Head of Girls’ Games

Start January 2025

Interviews to be confirmed.

We encourage you to apply before the closing date as we reserve the right to arrange interviews and close this advert before the closing date if we receive applications from exceptional candidates.

 School Context  

Devonshire House is a large co-educational prep school in Hampstead, North

London. We are in the process of an exciting period of positive change, intent on

offering an outstanding education in every sense for its pupils and their parents.

The school recently acquired a fifth building, giving more scope for outdoor play and

sport, as well as doubling specialist teaching room capacity. The values of the school are

unashamedly traditional, whilst its outlook on teaching pedagogy is very much modern.

Devonshire House aims to recruit the best teachers and leaders available and retain them

by providing an attractive package and huge scope for career advancement. This is

augmented by its engaged governance as part of Dukes Education, which promotes inter-school collaboration and collegiality.

Summary of the role

Devonshire House is looking to appoint our next Head of Girls’ Games.

The school is committed to further developing games across the school and the successful applicant will enjoy the opportunity to have an impact upon our Year 4 to 8 students.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

KEY TASKS

In addition to normal teaching duties, the Head of Girls’ Games is responsible for:

·        Raising further the profile of girls’ sports and fitness across the Middle and Upper School.

·        Overseeing the performance of our girls in competitive sporting contexts and hosting well established tournaments in our main sports.

·        Reviewing and updating the games/sports curriculum alongside the Head of PE & Games.

·        Maintaining assessment records of all pupils and monitoring individual and cohort-based progress.

·        Organising enrichment trips and other events of a sporting nature to enhance the Curriculum.

·        Leading and delivering PE lessons for the Lower School, Years 1-3.

Person Specification

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential criteria:

·        Clear passion and experience developing PE and Games across a range of age groups.

·        Strong subject knowledge.

·        Competent in software such as PowerPoint, Excel, Google Drive and Word.

·        Personally committed to continued professional development.

·        Confidence and understanding of safeguarding and child protection statutory legislations and school protocols.

Desirable criteria:

·        Experience of the Independent school environment 

·        Experience of working with children of Prep school age

·        Excellent IT skills  

Professional Qualifications and Continuing Professional Development

Essential criteria:

·        An Honours Degree (or equivalent) in the relevant subject

·        QTS through Post Graduate Certificate in Education/ GTP (or equivalent)

Desirable criteria:

·        Appropriate school-oriented training and qualification(s)

Personal Qualities

·        Enthusiastic and energetic 

·        A team player

·        Good organisational skills 

·        Resilient and resourceful

·        Ability to make decisions quickly and solve problems as and when they arise

·        Ability to communicate effectively with pupils, staff, and parents

All applicants need to have the Right to Work in the UK to be considered for the role.

We encourage you to apply before the closing date as we reserve the right to arrange interviews and close this advert before the closing date if we receive applications from exceptional candidates.

Devonshire House Preparatory School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Devonshire House Preparatory School is an equal opportunities employer. If the candidate has lived in a country other than the UK for a period of 3 months or more since the age of 18, a foreign criminal policy check will be required irrespective of whether they worked in those countries.