Head of Rugby - September 2024

Candidate Information

Head of Rugby

September 2024

Sutton Valence School:
one school, many journeys

Introduction

Sutton Valence is an independent, HMC co-educational day and boarding school
situated in the heart of Kent for pupils aged 2-18.

At the Senior School, whilst not fiercely selective on entry, its value added
statistics are impressive. For those subjects Sutton Valence offers at A Level, the
School aims to be in the top 10% nationally for adding value, managing to bring
out the academic potential in every pupil. Equally impressive is the breadth of
education on offer, which at GCSE and A-Level is tailored to each pupil’s
strengths, recognising that academic achievement is only one measure of
success.

From First Form (Year 7), all our pupils work on laptops using Microsoft
OneNote which acts as repository for class notes, prep and online textbooks.
Pupils also make notes on their devices and store them in OneNote so teachers
can mark online using digital ink or recording. It is expected that most lessons
will use the device at some point although many will use a combination of
paper work and device.

Individuality, confidence without arrogance and the strength of character to
meet the complexities of modern living with equanimity are the hallmarks of a
Sutton Valence pupil.

The Senior School’s roll is currently 575 of which around 120 are boarders. Class
sizes are small and the overall pupil-staff ratio of 9:1 enables Sutton
Valence pupils to benefit from the close guidance and individual attention of
teachers. The academic staff are all highly-qualified subject specialists with a
commitment to continuing professional development.

Contained within the 100-acre site, there are dedicated games pitches, an all-
weather playing surface, a sports centre, which contains a fitness suite, an all-
weather athletics track and field sports arena and an indoor six-lane swimming
pool.

The Post

Following the internal promotion of the current post holder, we are looking for
an outstanding Head of Rugby who will have primary responsibility for the
running and organisation of Rugby in both the Michaelmas and Lent terms
throughout the School. The ability to lead on the Cambridge Technical Level 3 in
Sport (2012 suite) or the desire to take appropriate training to do so, may be an
advantage.

Their brief will be to build on the School’s current reputation and thus to ensure
our continued success at all ages and ability levels. The Head of Rugby is
responsible for the overall development of this major sport. The Head of Rugby
will have access to coaching pupils of all ages throughout the School. The duties
are those generally associated with such a position in any school, including
organising and developing the fixture list in liaison with the Director of Sport,
arranging transport and catering, organising tours, overseeing 11+, 13+ and 16+
Rugby scholarship assessments, creating and building on links with local clubs
and preparatory schools as appropriate, developing the School’s coaching
provision, and working closely with our Strength and Conditioning coach on the
provision for elite players and to monitor their physical workload. There is
considerable enthusiasm for yet further development of the sport and the
successful candidate will be looked upon to drive this forward and move the
School’s Rugby to the next level.

The successful candidate will have an England Rugby recognised coaching
qualification and experience of leading some aspect of a Rugby programme. The
ability and vision to design and implement an exciting Rugby curriculum that
maximises the potential of players across all age groups are key. The candidate
should have excellent organisational skills, and an ability to motivate and inspire
staff and pupils. The ability to teach another academic subject is required. A
commitment to Saturday School is essential as lessons run on Saturday mornings
and sports fixtures on Saturday afternoons. The successful candidate will work
alongside the Heads of Hockey, Netball, Cricket and Tennis, all under the
guidance of the Director of Sport. Candidates short-listed for interview will be
asked to teach an observed lesson in their offered academic subject discipline
and to coach a Rugby practice session.

The Sports Department

Sutton Valence School has a strong sporting tradition and enviable facilities. These
include a sports hall, cardiovascular suite, strength and conditioning suite, a superb
floodlit Astroturf pitch on-site and a second Astroturf pitch at the Preparatory
School site which is a short distance away. There are also netball courts, tennis
courts, indoor swimming pool, an eight-lane floodlit athletics track and forty acres
of playing fields that house rugby and football pitches, as well as a dedicated cricket
ground.

Rugby has a rich tradition at SVS but in recent years we have enjoyed unparalleled
success. In the last four Rugby seasons the 1st XV has reached the final of the
National Vase twice, as well as semi-finals and quarter-finals in respective national
competitions. The Rugby programme sees competitive weekly block fixtures against
schools such as Eastbourne College and King’s Canterbury and we also play schools
such as Tonbridge School and Whitgift School on an annual basis. We field eleven
teams each week across all age groups, run annual pre-season camps and have
toured Canada and the USA in 2017 and 2019. Rugby Sevens is played in the Lent
Term, and we enter county and national competitions each year, as well as hosting
the Kent County Under 16 seven-a-side tournament and an Under 10 seven-a-side
festival. We have excellent links with Saracens and are the only Saracens
Partnership School in Kent. This sees the school being utilised as a weekly Saracens
Academy Performance Centre. In recent years four players have represented
England Under 18’s and 20’s and five players have gained professional contacts with
Saracens. Players who have gone through our Rugby programme have also recently
played for clubs such as Ealing Trailfinders, Canterbury, Sevenoaks and Tonbridge
Juddians.

Application Process

Applications will only be accepted from candidates completing the application
form in full. CVs will not be accepted in substitution for completed application
forms.

Supporting statements should state what particular skills and attributes you can
bring to Sutton Valence School, brief details of how you fit the position, including
specific details of skills, experience and achievements, and details of any interests
and hobbies.

Do not meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and
people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single
qualification. At SVS we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive
workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience does not
align perfectly with every qualification or experience in the information provided,
we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this
or other roles.

Further information about Sutton Valence School can be found on our website.
We also have very active accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

To apply, please click on the ‘Quick Apply’ button on our TES listing and complete
an application form. Alternatively, an application form can be found on our School
vacancies page, or via email at hradmin@svs.org.uk.

Closing date: Friday 19th January 2024

Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to
the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring
Service (DBS), and a declaration of medical fitness. It is an offence to apply for this
role if the applicant is barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to
children.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
A copy of the School’s Child Protection policy may be found on the School’s
website, which all applicants are expected to read prior to interview.

Sutton Valence School is an equal opportunities employer.

Please note: we reserve the right to appoint prior to the closing date.

Shape of The Week

Benefits to Working at SVS

Salary and Pension

Salary will be at the appropriate point on the Sutton Valence School pay scale.

Academic staff are offered membership to the TPS or to the APTIS DC scheme. The
teacher’s gross salary will be dependent on the pension scheme and contribution
level chosen.

Electric Vehicle Scheme

All staff are offered the opportunity to purchase an Electric Vehicle (EV) as part of
an HMRC approved Salary Sacrifice scheme; Octopus Electric Vehicle. Basically this
is much like a cycle-to-work, but for electric vehicles. You give up some of your
gross monthly pay for a new EV, and can save up to 40% on the monthly cost

Benenden Healthcare Membership

All staff are welcome to join the Benenden Healthcare Scheme. The cost of
joining Benenden is currently £11.90 per month; the School pays up to 80 per
cent of contributions, based upon length of service. Further Information is
available from the Bursary.

Fitness Facilities
All staff may use the Senior School’s fitness facilities at designated times.
These facilities include an indoor, heated, six-lane swimming pool, a fully
equipped air-conditioned Strength and Conditioning Suite, and a
Cardiovascular Suite, as well as a large sports hall available for a multitude of
sports.

Fee Remission

All staff with a contract for at least one full term and have children who attend
either the Senior or Preparatory School will be eligible to receive a discount in
respect of School fees (excluding the Nursery). The current rate of discount is
65 per cent for full-time staff, and for part-time staff the relevant percentage
will be calculated on a pro rata basis.

School Meals
All staff are provided with excellent lunches with no charge.

Community and Environment
We are very proud of the positive and supportive community we have and staff
often comment on this being one of the best aspects of working at SVS. This,
coupled with a beautiful physical environment both at School and in the
immediate vicinity, make it a highly desirable place to work.

Free Parking

Both the Senior and Preparatory School sites have free, ample parking available
for staff. Both sites have allocated accessible bays.

Press Reader
The School has a subscription to Press Reader which allows anyone on the SVS
networks access to over 7,000 news publications from across the world in
different languages.

Other parts of the Sutton Valence Family

Sutton Valence Preparatory School (SVPS) is an independent IAPS 2 – 11 years, co-

educational, day school, situated in the glorious Kent countryside on the outskirts of
the village of Chart Sutton just a few miles from Maidstone. There are currently 265
pupils on roll. It is a happy and caring school where the children are supported to
reach their potential and they achieve impressively in both academic and co-

curricular activities. You can see glimpses of the daily life of SVPS on Twitter here:
https://twitter.com/SVPS_News.

The School is part of the United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation. This enables
the SVS Schools to work collaboratively with other members of the Foundation and
also provides invaluable professional support, guidance and development. More
information can be found about the Foundation here: http://
westminstergreycoat.org/

The HIK SVS International School in Tianjin, China, is the most recent addition to the
SVS family having opened in August 2017, offering a British style education in a very
different cultural setting. The school has been very successful since its opening and it
works closely with the Governors and Leadership of both SVPS and SVS. More
information can be found about HIKSVS here: http://www.hiksvs.com/

Vision, Mission and Ethos

Vision

Through membership of our community and the academic and co-curricular
opportunities it provides, we believe that all young people in our School will be
enabled to fulfil their true potential. We want our students to be confident
civilised, tolerant and open-minded individuals who possess a love of learning and
a strong set of values reflecting our principles as a Christian Foundation.

Our Mission is to provide:

• A caring, supportive and inclusive community for the education of children

• A challenging, relevant and broad curriculum delivered in ways that allow

• An outstanding range of sporting, artistic, cultural and social activities, and

• A safe, secure and stimulating environment which promotes excellence,

• A grounding in moral and spiritual understanding which will promote

Ethos

A community where each cares for all and individuality is cherished.

SVS is a strong community and has a pastoral structure which enables pupils to be
ambitious and take risks. From the moment they join SVS, each pupil knows they
are a valued member of a community and learn that the School holds an
important place within a much wider community. The youngest pupils learn how
to join together to contribute positively to life in their own forms, whilst in the
Senior School pupils become members of vertical tutor groups. A House system
provides both a sense of belonging and an opportunity to compete with one’s
peers is at the heart of both Schools.

Sutton Valence School

North Street

Sutton Valence

Kent ME17 3HL

www.svs.org.uk

01622 845200

A member of The United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation. Registered Charity No 1181012.