Health Care Assistant

The Portsmouth Grammar School is a leading co-educational school located in the historic heart of Portsmouth. We are very much a family school known for excellent teaching, superb pastoral care and wide-ranging co-curricular opportunities and offer an education across the age range from Pre-School to Sixth Form. 

The Health Care Assistant plays a key role in co-ordinating the Health and Wellbeing Centre and providing support to the Registered Nurses (School Nurses). The Health and Wellbeing Centre provides medical care, first aid and health and wellbeing support to all pupils at PGS, from the Pre-School pupils from age 2 and a half to the Sixth Form students up to age 18. It also offers support to the wider school community, including all staff and visitors.

The Health and Wellbeing Centre is a new and extremely well-equipped facility on the main school site. It is staffed by two School Nurses, two Health Care Assistants and two School Counsellors, all of whom work part-time with different work patterns across the week.

The start date will be as soon as possible.

This is a term time only position and the post holder will be in a job share with another Health Care Assistant who works two days each week. During PGS school terms the hours of work will be 19.5 hours per week, Monday to Wednesday. The hours of work are from 08.30 – 15.30 each day, with a 30 minute unpaid lunchbreak.

Some flexibility is required for the post-holder to attend INSET (Professional Development Days) which are scheduled throughout the school year and to be available to attend relevant training or meetings on other dates during the year. Where additional hours are worked in order to attend these sessions (in addition to the contracted hours of the role), overtime may be claimed via timesheets. Though this is not applicable for INSET (Professional Development Days). The ability to work additional hours at short notice would be appreciated but is not a pre-requisite for the role.

The Health Care Assistants report to the School Nurses on day to day matters and the Deputy Head (Pastoral) has overall line management responsibility for the Health and Wellbeing Centre. The role is based in the Health and Wellbeing Centre on the main school site but visits may be required to the Upper Junior School site on Cambridge Road, to the PGS Sports Ground at Hilsea and other local venues to support school events such as Sport Day, the Whole School evacuation exercise to Old Portsmouth, and regular school services which are held at St Thomas’ Cathedral in Old Portsmouth.

Candidates with a minimum of NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care or in Children’s Care, Learning and Development, or a related field, are invited to apply for this role. Candidates will ideally hold a current First Aid qualification, either in First Aid at Work, Paediatric First Aid or Mental Health First Aid. In addition, it would be desirable for the candidate to have experience of working with vulnerable children, for example, with mental health concerns. 

The job carries a significant responsibility for the medical welfare of our school community and as such the ability to follow instructions safely and effectively and the willingness to work in all areas of provision offered by the Health and Wellbeing Centre are critical.

It is particularly important that the candidate is able to manage stress effectively, be adaptable and resilient. There are an increasing number of pupils with mental health needs who go to the Health and Wellbeing Centre as their safe space. The candidate must be able to manage these pupils sensitively and competently, and with warmth.

Previous experience of a similar paid or volunteer role in an education or health care setting would be an advantage. Candidates should be able to demonstrate an interest in working with children and young people and supporting their health and wellbeing. Candidates should have experience of working in a team, ideally in a customer facing role working with the public and ideally young people and children.

The successful candidate will be professional and friendly and able to demonstrate good interpersonal skills which are critical for effective communication with pupils, parents and staff across the school.

Excellent organisation skills are also essential to be able to prioritise tasks and work well within a small professional team. The successful candidate will be self-motivated and able to work flexibly and under pressure.

How to apply:

Any enquiries about the role or how to apply are welcome at recruitment@pgs.org.uk

Candidates are asked to apply using the online form linked to our advert on TES

The closing date is Monday 30th September 2024 and interviews will be scheduled to take place on the school site as soon as possible thereafter. Early applications are welcome and we reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to the closing date.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The School may carry out online searches on shortlisted applicants and applicants may be required to provide details of their online profile, including social media account names/handles, as part of their application.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The School is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions on a self-declaration form in advance of attending an interview (including those which are ‘spent’ unless they are ‘protected’ under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.