Our Head of Academy Education plays a critical role at our Academy which focuses on maximising and nurturing the academic potential of our Academy players to prepare them for a lifetime of success. By creating a positive learning environment you’ll make sure that every young person who attends our Academy has an opportunity to thrive and succeed.
The role provides leadership and management of the Academy’s education programme. It will be responsible for the planning, delivery and monitoring of the club Academy Education programmes, ensuring Sporting Excellence Professional (SEP) Apprentices are progressing appropriately and Academy Schoolboys are supported with their education programmes as part of the hybrid programme, ensuring that appropriate welfare and safeguarding measures are in place.
As a senior manager within our Academy, you will work closely alongside the Academy Manager to implement and deliver a leading-edge educational programme in line with the Club’s football philosophy. Creating a memorable experience for each player through a holistic, player-centered approach to their education and coaching their academic progress is fundamental to the Club’s key values.
Department Management
- Manage the delivery of full-time players’ education provision for the Under 18 age group with planned lessons which are engaging, creative and meet our high standards to ensure academic progression.
- Develop, maintain and regularly review the Club’s Academy Education Philosophy and strategy, ensuring that these inform the education area of the Academy Performance Plan.
- Responsible for the educational progression of all Academy Players registered with the Club (subject to the duties of the school which an Academy Player’s education is taking place).
- Oversee the quality and effectiveness of the BTEC provision in conjunction with LFE, liasing regularly with BTEC, Functional Skills and Additional Learning Support tutors to ensure apprentices are progressing appropriately and agreed standards are maintained.
- Support, coordinate and oversee the SEP apprenticeship programme in conjunction with LFE, ensuring that relevant academy multidisciplinary staff actively contribute to apprentices educational progress and development.
- Manage the completion of the club induction for apprentices, ensuring that it meets the required quality standards and effectively prepares players for the apptrenticeship programme.
- Coordinate the timely completion of the clubs contributory sections within LFE Apprentice Progress reviews, ensuring that appropriate staff provide meaningful evidence of each apprentice’s progress and development.
- Oversee compensatory education sessions/provision for apprentices who may have missed education sessions and not meeting educational deadlines or targets.
- Ensure that Academy Schoolboys are provided with appropriate support and that as a minimum Year 10 & 11 boys are tracked against their GCSE targets, with interventions as required.
- Organise the education programme across U9s – U16s age groups, including the hybrid programme.
- Create and monitor individualised education programmes for players on loan as appropriate.
- Ensure that the Academy Education programmes meet the requirements of the LFE, the EFL Youth Development Rules and that practice is stretched and challenged in line with the Professional Game Academy Audit Company (PGAAC) Education Standards.
Standards
- Manage and evaluate third party education providers (when applicable) to ensure educational standards are met.
- Oversee and maintain effective classroom provision and to ensure that excellent standards are set in classroom management and player behaviour for all parties responsible for delivering educational sessions for the players.
- Attend and support education sessions/classes at least three times a month to create a clear visual relationship between stakeholders and the club.
- Take a preventative and proactive action in the event that educational targets are not being met.
- Ensure Apprentice attendance is appropriate for all education sessions delivered as part of the SEP Apprenticeship programme and keep EMS registers up to date.
- Ensure that Apprentices are appropriately managed and supported in respect of their ‘End Point Assessment’ on the SEP.
- Ensure apprentices are appropriately managed to achieve the Sporting Excellence Professional (SEP).
- Role model and ensure positive and professional behaviours, ensuring honesty and integrity at all times when working with young players at the Club. This includes being presentable, smart and personable at all times when representing the Club.
Welfare & Wellbeing
Collaboration
- Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to report on educational progress and ensure all communication with schools is updated via the Academy’s MDT.
- Build and maintain links with education providers and associated partners such as parents, LEAs, educational agencies and schools, including conducting school visits when required.
- Liaison with education providers across all age groups, including relevant courses to enhance the education programme.
- Work closely with the Lead Phase Coaches to devise individual learner/player profiles.
- Ensure Academy Coaches are regularly updated on the personal and educational progress of all players in line with formal reviews, tracking data to spot themes and trends.
- Ensure communication between staff, players and parents to ensure the holistic development of players.
- Attend conferences, meetings, training courses and other associated events as directed by the Academy Manager and LFE.
Reviews and Monitoring
- Organise and maintain reviews and correspondence from school for all players in the Academy.
- Ensure progress reporting of academic achievement in the scholarship programme takes place.
- Ensure all documentation and records are up to date, liaising closely with the Academy’s allocated LFE monitor and ensure all 12 weekly reports are completed and put onto electronic systems as required by the EFL YD Rules.
- Undertake benchmarking of the educational progression of each year group against national data and make the result of that benchmarking available to the League.
- Attend LFE facilitated Programme Review Meetings with stakeholders and LFE Regional Officer. Inform Academy management of outcomes and carry out any actions in a timely manner.
- Ensure you contribute to providing a safe Academy environment, demonstrating safe working practices and follow safeguarding policies and procedures, reporting concerns when necessary.
- Play an active part in player wellbeing, supporting the transition of players and the delivery of the Lifeskills Programme working closely in collaboration with our Player Experience Manager.
- Hold Parent/Player meetings to review education progress to ensure optimal wellbeing and development of all players, reacting to any issues accordingly and reporting any concerns appropriately.
- Provide additional learning to support those with additional needs.