Accommodation & food included (term time). Long paid school holidays.

Salary: £18,000.00 - £19,500 per year based on experience

Buckswood School is an Independent school located in the beautiful East Sussex countryside, close to the historic town of Hastings. Our school community is made up of students from the UK and around the world who join us with a broad range of academic, social and cultural backgrounds. We pride ourselves on being a happy community where students can grow to reach their full potential, both academically and socially. To meet the needs of our students we offer a wide choice of qualifications, a supportive and caring environment and an exciting programme of extra–curricular opportunities, which are underpinned by high quality teaching and learning. At Buckswood we are proud of our campus, which provides students with lots of opportunities for sport, relaxation, exploration and adventure.

As a thriving boarding school we have a vibrant community of boarding students engaging in a wide number of activities outside of their classroom learning. Our facilities are regularly updated to help ensure that we have everything needed to allow our students to be able to fulfil the school’s ethos which is ‘We are preparing for Life’. We have a culturally diverse community which focuses on the wellbeing of all and recognises that every child has a talent.

As our boarding roles are all non-teaching, we focus on the development of pastoral practises and provide out staff with a range of professional development opportunities. Boarding at Buckswood is a team approach, where all residential staff are dedicated to the pastoral care of our students.

We are seeking an individual who is motivated, hardworking, and sociable. You will work as part of a dynamic team to help develop a boarding residence that both students and staff are proud to be a part of. Part of the role involves international travel at half terms on trips so we are seeking someone with a sense of adventure as well!

As part of the boarding community you will receive: term-time accommodation, all meals during term time, paid holidays and use of the gym and other on-site facilities when not on duty.

Buckswood is committed to ensuring a safe environment for its pupils and staff. Applicants will be required to provide proof of identity and undergo the relevant DBS checks for their role.

Please see attached job description for further details. If you wish to apply, please send a covering letter and CV to hr@buckswood.co.uk

Any personal information you share with us on your application form will be used solely for recruitment purposes. Your details will be held for up to 6 months and destroyed after this time.

We receive high volumes of applications, due to this if you have not heard from us within two weeks of your application, unfortunately on this occasion your application will not have been successful.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: £18,000.00 - £19,500 per year based on experience

Experience:

• pastoral: 1 year (Preferred)
• Due to the age range of pupils in their care, we cannot accept applications from anyone under the age of 21 for our House Parent vacancy.

NOTE - The post-holder’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom they are responsible, or with whom they come into contact, will be to adhere to and ensure compliance with the School’s Safeguarding (Child Protection) Policy at all times.  If in the course of carrying out the duties of the post the post-holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of the children in the School they must report any concerns to the School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead or to the co-Principals.

Job purpose

Resident tutors are responsible for the welfare and care of boarders within the school community; encompassing personal, emotional & social wellbeing. Resident tutors are expected to provide a stimulating, orderly, family atmosphere where the students feel safe, happy & enabled to learn best in accordance with the National Minimum Standards (NMS) for Boarding Schools, the Independent Schools Standards and Regulations (ISSR) and the aims and ethos along with boarding principles and practices of Buckswood School. Resident Tutors will deliver a wide range of stimulating activities for boarders in order for them to achieve their potential.

 

Duties, Tasks and Responsibilities:

• To ensure that the individual circumstances, needs, strengths and weaknesses of each student are identified and known by staff as needed, so that individual opportunities, talents and potential are developed and maximised.
• To ensure that students understand the aims and objectives of boarding in the residence, and the principles on which community life in the residence is based; to cultivate a strong residence ethos encompassing “belonging”, relationships and achievement; to ensure that the boarding residence is running in accordance with the School’s stated routines.
• To develop and manage the student residence captains within the residence, so that they can play their part in carrying out effectively the tasks expected of them.
• To be aware of the implications of the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools for welfare and pastoral care in the House.
• To liaise with the School’s Health Service to ensure that pupils’ medical requirements are properly catered for; to encourage students to adopt a healthy life style.
• To encourage students to join in weekend and evening activities and participate in a wide range of extra-curricular activities beyond normal school hours.
• To monitor tidiness of student rooms on a daily basis e.g. ensuring beds are properly made and litter etc. is in bins.
• To perform weekly house maintenance checks and deliver those checks to the Director of Boarding, Health and Safety Officer and matron as per school practice.
• To liaise with the Domestic Staff and Matron to ensure that the House is cleaned and that students’ belongings have been laundered; to ensure that pupils treat the belongings of others, and the fabric and furnishings of the House, with respect.
• To oversee Health and Safety standards and requirements within the residence.
• To develop in the students, a collective responsibility to be aware of the difficulties or problems of others, and to offer such support and help for each other as is appropriate both individually and through the Wellbeing HUB.
• To be aware of the academic strengths and weaknesses of pupils; to liaise with academic staff to ensure that relevant background circumstances of pupils are known and discussed; to ensure that the conditions and supervision in evening prep are conducive to effective academic progress.
• To use every opportunity to cultivate contact and communicate with parents/guardians, to ensure that they are fully informed about their child’s progress and welfare; to ensure that family incidents and problems are brought to the attention on of those who need to know.
• To keep suitable records of student progress, welfare, health, emotional problems, achievements and misconduct; to provide such reports and feedback as required.
• To counsel students, at a time and place which is conducive to good communication concerning any emotional, academic, social or behavioural problems they may have; to liaise with fellow resident tutors as well as the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Director of Boarding or School Counsellor if appropriate; to inform the appropriate senior colleague if any referral to outside agencies is required; to fulfil the requirements of the School’s policy on child protection.
• To support the School’s disciplinary policy and, by encouragement and reward and by a clearly understood and fair system of sanctions, foster an acceptance of the code of conduct of the School; to inform the co-Principals and/or Head of Key Stage of any significant breaches of School Rules and complete associated administration accordingly.
• To effectively manage, develop and evaluate scheduled extra-curricular activities and Big Events; encourage student participation and personal development outside of the classroom particularly at the weekends.
• To be responsible for all passports and travel documentation belonging to the pupils being taken to the School Secretary to be collected and stored according to school procedures.
• To be responsible for securing the residence when on duty.
• To be resident in the house accommodation provided by the school during term time, in accordance with the terms of your contract.
• To ensure that all areas have been left tidy and in good order before leaving for any holiday.
• To assist in appropriate pupil induction as directed by the Director of Boarding.
• To deal with emergencies of any kind, including escorting pupils to hospital if required.
• To deliver age and gender appropriate PSHE material in accordance with the school’s PSHE curriculum.
• To perform any other key task which the Principals or other Senior Leaders may reasonably assign.
• To ensure that when on campus, whether on or off duty, that you are fit to respond and are not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• To complete weekly House administration and attend the weekly boarding meeting, bringing all matters of discipline to the attention of other staff at these meetings.
• To be familiar with the School’s policies and procedures for child protection, countering bullying, substance misuse and health and safety and ensure the appropriate response needed in these areas is completed.
• To implement the School’s systems of registration and leave, so that the whereabouts of students is recorded both during the week and at weekends as appropriate.
• To be responsible for the development of an attitude of care for the physical facilities of the residence among the students; to refer maintenance requests to the Facilities Manager in order to keep the residential environment in a good condition and to follow up these requests; to complete all Health and Safety Logs as required; to ensure the annual risk assessment of the building has been consulted; to audit the state of the building at regular intervals so that damage may be charged to the appropriate student, or to those groups who have used the residence during the holiday.
• To complete training courses both internally and externally in order to develop necessary skills and those appropriate to the role.
• To set individual goals and targets as necessitated by the School’s systems of appraisal and review.
• To liaise with parents/guardians and travel secretary to ensure that departure and return travel information is collated and authorised.
• To complete risk assessments for extra-curricular activities and off-campus trips and have these authorised by the Health and Safety Officer.
• To liaise with the transport department to ensure that all transport requirements are pre-booked.
• To meet regularly with students in residence and oversee any council meetings to discuss any issues concerning the residence.
• To maintain administration files detailing procedures and routines.
• To maintain individual student files including, as appropriate welfare plans/individual education plans
• To ensure that any handover log books, discipline, medication, sanctions and other records are kept up to date.
• To maintain records of communication/contacts with parents and/or guardians. Significant issues must be brought the attention of the principals and/or the deputy principal of pastoral care.
• To work with the PR department, admissions department, Deputy Principal of Pastoral Care and Principals to promote boarding at Buckswood. This includes being involved in marketing the school at specific events and at other times when prospective parents are visiting and want to see the boarding provision.
• To assist in appropriate student induction as instructed by the Deputy Principal of Pastoral Care.
• To complete self-reflection logs (pink books) and hand to lead residential tutor for evaluation weekly.

Hours of work 

• Resident tutors are required to be actively on duty, in the residence and around the school during times set out below:
  • Morning shift – 07:00 – 09:00
  • Evening shift: 16:00 – 22:30
  • Overnight supervision: 22:30 – 07:00
  • Weekends: 09:30 – 23:00 with overnight supervision from 23:00 to 09:30 Friday and Saturday night with Sunday night supervision as with weeknights.
• Resident tutors will have one day off each week (Monday to Thursday) with the exception of the first week of each term. This is allocated by rota but staff can switch days off if approved by the Director of Boarding.
• Resident tutors may choose to teach between 09:00 and 16:30 but this is on the understanding that this should in no way impact upon their core role of residential tutor and only after discussion with the Principal.
• Resident tutors will be required to work for the first two days and last two days of the Christmas and Easter holidays. In addition they will be required to work the first two days of the summer holidays and to start five days prior to the start of the Christmas term.
• Resident tutors are also required to work half terms, and will take trips with boarding students who do not go home.

 

Appraisals 

• The Director of Boarding will appraise the resident tutor each academic year. An appraisal is designed to help and encourage professional development and performance.

 

Training

• The resident tutor will be expected to undertake a range of training, including first aid training, regulatory training in line with the school requirements and any relevant ‘Boarding Schools Association’ qualifications at the level applicable if they have not already done so. All staff are expected to maintain continuous professional development by attending appropriate internal and external training courses, seminars and conferences.

 

 

Safeguarding and Child Protection

The post-holder’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom they are responsible, or with whom they come into contact, will be to adhere to and ensure compliance with the School’s Safeguarding (Child Protection) Policy at all times.  If in the course of carrying out the duties of the post the post-holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of the children in the School they must report any concerns to the School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead or to the Headmaster.

 

Other duties and requirements

Please note this job description outlines the main duties and responsibilities of the position and is defined for the benefit of both the post holder and Buckswood School in understanding the prime functions of the post.  It should not be regarded as exclusive nor exhaustive as there may be other duties and requirements associated with and covered by the post.