Residential Matron

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Help with the running of upstairs boarding, liaising and working alongside the Nurse, Gap Assistants and other upstairs staff.
• Making sure that all dormitories and changing rooms are clean and tidy.
• Daily laundry to be collected and to put clean clothes away in lockers upstairs and downstairs.
• Being in the dining room for all meals and breaks to serve or check on eating and table manners.
• Be available to be woken up in the night if a child is unwell.
• To care for children in the sick bay and on the sports pitches.
• Wake the children up at 7.00am and make sure that they are all washed and dressed ready for breakfast at 7.30am.
• Get children ready for bed and make sure that bed times are as exact as possible.
• To patrol dormitories until all lights are out and there is quiet.
• Make sure that children have clean clothes and have changed bed linen weekly.
• Supervise showers after games and in the evenings.
• To support and encourage Dorm Monitors and the more senior pupils with their responsibilities.
• To join school trips, often with the responsibility for first aid.
• Be kind and caring as a mother figure!
• To perform any other key tasks which the Head may reasonably assign

To uphold all safeguarding and child protection procedures in keeping with Cottesmore policy and regulations.

Communication and Administration

One of the prerequisites of a smooth-running school is that good communication within the school is maintained and encouraged. All staff should be clear about their duties and responsibilities. This should be achieved through:

• Regular, daily communication with Matrons, Gap Assistants, the School Nurse and the Head of Boarding. Good opportunities to meet with the Head of Boarding are during breakfast, lunch, tea and in the evening after ‘lights out’.
• Matrons must ensure that the Head of Boarding (or Master/Mistress on Duty in the evening) is kept informed of all matters/changes to the usual procedures /staffing during evening duties.
• Completing the Boarding Diary and the School Manager Pastoral Log/Sanctions when required. 
• Informing duty masters/mistresses, SMT or DSL of any incidents/concerns they may have regarding pupils or staff.

Quality Assurance

• To monitor the overall well-being of pupils, being aware of their needs and communicating effectively to support them in all areas.

Personal Qualities

The skills required are many and varied but essential are:

• Caring nature (a ‘motherly figure’) as acting in loco parentis
• Energy and enthusiasm
• Organisation and attention to detail with high standards
• Pro-activity
• Showing and using initiative
• Excellent role model for colleagues, pupils and parents alike

Goals

• To enrich the life of every pupil at Cottesmore
• To make boarding fun