This is an excellent opportunity to join one of Oxfordshire’s largest and most successful schools. Effective administrative systems support the two sites.  Students are well-behaved and motivated, and there is a strong sense of community in Thame, with a committed parent support base.

We are exceptionally strong in terms of pastoral support for all students and have the highest expectations for individual achievement whatever the starting points. Outside the classroom there are wonderful extra-curricular activities for all.  Students leave the school successful and well-rounded individuals. There is a ‘buzz’ about learning in the school and our students are fortunate to be supported in their learning by dedicated teachers and support staff. Staff training and professional development are always a developmental priority and many of our staff move on to promotions in other schools.

The School

The school is the only school serving the market town of Thame and surrounding villages. It is a popular school and always oversubscribed. It is a split site school – Years 7-9 on our Lower School site and Years 10 -13 on our Upper School site. There are around 540 students in our Sixth Form and we attract many students from other schools, post-16. Teamwork is a key feature of school life and so is partnership with our feeder primary schools. There is a strong drive to establish powerful curriculum links cross phase with teachers collaborating on a range of projects.

The PE Faculty

Physical Education is a major strength at Lord Williams’s School; the school has a deserved reputation for sporting excellence both locally and nationally. The Physical Education Faculty comprises twelve highly qualified and experienced specialists, led by a Head of Faculty and Co-ordinators for Key Stages 3 and 4.  We were designated as a specialist Sports College from September 2001, developing strong and well-established links with partnership schools and the local community.  There is administrative support for the Physical Education Faculty and two Technicians.  

The faculty structure is as follows:

 Head of Faculty 

Team Leader of Key Stage 4

Team Leader of Key Stage 3

We follow a modular programme covering a broad and balanced curriculum. We deliver lessons in Athletics, Games (Invasion, Net/wall, Striking and Fielding), Fitness, Leadership Gymnastics, OAA. Furthermore, the faculty delivers the school's Health education course covering - contemporary issues, domestic violence and abusive relationships, health and wellbeing, mental health, relationships, risk taking behaviour, sexual health.

Each module is supported with a detailed scheme of work and we are well set with resources to support all lessons.

Key Stage 3

In Key Stage 3 there is a broad and balanced programme providing equal access and opportunity.  All staff teach the whole programme to single sex and ability-set groups.  Pupils follow a modular based programme covering a variety of games, athletics, gymnastics and fitness activities.  Students are taught OAA which is supported by the Year 8 residential camp. This is lead and organised by the Physical Education Faculty during the summer in the Alternative Curriculum Experience week.

Key Stage 4

All Key Stage 4 students have two lessons of core Physical Education.  The Year 10 and 11 programmes follows a similar modular curriculum to Key Stage 3. This allows our pupils to develop their experiences and attainment. Students may also choose a full GCSE course as one of their options. Pupils will follow the AQA syllabus and will have a combination of theory and practical lessons. There are two terminal exam papers (60%) and NEA coursework, incorporating an evaluation and performance improvement written component alongside three assessed practical activities from a mixture of team and individual sports (40%).

There are currently we have 4 Year 10 and 4 Year 11 GCSE classes of between 23-28 students. 

 Key Stage 5

The subject is a popular choice at A-level.  The students study the OCR specification which covers the following topics: socio-cultural and contemporary issues, psychology, anatomy and physiology, biomechanics and acquiring movement skills. There are three terminal exam papers (70%) across Scientific principles, psychological principles and socio-contemporary and historical developments. The NEA component consists of and Evaluation and Performance Improvement oral assessment and students are assessed in one competitive activity (30%).

At A Level we have classes between 10 and 15 students in Year 12 and Year 13.

Extra-Curricular Work

Lord Williams’s School has many inclusive teams and clubs in both traditional and minority sports and activities.  We aim for a high-quality inter-school fixture list and to prepare our students to compete successfully.

Students have the opportunity to represent the school in many sporting activities from our broad curriculum, and the school also offers activities beyond our curriculum. These include Athletics, Basketball, Badminton, Dodgeball, Cricket, Football, Fitness, Hockey, Netball, Rounders, Rugby Union and Swimming. Fixtures include friendly inter-school matches alongside organised local and national competitions.

The PE Faculty leads the Marlow Residential for all our Year 8 students. This is a great opportunity to support the growth and development of the students, while challenging them beyond the curriculum and classroom. We spend four days and three nights under canvas supported by colleagues outside the faculty, promoting cross curricular relationships and development. 

There is a school ski trip to Europe every other year.

The school also offers a comprehensive Duke of Edinburgh course which, although not lead by the PE faculty transcends from the initial experience from the curriculum OAA lessons.

Lord Williams’s School has a large PE faculty and this offers the opportunity to observe and work with many teachers and develop skills from an experienced and diverse group of professionals.

Safeguarding

Lord Williams’s School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. 

All successful candidates will be subject to enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks. 

Any offer of employment is subject to satisfactory medical, reference and DBS clearance and also to The Asylum and Immigration Act ID checks.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013, 2020 and 2023). This means that certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’ and do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974