before, during and after school) and there are further clubs for and .

Our teams compete at the highest levels. The school have had national champions in gymnastics and swimming, and regional and HMC champions in rugby, chess and athletics. The Year 6 football team has twice got through to the Independent Schools’ national finals.

Music, drama, dance, ballet are also very important and widely recognised in lessons, school displays and in special performances. Dance now forms part of the PE curriculum.

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THE STAFF

The Junior School has 17 full-time teaching staff, plus two part-time teaching staff, and three teaching assistants. There is some staff cross-over between the Junior School and Senior School in music, dance and PE/sport. There is a very strong and supportive team spirit: this extends beyond the Junior School common room to the whole RGS staff who regularly come together for staff training days and social events.

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Job description: Head of Boys’ Games – Junior School Deadline: 12noon, Monday 22th February Contact: Junior School Acting Headmaster, James Miller, [email protected]

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LIVING IN THE NORTH EAST

So, where is Newcastle and what’s it like up north? Frankly, it’s brilliant. Newcastle is a medium-sized city with an historic centre and a vibrant life of its own. There’s culture and arts in the form of award-winning BALTIC Art Gallery, and The Sage alongside several theatres that attract national touring productions. There’s music from classical to club and we are home to the Northern Sinfonia. There’s a growing food culture with some fantastic restaurants. There’s great nightlife and you can ignore the inevitable scenes of drunk Geordies in the streets; that’s a very specific part of town!

If you like sport then there’s cracking football being played at St James’ Park and the Stadium of Light (plus the inevitable disappointment of a town full of Toon supporters and the current dismay of those in red and white, but hopefully not for much longer). There’s good cricket at Durham (a mere half hour away), and good rugby at the Falcons. Not to mention basketball and ice hockey, and don't forget the annual Great North Run. The North East has also produced some of the country’s finest athletes in track and field and there a clubs aplenty to get involved with.

The coast and the hills are minutes away from the city centre. By car you really can be in the middle of nowhere in 45 minutes, even the Scottish Borders is only an hour away. The Lake District is an hour and a half away. The coast is served by the Metro (our version of the Tube), but some of the country’s best beaches are up the road in Northumberland, less than 40 minutes by car. There’s mountain biking, road cycling (imagine Kent with no traffic), climbing, and endless hill walks in stunning countryside.

There are three local teaching hospitals, two universities in the city with another three close by. Some pioneering medical work goes on at the RVI, Great North Children's Hospital and the Freeman Hospital.

History abounds with more castles than you could count and sites of interest for almost every period of English (and border) history. Add that to a proud, independently minded and very friendly local population and we have most things you could want.

There’s green spaces all over the city too, with plenty of parks for children and dogs alike to run around. There are some really excellent primary schools on the edge of the city or in the suburbs. Some good secondaries exist too, but staff get a discount at our school. There are

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Job description: Head of Boys’ Games – Junior School Deadline: 12noon, Monday 22th February Contact: Junior School Acting Headmaster, James Miller, [email protected] some good competitor independent schools as well.

The RGS is on the edge of the city centre, a ten-minute walk from the main shopping areas. The leafy, affluent suburbs of Jesmond and Gosforth are close by with housing ranging from purpose-built flats in terraced streets and conversions of bigger houses to terraced houses, post-war semis and large, family-sized detached houses with big gardens. All of this is within walking distance of the school so no commute! And a fraction of inflated southern prices. Yet they are holding their value and increasing relatively steadily. If you want to travel to work then imagine waking up with a sea view, hopping on the Metro and getting off at school on the edge of the city centre just half an hour later. What could be better?

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HOW TO APPLY

If, having looked through the website (www.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk) and read this job information pack and the Information for Applicants, you think this particular post would suit you, please say so (and why) in a covering letter of application. You must complete the application form, even if you want to also attach a CV. You are welcome to apply electronically, please email all documents to [email protected].

Please read the Information for Applicants with particular care before applying. And please note that the RGS applies the Government’s Safer Recruitment procedures, which will include:

 Checking that the submitted CV provides a continuous record of education and employment from age 16;

 provision of two satisfactory references, at least one of which must be from the applicant’s current or most recent employer;

 completion by you of a confidential form of declaration of health (after offer of appointment) and, if necessary, a satisfactory report following a medical examination;

 evidence or other verification of your qualifications;

 a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure Report from the DBS.

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Job description: Head of Boys’ Games – Junior School Deadline: 12noon, Monday 22th February Contact: Junior School Acting Headmaster, James Miller, [email protected]

Interviews will be held shortly afterwards. We will hope to make the appointment on the day, offering the post and gaining acceptance, so applicants should arrive for interview with a clear idea of what would be involved in moving to the area (if necessary) and working at the RGS. Potential candidates are welcome to come and visit the school: partners will also be welcome to have a look round in advance or on the day.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to email or to call the Junior School Acting Headmaster (James Miller) on 0191 281 8955 or Director of Sport, Angela Ponton (0191 281 5711 extension 244).

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CONTACT DETAILS

Royal Grammar School, Eskdale Terrace, NE2 4DX

Tel: 0191 281 5711

General enquiries: [email protected] or [email protected] www.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk

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Job description: Head of Boys’ Games – Junior School Deadline: 12noon, Monday 22th February Contact: Junior School Acting Headmaster, James Miller, [email protected]