Assistant Head of Boarding

The Assistant Head of Boarding (AHB) is responsible for assisting the Head of Boarding with the leadership and organisation of RSD Boarding and for the personal development, welfare and academic support of all boarders.

For this post there is a requirement to work on rota in the evenings and at the weekends and to sleep on the premises overnight. When sleeping overnight, Staff accommodation and meals are provided, and an additional payment is made.

The Assistant Head of Boarding assists the Head of Boarding with the day-to-day operation of RSD Boarding. The AHB also contributes to duty coverage, as part of the staff rota, to provide a safe, caring boarding environment that enriches the lives of the boarding pupils. The AHB will prioritise the safeguarding, welfare and health and safety of pupils above all other duties and be familiar with statutory safeguarding and the school’s Child Protection Policy.

The AHB will primarily assist the Head of Boarding in all aspects of running RSD Boarding in order to secure high quality of pastoral care, effective use of resources and improved standards of learning and achievement for all boarders. During term time the AHB is responsible to the Headmaster, through the Head of Boarding as line manager, for the organisation and operation of RSD Boarding and for the welfare of the boarders. The AHB is expected to be involved in all aspects of Boarding life, to secure high standards of pastoral care in all areas and ensure that practices improve the quality of care provided, and meet the needs and aspirations of all boarders.

Responsibilities

General

1.Assist the Head of Boarding in all aspects of running RSD Boarding in order to secure high quality pastoral care for all boarders, effective use of resources and high standards of performance from all staff playing any role in RSD Boarding.

2.Support the Head of Boarding in delivering effective induction for both staff and boarders when required.

3.Support and promote the School’s ethos and help boarding staff to fulfil their duties in line with school policies and the RSD Boarding Staff Handbook.

4.Ensure the smooth running of the Boarding House generally and to maintain a friendly, welcoming and happy environment.

5.Be a visible presence in RSD Boarding by engaging with the boarders and getting to know the boarders on a personal level.

6.Monitor the boarders’ welfare and behaviour and report any issues arising to the Head of Boarding.

7.Liaise with other boarding and teaching staff, the medical staff and parents in relation to the pastoral wellbeing of pupils.

8.Assist in the leadership and delivery of aspects of Boarding life e.g. leading the Boarding welfare App (Orah), organising staff/pupils weekend activities, leading the Boarding Pupils’ Committee, assisting in organisation of events and trips, etc. This is an indicative list which will be tailored to suit the skills and experience of the AHB.

Leading a Boarding Community

9.Treat boarders with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect.

10.Encourage boarders to respect people from different backgrounds and cultures, through understanding and living together, and thus foster a community spirit.

11.Provide the Head of Boarding with regular updates and share information with boarding staff.

12.Provide boarders with a structured, supportive environment and support high standards of behaviour from boarders and follow through with appropriate sanctions when necessary.

13.Keep accurate records of disciplinary and pastoral incidents in RSD Boarding.

14.Encourage boarders to participate fully in the activities programme and to contribute to the range of activities on offer.

15.Maintain effective lines of communication with parents and guardians and respond to their concerns.

16.Help with boarders’ arrivals and departures, including transport to and from the airport.

17.Maintain up-to-date training in key areas (e.g. Child Protection, fire safety, medication and first aid), attend new training as required, and ensure records are kept up-to-date.

18.Engage in the annual boarding inspection, highlighting the strengths and areas for improvement in RSD Boarding and acting upon suggested improvements.

19.Work with the Headmaster, Bursar and Head of Boarding regarding planning and improvement decisions for RSD Boarding.

20.To contribute to the marketing and promotion of RSD Boarding, including the ability to build relationships with prospective parents, pupils and boarding agents.

21.Undertake any other reasonable duty that may be assigned by the Headmaster, Bursar or Head of Boarding.

Daily Routines (when on duty)

22.Ensure that pupils are awake in the morning, attend breakfast on time and leave boarding in good time for morning registration.

23.Eat evening meals in the Dining Hall with the boarders and oversee evening Prep.

24.Ensure bedtimes are adhered to and boarders are asleep at lights out.

25.Monitor the location of boarders at roll calls and through the ‘sign-in and out’ system on ‘Orah’.

26.Report boarders’ illness promptly to Matron, administer medication as directed by Matron and follow up on such cases with Matron and advise parents when necessary.

27.Help with maintaining general cleanliness and tidiness in boarding and report maintenance issues promptly.

Terms and Conditions of Service

Salary: NJC Point 15 (£27,803) to NJC Point 17 (£28,770) dependent upon qualifications and experience. On a pro rata basis, this would equate to £15,887 to £16,440 per annum. These NJC salary rates are due for review from 1st April 2024. Salary would be paid in twelve monthly instalments over the year, with generous holiday periods (fully paid) as listed below.

All over night duties are remunerated separately with an additional payment of £45.26 per night for sleeping on the premises and being on call. For illustration, if the AHB was on call overnight on 50 occasions in the academic year, this would total an additional payment of £2,288 per annum (pensionable).

Any additional duties undertaken outside the AHB’s usual hours are paid as overtime.

Hours of work: 20 hours per week during term time, worked flexibly, including afternoon, evening and weekend working, plus on average one night per week sleeping in at school for residential duties.

The AHB will assist the Head of Boarding in providing 2 days cover during each Half Term period when boarders remain in residence (a total of 4 days each academic year).

The specifics of the annual hours anticipated and a typical shift pattern during the academic year are included at Appendices A & B at the back of this application pack

Holidays: 10 weeks Holidays to be taken outside term dates

• 2 weeks at Christmas
• 2 weeks at Easter
• 6 weeks’ holidays during summer months of July/August with Head of Boarding available in first week of July and the final two weeks of August for preparation and planning for the new academic year
• The AHB will assist the Head of Boarding in leading the team of Resident/Extern Staff in providing residential support for Boarders who remain on campus during Half Term breaks, bank holidays and staff development days

Benefits: Meals in school when on duty

Membership of the Teachers’ Pension scheme or the NILGOSC Pension Scheme as appropriate.

Person Specification - Qualifications and Experience

Essential Criteria

• A good level of education to include: Level 3 qualifications at A Level, BTEC or equivalent; a minimum of 5 GCSEs at Grade C or above, including Mathematics and English.
• An understanding of Child Protection policy and procedures
• Commitment to the philosophy of a boarding community and a working style consistent with unsociable hours, including evening and weekend work
• Evidence of working with young people and making a positive contribution to their social, educational and personal development
• A commitment to sleep in School (room provided) as per the rota and on an ‘on call’ basis
• The flexibility to work on an ‘as and when required’ basis in order to meet the operational needs of the School
• The ability to assist the Head of Boarding to lead a team and follow the caring pastoral ethos within the RSD Boarding community.
• The ability to make sound judgements when deciding which issues to deal with personally and which issues should be refer to the Head of Boarding and other members of the Senior Leadership Team
• The ability to communicate clearly with colleagues, pupils, parents and external agencies, both orally and in written form, including marketing and promotion of RSD Boarding
• Demonstrate discretion, tact and the ability to maintain confidentiality in relation to the role
• Demonstrate initiative, energy and problem-solving skills when confronted with a problem or an emergency
• A good record of attendance and health and the ability to cope effectively with the demands of the post

Desirable Criteria

Preference may be given to applicants who satisfy some or all of the following criteria

• A professional qualification or degree in education, social care, youth work or similar area of pastoral support
• Experience of working with young people within a boarding school environment in the last 3 years
• Experience of working with young people in a residential, youth work, education or care setting in the last 3 years
• Experience of and proficiency in using ICT, especially Microsoft Office applications and email
• Experience of organising events and activities for young people
• Experience of working with external agencies, including inspection processes
• Experience of administration, in particular preparing staff rotas and time sheets
• A clean, full driving licence and access to a car for work purposes
• Other relevant experience

The Board of Governors reserves the right to enhance the above criteria for shortlisting purposes.

Applications

The completed Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form should both be returned by Wednesday 10th April 2024 at 12 noon addressed to “The Headmaster, The Royal School Dungannon, 2 Ranfurly Road, Dungannon, Co Tyrone, BT71 6EG” and clearly marked “AHB24”

Application Forms received after the closing time will not be considered.

Curriculum Vitaes will not be accepted in lieu of the standardised Application Form and Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, both of which must be completed.

E-mail submission of Application Forms to lmartin836@c2ken.net before that time will be accepted but in that case a signed, paper copy must be received in the School by the closing time stated above.

Applicants should state clearly on their Application Form how they meet the criteria. Those applicants who are shortlisted will be notified for interviews to take place week commencing Monday 15th April 2024. Applicants who have not received notification of interview by this date will have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

In order to comply with DENI guidelines on Child Protection, shortlisted applicants should bring an original birth certificate and/or marriage certificate (if appropriate) plus a means of photographic identification, such as a passport or driving licence, to the interview.

Appointment will be subject to references and an enhanced check via AccessNI.

APPENDIX A

ILLUSTRATIVE ANNUAL ROSTER FOR ASSISTANT HEAD OF BOARDING DURING TERM TIMES (ASSUMED 190 DAYS OR 38 WEEKS)

DUTY

DURATION OF EACH SHIFT

EXPECTED NUMBER DURING ACADEMIC YEAR

EFFECTIVE FREQUENCY

TOTAL HOURS WORKED IN ACADEMIC YEAR

Breakfast Duties

0.5 hours (7:50am to 8:20am)

Roughly one per week after sleeping in the night before

14 hours

After School Supervision

2 hours (3:30pm to 5:30pm)

Essential liaison with staff and pupils after school each term day Monday to Friday (2-3 sessions per week)

200 hours

Evening Prep

2.5 hours (5:30pm to 8:00pm)

NIL

One Friday night every 3 weeks

Nil hours

Late Evening duty (Monday to Friday)

5.5 hours (5:30pm to 11:00pm)

Averages out as 4 sessions every 3 weeks

247.5 hours

Saturday Support

5 hours (12:30pm to 5:30pm)

One weekend in three to provide Saturday support for 5 hours with activities

65 hours

Sundays – all day

13.5 hours (9:30am to 11:00pm)

One Sunday in every three weekends when AHB is in charge

175.5 hours

Half Term & Staff Days – all day supervision

14.5 hours (8:30am to 11:00pm)

Help lead the team of staff who provide residential cover during Staff Days, Winter, Spring and Summer Half Terms

58 hours

TOTAL HOURS WORKED IN AN ACADEMIC YEAR

760 HOURS

DIVIDED BY 38 TERM WEEKS (190 DAYS IN 5 DAY WEEKS DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR)

38 term weeks

EFFECTIVE HOURS PER WEEK ON AVERAGE DURING TERM TIME

20 HOURS PER WEEK ON AVERAGE

Sleeping In – From within the complement of the Head of Boarding, Assistant Head of Boarding Resident and Extern staff, there is a requirement for two adult staff to sleep in on 7 nights per week in readiness for the next school day. It is expected the Assistant Head of Boarding will sleep in on premises (room provided) and to contribute 50 sessions per academic year out of the 190 term days to help provide this essential supervisory requirement for boarding pupils. Sleeping-in duties are from 11:00pm through to Breakfast at 7:50am the following morning.

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