Associate Director of Sport

About Us

Harris City Academy Crystal Place is a school steeped in tradition. The Academy has proudly represented its community and the wider Harris Federation as its founding and flagship Academy for 35 years; the core vision upon which the school was founded 35 years ago remains the same today: "All Can Achieve". This achievement encompasses academic excellence but extends far more than this meaning "the highest priority is placed on pupils' personal development" (Ofsted, April 2025).

This track record of exceptional outcomes is echoed in our sports provision, where we are currently ranked 114th in the national school sport rankings. This puts us in the top 2% of ALL schools nationally. We are looking for someone to continue to provide these opportunities and more for our students.

You will join an Academy with four consecutive Outstanding Ofsted judgements, where "All Can Achieve" is more than a motto - it's a lived reality. With exceptional CPD, clear progression pathways, and Federation-wide support, this is a chance to grow as a leader while transforming young lives.

Summary

Are you a passionate leader, trained Teacher of PE ready for your next step?

We are seeking an experienced and ambitious Teacher to lead Physical Education at Harris City Academy Crystal Palace - a high-performing, Ofsted Outstanding Academy with a strong sporting culture and a large, thriving Sixth Form.

In this pivotal role, you will:

• Lead and develop a high-performing PE department
• Inspire students to achieve their best, in and beyond the classroom
• Shape curriculum, culture, and enrichment across sport and wellbeing
• Be part of a supportive Academy and the wider Harris Federation network

Main Areas of Responsibility

Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing and overseeing the day-to-day running of the PE department, a team of five all subject specialists and passionate about sport
• Working with Greenhouse Sports and the Kinetic Foundation as part of the departments offer and overall provision
• Overseeing inter-faculty competitions within the Academy
• Overseeing 300+ fixtures a year
• Overseeing local and National competitions across Year 7-13 across a range of sports
• Promoting an inclusive environment that provides development opportunities for all students
• Assisting in developing and delivering the PE curriculum
• Implementing and reviewing Key Stage 3 and 4 core curriculum to ensure breadth, balance and relevance for all students
• Ensuring the development of Physical Education aligns with the national curriculum
• Ensuring appropriate schemes of work for all courses taught and updating them regularly in line with national developments
• Determining, implementing and monitoring systems for improving student attainment and progress in Physical Education
• Liaising with the SENCO and staff with Special Educational Needs expertise to ensure curriculum accessibility for all students
• Communicating weekly through the Academy Bulletin
• Delivering an outstanding extra-curricular programme for students
• Maintaining team rooms, resources and equipment in good order with regard to health and safety, security and display
• Overseeing inter-faculty competitions within the Academy
• Overseeing of 300+ fixtures a year
• Delivering outstanding provision for gifted and talented athletes within the Academy.

Qualifications & Experience

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Qualified Teacher Status and a good, relevant Honours degree
• A clear and good understanding of current educational issues, theory and practice
• Sound subject knowledge as represented by a relevant degree, CPD or experience
• Strong command of subject area
• Understanding of relevant programming language theory and application
• The ability to use assessment data to inform planning, set targets and implement intervention
• The ability to use relevant research and inspection evidence to improve learning and teaching in subject

For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.

Professional Development & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance for teachers on MPS/UPS, a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be helpful for you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.