Job Description
Job Title: Outdoor Education Instructor
Reports to: Wider Curriculum Lead
Contract Type: Full time, permanent
Location: Bishops Stortford
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)
- 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, writing Schemes of work, medium term planning and short-term planning
- 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 needs
- Take part in the school’s performance appraisal programme and be committed to improving own practice
- Act upon advice and feedback and be open to coaching and mentoring
Fulfil wider professional responsibilities by:
- Make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school
- developing effective professional relationships with colleagues
- Taking responsibility for improving teaching through appropriate professional development, responding to advice and feedback from colleagues
- Communicating effectively with parents with regard to pupils’ achievements and well-being
- Sharing in the celebration of success of pupils
- Contributing to, and supporting pupils to contribute to the school’s news communications
- Using school systems in place efficiently and effectively, class-dojo, Cpoms, E4L
Other responsibilities:
- staff are expected to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct
- Staff may be asked to undertake occasional other, reasonable tasks at the request of their line manager
- The school is committed to the safeguarding of children and all teachers are required to understand and follow any safeguarding policies and procedures that are in place
- Undertake ‘Keeping In Touch’ days during each half term, as arranged with your Site Lead.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Relevant qualifications in certain activities, paddle sports, climbing, archery etc (or willing to undertake training)
- A good undergraduate degree in chosen subject (Desirable)
Experience
- Experience in working with pupils who have SEMH
- Experience of working within the outdoor education sector
Skills and Abilities
- Ability to create a safe and secure learning environment
- Ability to break down barriers to learning
- Be creative in approach to teaching, utilising pupils’ interests to hook them in and engage them
- Flexible and adaptable
- Effective communicator
- Ability to create a fun, challenging learning environment
- Be organised
- Caring, sensitive and responsive to the needs of our pupils
- Full driving licence
Other requirements
- Commitment to safeguarding children
- Be passionate about teaching and providing the best possible opportunities for all pupils
- A commitment to the school’s ethos and vision
- Resilient and positive
INDWT
