Vacancy Description / Summary

ASSISTANT HOUSEMISTRESS

The role of Assistant Housemistress is one of great importance, working closely with, and assisting the Housemistress, who has overall responsibility for the care and academic progress of the boarders and for leading the Houldsworth staff team.

We are looking for a highly skilled, competent, enthusiastic and caring individual with a genuine interest in pastoral work and in developing their experiences by assisting with the smooth running of Houldsworth House. The postholder will assist with the effective deployment and positive contribution of each member of staff who collectively holds the responsibility for up to 55 boarders between 10-18yrs. The successful candidate will join a co-operative, caring and very forward-looking community which is committed to supporting the development and welfare of our students and supporting partnership with parents. The staff throughout the school are in regular contact and our parents are enormously supportive.


Purpose of Job

a) To assist the Housemistress in the running of Houldsworth House in accordance with the policy of the School and in the light of current legislation and recommendations concerning the welfare of children.

b) To be resident in Houldsworth during term time and for a sufficient time before and after each term, and to build a strong personal relationship with each of the girls in her care, to sound out the needs of each and to work continuously towards meeting those needs.

c) To keep closely in touch with parents and guardians and to respond to their concerns.

d) To work closely with the Housemistress in ensuring continuity of care for each of the boarders and the proper running of the boarding house.



DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES


To Boarders:

a) To liaise with the Housemistress to ensure for each boarder the provision of a comfortable living environment and to ensure that all her requirements are met.

b) To establish and maintain a healthy routine of life for each boarder, and to make sure that standards of cleanliness and personal hygiene are taught and carried out.

c) To ensure that appropriate care is given to boarders of all ages, and that the special needs of each group are met.

d) To be aware of and respond to the special needs of individual boarders, including those from different cultural backgrounds, and to be aware of the changing needs of all girls as they develop.

e) To eat with the boarders as frequently as possible, and to establish routines to ensure a healthy diet for each, and happy and civilised mealtimes.

f) To ensure that all boarders have sufficient rest, and that bed-time routines appropriate to each age group are established and maintained.

g) To liaise with the school’s doctor and nurse concerning the general health and life-style of the boarders, and to keep closely in touch with them and with parents in case of individual illness.

h) To deal with disciplinary problems in a firm but caring manner, and to liaise with the Housemistress and the Senior Deputy in any matter of serious concern.

i) To liaise with relevant members of staff to ensure that boarders have access to and participate in a lively programme of leisure activities in the evenings and at weekends.

j) To welcome day pupils into the House, and to integrate them as far as possible in all aspects of the life of the school.

k) To ensure that the House is never left unattended and that boarders are always adequately supervised at all times outside the teaching day, including weekends.

l) To be prepared to work at any time to care for the boarders in times of emergency.

m) To follow the instructions of the Housemistress and the fire officer to ensure that all fire regulations are rigorously met and regular fire drills carried out.

n) To ensure that legislation and school guidelines affecting the health and safety of boarders are properly implemented.

o) To ensure that any unauthorised absence of students is reported to the Senior Deputy immediately, and to work with her and the Housemistress to ensure that the parents and the proper authorities are informed and the safe return of the boarder ensured.

p) To ensure that visitors to the House are welcomed and carefully monitored, and that the bedroom accommodation, including the corridors, is private to the boarders and to members of the House Team only, and to parents at the appropriate times; to ensure that no other visitor, including members of the families of house staff, is permitted to enter these areas unless there is an emergency.



To Parents:

a) To liaise with the Housemistress to ensure that the House is ready to welcome parents as they bring back their children after every holiday.

b) To assist the Housemistress in ensuring that the House Team is ready to welcome returning parents on the day of return, and that all proper arrangements are made to guide and refresh them.

c) To work with the House Team to ensure that the travelling arrangements and visa requirements for each boarder are known and recorded, and to contact the Housemistress or Senior Deputy immediately should any problem occur.

d) To be prepared to respond to the concerns of parents at any time.

e) To keep in contact with parents and guardians in every possible way, and to get to know them personally.

f) To keep parents and guardians informed by telephone, letter or email of any matter affecting the welfare or happiness of their children.

g) To obtain parental permission for any visit by a boarder to another family at any time.

h) To obtain parental permission for any overnight stay away from school, including trips home.

i) To obtain confirmation from the host family of any overnight stay away from school, and to ensure tactfully that such visits will be supervised by an adult who will take responsibility for the boarder.



To the House Team:

a) To work with the Housemistress to induct and to integrate into the House Team all new colleagues, and to support them in accordance with the school’s induction programme.

b) To take minutes at half termly House Team meetings and circulate to the Senior Leadership Team as well as members of the House Team.

c) To work closely with each member of the House Team

d) To participate herself in the school’s system of appraisal of performance

e) To assist the Housemistress in organising the work pattern and agreed breaks of members of the House Team in the best interests of the welfare of boarders.

f) To represent the interests of the House, its boarders and the House Team within the School, and at meetings arranged by the Housemistress or Senior Deputy.



To the School:

a) To maintain regular contact with and a flow of information to the Housemistress on all matters concerning the welfare of individual boarders, the House in general and members of the House Team.

b) To work with colleagues in maintaining high standards of behaviour by pupils in the House and in all areas of school life.

c) To work with the Housemistress and appropriate Year Head to help any boarder who needs care or advice.

d) To maintain high personal standards of prompt arrival for House responsibilities and events, and appropriate professional appearance.

e) To participate in appropriate supervisory duties shared by all members of staff.

f) To contribute towards pupil reports as and when required, before the deadlines.

g) To seek the Head’s authorisation for any absence from school, and to give notice as early as possible in case of unavoidable absence through sickness, with appropriate guidance for replacement.

h) To return by 10:30pm and sleep in the house every night during term time, except with the explicit authorisation of the Senior Deputy.

i) To assist the Housemistress in the smooth running of the House in the event of absence of any member of the House Team.

j) To attend all relevant staff meetings and In-service days, and any relevant external courses recommended by the Senior Deputy.

k) To maintain accurate records of all personal information relevant to the care of individual pupils, and to liaise with the school office to keep records up to date.

l) To liaise with the Facilities Director, the Housemistress and the Senior Deputy to ensure that the House is ready in all respects for the use of students at the beginning of term, and that they are left in a properly secured and organised state after the departure of the last student at the end of term.

m) To take part with the Senior Deputy and the Housemistress in the process of planning for the improvement of the Boarding House and the provision for the welfare of boarders in all respects.



Essential aspects required:

a) To have, or to hold relevant qualifications meaning eligibility for professional registration with the Scottish Social Services Council as a Worker in a residential school care accommodation service within 6 months of taking up post, or be prepared to work towards this, or to have registration with another recognised regulatory body e.g. General Teaching Council for Scotland, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Health and Care Professionals Council. Please refer to the following link for a full list: https://www.sssc.uk.com/registration/who-can-register/;

b) The ability to offer experience of working with young people aged 10 to 18.

c) Well-developed organisational, time management and prioritisation skills.

d) Demonstrable motivation and the ability to take the initiative to manage multiple tasks.

e) Ability to deliver a professional, high quality, customer-focused service.

f) Experience of using Word for Windows and a knowledge of databases. IT literacy will be required, for instance, in the use of email correspondence and the internet.



Personal Qualities:

a) Proven ability and commitment to lead and/or work within a team and a willingness to help at all levels.

b) Experience of working independently and using initiative and judgement to respond to queries, to resolve problems and to deal with unforeseen circumstances.

c) Ability to effectively manage own work priorities, demonstrating self-motivation, initiative and resilience in achieving results and delivering work.

d) Good inter-personal and communication skills, both written and spoken.

e) An ability to deal with sensitive issues discreetly and confidentially.

f) Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to foster positive working relationships and deal with sensitive issues with discretion and empathy, and to maintain confidentiality.

g) A willingness to be flexible.

h) Ability to retain calmness under pressure and work effectively in a busy environment.

i) The role of Assistant Housemistress is one of great importance, working closely with, and assisting the Housemistress, who has overall responsibility for the care and academic progress of the boarders and for leading the Houldsworth staff team.

About the School

As Edinburgh's only all-through independent school for girls aged 3 - 18, St George's is full of fabulous possibilities where everyone is clearly heard. Pupils feel empowered to be themselves and innovation is constantly encouraged.

Established in 1888 by the pioneers of women's education.

Our abundance of strong female role models and the range of opportunities on offer help inspire every girl to find the path that is right for her. As an independent and private school, girls at St George's School study an academic curriculum that is a unique mix of GCSEs at 16 followed by Highers and Advanced Highers in the Sixth Form.