Harris School

Harris School is one of 5 non-selective schools within Rugby's selective system. As a Church of England School we have no catchment area and take students from Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Coventry as well as Warwickshire where we are the only C of E secondary school. We are an 11-16 school with 157 places in each year group. We are an increasingly popular school. We have been over subscribed for the last 3 years, despite falling rolls. Our most distinguishing features that promote achievement are our distinctive Christian ethos; the very good relationships between all members of the school community; our very good development as a sports college; the very good enrichment opportunities offered to all students. The school achieved sports college status in 2002 and was redesignated as an Investor in People in 2006. We anticipate acquiring a second specialism in Modern Foreign Languages and growing our sixth form provision in collaboration with our local grammar schools. Standards of achievement are rising steadily and we aim to be in the top 25% of schools nationally based on Contextual Value Added by 2008. As a Church of England School worship is important to us, and the structure of the school day reflects this. Assemblies are generally acts of worship and we have regular church services, including communion. All our staff are expected to take part in and be sympathetic to the religious life of the school, whatever their personal faith. The school benefits from a talented, committed and hardworking staff who form a cohesive and supportive team. Resources are good and almost all staff have their own classroom. Most staff contribute to the wide ranging extra curricular programme. This is by no means all sport - related! All staff have their own laptop. The school has an excellent induction package for staff. We have a track record of preparing our staff for further promotion both internally and externally. Students are taught in sets, except for Drama, Art, Music, Technology, PE and PSE, where they are taught in mixed ability groups as a more uniform class size is a greater priority. Students with special educational needs are almost exclusively supported in class rather than withdrawn. We have a very effective pastoral system, with horizontal tutor groups each comprising about 26 students. The person appointed to this post would be expected to be a group tutor and also to contribute to the pastoral care of the students he/she teaches. Harris' most recent Ofsted inspection took place in February 2005. The full section 10 and section 23 (denominational) reports can be found on our web-site: www.harris-schoo.info The report commented on our good improvement since the last inspection and our good capacity for and commitment to further improvement. The school is a no smoking site and it will be a condition of employment that any successful candidate undertakes not to smoke on the site. The successful candidate will have to provide original evidence of his/her qualifications and undertake the other normal medical and police checking. Rugby is a pleasant market town, with easy access by the railway and motorway systems to all other parts of the country. Housing is relatively cheap and there are a number of pleasant villages within easy access of the town.