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Director of Pastoral Care

Director of Pastoral Care

More House School

Kensington and Chelsea

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Salary:
Leadership pay scale
Job type:
Full Time, Permanent
Start date:
January or April 2025
Apply by:
27 October 2024

Job overview

More House School is a small, creative-thinking Catholic school for girls aged 11-18, located in the heart of Knightsbridge, London. Our mission is to nurture our pupils to become ethical leaders of tomorrow. We are committed to providing a supportive and nurturing environment where our students can flourish academically, socially, and emotionally.

Key Responsibilities:

Director of Pastoral Care:

  • Act as a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), ensuring the safety and protection of students.
  • Coordinate counseling services and support for students facing challenges.
  • Lead and manage student support teams to address individual needs.
  • Lead Form Tutors in their pastoral roles and provide training and coaching.
  • Develop and implement well-being programs and initiatives.
  • Lead anti-bullying initiatives and foster a positive school climate.
  • Monitor student attendance and punctuality and address concerns.
  • Lead the use of CPOMS across the school.
  • Monitor sanctions, appearance, and uniform.
  • Lead formal and informal concerns and incidents.
  • Ensure compliance with e-safety guidance through staff, student, and parent training.
  • Plan the assembly and duty rota.
  • Provide training and development opportunities for all staff in pastoral care.
  • Ensure all staff are adequately trained in child protection.
  • Offer mentoring and support to staff involved in pastoral care.
  • Develop and review pastoral care policies and procedures.
  • Ensure compliance with relevant legislation and guidelines.
  • Ensure effective reporting procedures and communication are in place for pastoral care data.
  • Ensure compliance with relevant educational standards and regulations, especially ISI.
  • Build strong relationships with parents and communicate effectively through regular digital publications.
  • Collaborate with external agencies to support students and families.
  • Contribute to the school's strategic planning and decision-making via termly reports to SLT and Governing body.
  • Lead the EDI committee.
  • Line manage Head of PSHE and Pastoral Support Officer.

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead:

  • Support the Designated Safeguarding Lead in managing referrals, working with others, raising awareness, and preventing radicalization.
  • Be available for staff to discuss any safeguarding concerns during school hours.
  • Work closely with the Head to make adequate and appropriate cover arrangements for out-of-hours/out-of-term activities.

General Responsibilities:

  • As a member of the Leadership Team, contribute to the school's strategic development, annual development plan, and inspection documentation.
  • Be part of the interview team for new staff members.
  • Contribute to the Admissions process.
  • Manage and/or investigate processes under relevant school policies.
  • Attend school events.
  • Contribute to preparing for an ISI inspection.

Person Specification:

  • Hold a good degree.
  • Have proven experience of working as a Middle Leader or part of a Senior Management Team.
  • Have some experience of safeguarding.
  • Be completely IT literate and be willing to train in new systems (CPOMS).
  • Be able to evidence leadership and development of staff.
  • Show a strong commitment to the pastoral well-being of pupils and staff.
  • Be an outstanding teacher in their relevant subject.
  • Be an excellent communicator with the ability to hold difficult conversations with pupils, parents, and staff.
  • Be a meticulous record keeper.
  • Possess excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Be kind, empathetic, emotionally intelligent, and self-aware.
  • Be willing to attend out-of-hours functions when necessary.
  • Be resilient and able to work calmly under pressure.
  • Be able to evidence knowledge of marketing the school.

Benefits:

  • Generous CPD budget.
  • Means-tested remission on school fees.
  • Contributory pension scheme.
  • School lunches and refreshments.
  • Central London location.
  • School laptop.
  • Two-week October half-term.
  • Support for staff attending important family events.
  • Inclusive and supportive working environment.

Application Process:

Applications for this role are only accepted through the TES website. All applicants are required to complete an application form and a self-disclosure form. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend a formal interview, including an intray task, teaching a lesson, and delivering a short assembly.

The School may appoint before the deadline so early applications are welcome.

Attached documents

About More House School

About the School

More House is an independent Catholic day school for girls aged 11 to 18, founded in 1953 by the Canonesses of St Augustine. In 1971, the School moved to its present home in Knightsbridge, where it is now managed by a lay charitable trust.

Proud of its Catholic foundations and ethos, the School welcomes girls of all faiths, to whom it provides a first-class education in a nurturing environment proudly presented as 'a greenhouse not a hothouse'. Class sizes are small: around 16 girls.

Personal and social development, intellectual curiosity and creativity are enriched through a wide-ranging co-curricular programme that takes full advantage of the School’s central London location.

Values and vision

More House aims to achieve the highest academic performance whilst nurturing the personal development of each pupil.

With an inclusive ethos and family atmosphere, the School is committed to delivering the best possible learning environment for all pupils through a culture of excellence that permeates every classroom and department. Relationships between pupils and staff are strong.

The focus for each pupil is not simply on achieving the best grade, but on delivering the best possible educational experience and creating a lifelong passion for learning. The School’s size means it is small enough to meet the learning needs of each individual but large enough to challenge each individual and provide a wealth of opportunities – academic, sporting, musical, artistic, social and more.

The School aims to:

  • Cultivate inspiring and successful young women by fostering Commitment, Integrity and Compassion.
  • Promote an ethos of spiritual development, humility and self–awareness, founded on the Catholic faith but relevant to those who adhere to other faiths and beliefs.
  • Engender a culture of intellectual curiosity both inside and outside of the classroom and pride in individual and collective achievement.
  • Provide for the social and emotional wellbeing and development of pupils and staff through tolerance, justice and openness in an environment where all are equally valued and where individual rights and dignity are respected.
  • Embrace the philosophy of Global Citizenship by developing an awareness and understanding of whole world sensitivities and the importance of living sustainably.

More House is also committed to maintaining a high level of expertise in its staff through succession planning and staff development.

More information can be found on the School’s website: www.morehouse.org.uk

Independent Schools Inspectorate say:

  • Pupils are confident, articulate speakers with strong communication skills.
  • Those pupils with specific learning needs or other difficulties make good progress and achieve in line with their peers thanks to sensitive and well directed support from the school.
  • Pupils develop considerable self-confidence, self-esteem and the ability to think about the impact on their futures of the decisions they make.
  • Pupils’ belief in the importance of respect, tolerance and kindness is strongly evident in their behaviour and relationships, reflecting the school’s stated values.
  • Pupils demonstrate an outstanding commitment to contributing to their school, to local communities and to the wider world.
  • Pupils have an excellent understanding of a spiritual dimension of life, nurtured by the school’s strong ethos.

View More House School’s latest ISI report

Safeguarding:

Candidates should be aware that all posts in the School involve some degree of responsibility for safeguarding children. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and, therefore, all convictions, cautions and bind-overs, including those as “spent” must be declared. The successful candidate will be required to complete a Disclosure & Barring Service application. References will be sought on short-listed candidates and we may approach previous employers for information to verify particular experience and qualifications. The successful candidate will also be required to provide original certificates of qualification and complete a medical declaration.

Equal Opportunities

It is the policy of More House School to provide equal opportunities for all qualified individuals regardless of race, colour, religion, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, age, gender medical condition or disability.

Please note that applications must be made using the TES application form. CVs alone will not be accepted.

Applications will be considered on receipt and interviews may occur at any stage.

Please note that you are wholly responsible for fact checking in respect of the information provided by schools. Please also check for the latest visa and work permit requirements that may apply. Tes is not responsible for the content of advertisements or the policies adopted by advertising schools. Tes asks that all schools follow Tes' Fair Recruitment Policy.

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