House Parent

House Parent Isabella House

Start Date: ASAP

Term Time Only plus Inset Days

Part Time

Downside School has an opportunity for a part-time House Parent to join one of our girls boarding houses. Downside School is an independent, co-educational boarding and day school for pupils aged 11 to 18.

Supporting the House Mistress, Assistant House Mistress, you will form part of a house parent team who looks after the welfare, safety, and pastoral care of students in our boarding houses. This role is working in Isabella which houses approx. 80 girls.

The role of a house parent involves ensuring our boarding-houses feel like a home to our pupils and involves building positive and professional relationships with pupils, parents, and school staff.

House Parents work as part of a dedicated team, assisting with and contributing to the supervision and care of pupils in the boarding House, and the smooth running of the House during the School day. This includes responsibility for their clothing/uniform, health (in conjunction with the Health Centre) and general well-being of pupils in the House. House Parents also support the domestic staff working in the House and assist the House Master or Mistress (HsM) and other pastoral staff in ensuring that their work is carried out effectively and efficiently.

It is essential that the House Parent is seen by the pupils as an approachable, helpful, and sympathetic person. There is also an element of administration involved with this role, so experience of using IT systems including MS office is required. Our buildings are located over several floors and the work may require climbing flights of stairs and some general lifting and carrying.

To be successful, you will have:

• A kind and caring nature
• Confidentiality and discretion
• Ability to work using own initiative but also as part of a team
• Excellent communication skills
• General administration experience
• An organised approach with the ability to adapt to changing situations
• Embraces and appreciates the ethos of a Benedictine boarding school

We can offer the successful candidate:

• Term-time plus INSET day working
• A supportive, skilled, and innovative staff team
• An inspiring, intellectually rewarding work environment
• Plenty of opportunities for CPD
• Free on-site parking
• We have an excellent catering facility, which offers all our staff a complimentary lunch
• Complimentary access to onsite leisure facilities including gym, squash courts and indoor swimming pool
• Employee Assistance Program including Cycle to Work Scheme

Contractual Details

Pay: £10.77 per hour

Hours: Option 1: Monday & Fridays 4pm-6pm, and every other Saturday afternoon 1pm-5pm

or

Option 2: Saturday afternoons 1pm-5pm

House Parent roles often provide opportunity for additional hours as part of bank house parent team, on a zero-hour contract basis. This is optional.

Working Weeks: 35 weeks per year (Term-time plus Inset days)

Holiday: 5.6 weeks paid holiday per year. Holidays are to be taken in line with independent School holidays

Contract: Permanent contract

Closing date for applications: 17 September 2024 (9:00am)

To Apply

To be considered for this role, please apply through our school website Downside School Opportunities – Downside School and complete your application through our online applicant tracking system, CVMinder or using this direct link:

Alternatively, please contact the HR department hr@downside.co.uk or call 01761 235100 to request an application form. CVs are not accepted.

Please indicate your preferred working pattern from option 1 or option 2 within your application.

Applications must be completed in full, to include full employment history and contact details of professional referees to cover the last 5 years of employment

We look forward to hearing from you.

Downside is one of Englands oldest and most distinguished Catholic schools. The School is situated at the foot of the Mendip Hills, twelve miles south of the city of Bath.

Downside School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be DBS checked. We strive to be an equal opportunities employer. Registered Company No. 11751009 and Registered Charity No: 1184700