Duke of Edinburgh / Outdoor Activity Instructor

Job Description

Job Title: Outdoor Education Instructor/Duke of Edinburgh Instructor

Reports to: Wider Curriculum Lead

Contract Type: Full time, permanent

Location: Bishops Stortford

Due to the expansion of the school, we have an exciting opportunity for someone to join the existing team to support enhancing the outdoor education/Duke of Edinburgh offer we have for our pupils.

Main Purpose of Outdoor Education

At White Trees we understand and value the potential benefits of outdoor learning, where there are so many benefits, primarily we identify the following as being key:

• increased physical health
• enhanced spiritual, sensory, and aesthetic awareness
• the ability to assert personal control and increased sensitivity to one’s own well-being
• enhanced personal and social communication skills
• develop self-esteem, take personal responsibility, cooperate with and respect the needs of others;
• extend their personal horizons through greater appreciation and understanding of the world and its peoples around them;
• understand the need for sustainable relationships between people and their environment;
• enhance practical problem solving and team work skills.
• promote a positive and knowledgeable response towards personal health and well-being.

Duties and Responsibilities

Set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils by:

• Establishing a safe and stimulating environment for pupils, ingrained in mutual respect
• Setting goals that stretch and challenge ALL pupils
• Demonstrating consistently the positive attitudes, values and behaviour which are expected of pupils – leading by example.

Promote good progress and outcomes by pupils by:

• Being accountable for the attainment, progress and outcomes of the pupils you teach (alongside other staff where applicable)
• Ensure all activities have a qualification/outcome at the end of the activity/programme (e.g AQA unit awards)
• Ensure all appropriate pupils receive at least a Bronze Award for the Duke of Edinburgh
• Being aware of pupils’ capabilities and their prior knowledge, then planning your teaching to build on these, wrapping the curriculum around the individual pupils.
• Guiding pupils to reflect on the progress they have made and their emerging needs
• To report and record pupil’s attainment, progress and results of assessments within the school’s recording and reporting structure.

Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge by:

• Having knowledge of different areas covered in outdoor education, utilising and maintaining pupils’ interest in the subject.
• Demonstrating a critical understanding of developments in the subject and curriculum areas.
• Demonstrating an understanding of and taking responsibility for: promoting good standards of literacy, articulacy and the correct use of standard English. Then applying cross curricular links wherever possible in planning and teaching.

Plan and teach well-structured lessons by:

• Imparting knowledge and developing understanding through effective use of each session
• Promoting a love of learning
• Reflecting systematically on the effectiveness of sessions and approaches to delivery
• Contributing to the design and provision of an engaging curriculum within outdoor education and/or within a pupil’s individual scheme of work.
• Ensure health and safety of all participants, including writing and maintaining risk assessments for activities and equipment to be used
• Regularly checking and maintaining any outdoor education equipment

Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils by:

• Knowing when and how to differentiate appropriately, using approaches which enable pupils to be taught effectively
• To set clear learning objectives
• Ensure pupils you teach have their Individual Learning Programmes updated in line with the school systems
• Having a secure understanding of how a range of factors can inhibit our pupils’ ability to learn, and how best to overcome these – Following strategies/interventions designed by our Wellbeing team

Make accurate and productive use of assessment by:

• To mark, assess and return pupils’ work in line with the school Evidence for Learning system, providing constructive oral and written feedback with clear targets and guidance for future improvement.
• Making use of formative and summative assessment to secure pupils’ progress
• Using relevant data to monitor progress, set targets, and plan subsequent lessons
• Giving pupils regular feedback, both orally and through accurate marking, and encouraging them to respond to the feedback

Manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment by:

• Having clear rules and routines for behaviour in sessions, and taking responsibility for promoting good and courteous behaviour whilst travelling to and in public/activity centres
• Having high expectations of behaviour, using our behaviour wave system accordingly to help support our pupils, embracing the culture of ‘catching our pupils being good’
• Lead by example – show our pupils what we expect from them, positive behaviour and good manners
• Maintain good relationships with pupils, exercise appropriate authority, and act decisively when necessary

Professional development and performance appraisal:

• Attend all CPD days and training as required
• Review own professional development and identify training needsTake part in the school’s performance appraisal programme and be commit