Job Description

Located on the Eastern district of Northampton, Blackthorn is a one-form entry primary school with a nursery. In addition, Blackthorn Primary is very proud to run a Specialist Unit for children with an EHCP identifying a need for support with SEMH. Our school is driven by a passion to provide educational excellence for the children in our community.

The children at Blackthorn are polite, respectful and keen to learn. Our team of dedicated staff believe that children achieve their best in a safe, secure and happy school community and we work hard to make sure this is the case for our learners every day. We strongly believe that good relationships between people in our school community are essential in securing success for your child, as such, an effective partnership between home and school will benefit your child's learning. We are proud to be a member of Northampton Primary Academy Trust (NPAT) with whom we work closely to provide opportunities for our children to broaden and enrich their time at primary school through the arts, sport and wider curriculum.

We're looking for an Apprentice Sports Coach to join our school and work towards a Level 4 Sports Coach qualification with a registered provider and our current fulltime Sports Coach.

The formal Apprenticeship course lasts 18 months and commences in September 2026 with an external provider, at which time you will be given then relevant time out of class to complete your studies to become a Level 4 Sports Coach.

Develop in the role of sports coach through supporting PE and sport in school alongside the existing Sports Coach. When not directly working on PE lessons and sport, the role will be supporting in class with the wider curriculum to ensure all children develop as learners. The aim over time, through support, coaching and training is that the role leads as a pathway towards opportunities to become a fully qualified and experienced sports coach at the school.

Working Hours

35 hours per week, 08.30 - 16.00 (you will be required to a half hour lunch duty each day), some flexibility will be required e.g. sports events

Pay Rate

Current apprentices pay. 7.55 - 12.21 per hour, increasing each April, dependent on age.

Duties & Responsibilities

Safeguarding

Promote a culture where safeguarding is the highest priority and safeguarding processes effectively support the needs of children Work in line with statutory safeguarding guidance (e.g. Keeping Children Safe in Education, Prevent) and our safeguarding and child protection policies Be committed to the safeguarding and welfare of children. Work to promote the best interests of pupils, including reporting all concerns

Health & Safety

Maintain good order and discipline among pupils, managing behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment Support in implementation of policy Take responsibility for personal health and safety and the welfare of others Comply with relevant policies and health and safety legislation Safeguard the health and well-being of children including administration of first aid Work alongside the Sports Coach to conduct risk assessments at venues as and when required

General Duties

Support the delivery high-quality PE across the age range Support the running of before and/or after school clubs, including lunchtime football and other sports Support to ensure the school environment, including each classroom environment, reflects and supports high quality learning Support to create a culture and ethos of challenge and support where all children can achieve success, have an appropriate layer of challenge, and become engaged in their own learning Ensure that all children contribute towards building and maintaining a positive learning and working environment for all Devise and implement activities to secure effective levels of pupil attainment and development Provide targeted support to children with additional learning needs in conjunction with teachers, parents/carers and other relevant stakeholders Support teachers in managing and monitoring pupil behaviour Supervise children as directed Assist in the assessment and recording of pupil achievements and progress Contribute to planning meetings with colleagues Support colleagues with routine administrative tasks Demonstrate commitment to equal opportunities in meeting children's needs

Relationships

Promote the highest standards of courtesy and mutual respect amongst all members of the school community; Encourage and model initiative, teamwork and working in partnership. Build and sustain positive working relationships; Establish constructive and professional working relationships with all. Communicate effectively with colleagues, pupils, parents, other professionals, governors and the wider trust.

Professional Development

Take part in the school's appraisal process Take part in further training and development in order to improve own practice in the role, including statutory requirements Maintain appropriate levels of professional development in accordance with the requirements of the role Attending relevant training courses to facilitate continued professional development and using this knowledge to contribute to improving the quality of delivery

Other

Supporting the delivery of high-quality sports days and festivals of intra-school and inter-school sport Promoting training for children and staff in leading playground activities Demonstrate and develop the school's values in everyday work and practice; ensuring all staff maintain high expectations for all and a positive high regard for the school community Uphold public trust and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school/the trust Have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school/trust, and maintain high standards of attendance and punctuality To contribute and adhere to the wider organisation and operations of NPAT The postholder must adhere to all NPAT and School policies and procedures Demonstrate a commitment to equal opportunities Make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school/trust Work with others to secure co-ordinated outcomes Provide cover, in the unforeseen circumstance
NPAT believes that equality for all is a basic human right. We actively encourage applications from all, irrespective of gender, marital status, disability, race, age or sexual orientation. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your in the application process or to enable you to do the job to the best of your ability, please be sure to highlight this to us.

Person Specification

All criteria are considered essential, unless marked with a

D then it is desirable criteria.

Essential Qualifications

GCSE's - including Maths and English at Grade 4 / C or above

Skills, Knowledge & Competencies:

Experience of working with primary school aged children through work or volunteering. Knowledge of a range of sports, the rules and how the sport is played. Qualifications in a range of sports either as a coach or referee.

D

Ability to support others within the school impacts on standards and achievements. An understanding of safeguarding children. Ability to work in a way that promotes the safety and wellbeing of children and young people Good level of English grammar, spelling, punctuation Ability to establish and develop effective relationships within the school community and a year group team, including Teacher Colleagues, Support Staff, Governors/Trust Directors and Parents. Ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally. Prompt at completing tasks, and good at using own initiative. Flexible and approachable, resilient under pressure. Experience of organizing or supporting inter-school sports activities.

D

Full driving license or working towards a driving license.

D

ICT Skills:

Office 365; Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Publisher, MS Teams Ability to learn new ICT systems Understand Data Protection and how to use, maintain and retain data whilst preventing data breaches

Personal Qualities:

Interest in sports outside of school. A strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and full understanding of your responsibilities for safeguarding. A commitment to treat all members of the trust community, including pupils, parents, colleagues and visitors with dignity and respect always, and not discriminate against or harass. An ability to use and understand discretion and confidentiality. A commitment to always upholding professional standards. A commitment to educational excellence; getting the best outcomes for all pupils, and promoting the ethos and values of the trust/school A commitment to ongoing continued professional development and keeping up to date with legislation, statutory requirements and responsibilities applicable to the role. A positive approach to the role and responsibilities. Demonstration of a growth mind-set Hold a positive attitude to health and safety, the ability to report any potential health and safety risks appropriately and take reasonable care for own health and safety Ability and flexibility to adapt positively to change Willingness to take a full part in the life of the trust/school and be a team player

Visits to the school - Come and see our amazing school!

As a one-form entry school, you may think we are short on space, however we have a fantastic sporting facility with surprisingly large grounds, including a field and two forest schools.

We strongly encourage you to visit us and see for yourself. If you would like to visit and meet staff and children as part of a tour, please contact the school office and we will be happy to accommodate you.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 7.55-12.21 per hour

Benefits:

Childcare Company pension Free parking On-site parking Sick pay
Education:

GCSE or equivalent (required)
Licence/Certification:

Midas Certificate (preferred) Full Driving Licence (preferred)
Work Location: In person