Gymnastics Coach in Abingdon

We are seeking to appoint a gymnast to become a part of the St Helen and St Katharine PE department as a Casual Gymnastics Coach to support the department during a period of upcoming maternity leave by the current Gymnastics Coach. The Coach will assist with lunchtime and after school clubs and occasional weekend events.

The successful candidate will have a high knowledge and understanding of teaching gymnastics from year 5 to sixth form.

All staff share the responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of the students, in accordance with the School’s Safeguarding policies.

The Department

The department currently comprises six specialist Physical Education teachers (with varying specialisms including netball, hockey, lacrosse, gymnastics, swimming and tennis and cricket), a Head of Athletic Development and Health, and a PE Administrator. A number of other staff and external coaches also run sports clubs such as lacrosse, netball, fencing, tae-kwondo, sailing, tennis and dance.

We are very proud of our students and they are a joy to teach. They are very keen to be involved in sports of all kinds, interested in being fit, having fun and wish to play both in teams and to enjoy clubs. Teams and squads are very well supported both by the students and by parents on the sidelines.

Facilities

Our on-site facilities include a fully equipped sports hall with cricket nets, indoor hockey facilities, badminton courts; six all-weather netball/tennis courts and a large field that is used for lacrosse and football (2 pitches) in the winter and for cricket and athletics in the summer. The main sports facility includes a specialist gymnasium, fully equipped fitness suite, ergo suite, group cycle suite, dance studio, dedicated teaching room, plus changing areas and staff facilities. Our Church Farm playing fields of 12 acres are used for lacrosse and football (4 pitches). Students are able to walk to the pitches (10 minutes).

Facilities locally are used for whole school sports day, athletics training and football fixtures on the 4G pitch. We use local pools for recreational and team training, as well as other facilities such as the climbing wall.

Key responsibilities

• Preparing and delivering programmes of activities for groups of students and individuals.
• Evaluating performance and providing suitable feedback, balancing criticism with positivity and motivation.
• Assessing strengths and weaknesses in a participant's performance and identifying areas for further development.
• Adapting to the needs and interests of group or individual participants.
• Communicating instructions and commands using clear, simple language.
• Demonstrating an activity by breaking the task down into a sequence.
• Encouraging participants to gain and develop skills, knowledge and techniques.
• Ensuring that participants train and perform to a high standard of health and safety at all times.
• Inspiring confidence and self-belief.
• Developing knowledge and understanding of fitness, injury, sports psychology, nutrition and sports science.
• Acting as a role model, gaining the respect and trust of the people you work with.

Supervision of students

• Keeping up-to-date registers of attendance at each coaching session.
• If running an after- school session, ensuring that all students are collected by parents at the end of the session before you leave the School premises.

Planning and administration

• Preparing for and attending appropriate competitions, tournaments, matches, trials and qualifying events; including a gymnastics show.
• Maintaining registers (as detailed above) and records of student performance, submitting these to the Director of Sport/sports administrator after each session.
• Liaising with relevant PE Department staff for team selection where appropriate.
• Ensuring up to date medical information is held for all students attending coaching sessions.
• Ensuring the sports administrator is updated on all hours worked to allow timesheet creation to instruct the Bursary to make payment via the payroll.

Professional standards

• Acting in accordance with the key school policies as specified in the Casual Worker Agreement between the coach and the School and as informed at Induction.
• Acting in accordance with National Governing Body guidance (https://www.british-gymnastics.org) and within coaching qualifications at all times.
• Working to high legal and ethical standards at all times, particularly in relation to issues such as child safeguarding and health and safety requirements and in accordance with the School’s Safeguarding Policy.

You may be required to undertake such other reasonable duties from time to time as the School may reasonably require.

Terms

Sports Coaches are engaged under a casual arrangement and are not employees of the School; the School will provide the Gymnastics Coach with an Agreement giving full details of the terms of engagement.

The Gymnastics Coach Casual agreement has no obligation on the School to offer work and, if offered, there is no obligation on the individual to accept it. There is an anticipated need for up to 10 hours of work per week to support clubs during the school term (approx. 34.6 weeks per year). Working hours are to be agreed with the Coach in advance but are expected to routinely cover clubs during lunchtimes and after school (12.05pm – 1.05pm and 4.15pm – 5.15pm). This may be scheduled over 3 or 4 days per week and will be a regular pattern. There may be occasion where work offered falls on evenings or weekends.

The hourly rate for the Gymnastics Coach is £34.03 per hour and is to be paid via the School payroll upon submission of timesheets. In addition to the hourly rate above payment for rolled up annual leave will be paid at the rate of 12.07%, bringing the overall hourly pay received to £38.13.

Sports Coaches are entitled to a free school lunch on the days on which they are in School and working over the lunch period.

There is free car parking on site.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.