Graduate Assistant

The Post

The school seeks to appoint an enthusiastic and motivated graduate to join our housestaff team. The post would suit applicants considering teaching as a career, but applications from other fields are welcome. The post is residential and a fixed-term contract for the period 29 August 2019 – 8 July 2020.

The Croft and Cottage boarding houses cater for approximately 70 pupils in total, from Years 5-13. Girls share dormitories in The Croft, the smallest dormitories accommodating two pupils and the largest dormitories accommodating six pupils. Girls in years 11, 12 and 13 have single study bedrooms in The Cottage. The Graduate Assistant will work with a team of staff including the Senior Housemistress in each house and the Head of Boarding, to whom she is accountable.

Responsibilities include:

• safeguarding and promoting the welfare of girls in the boarding house 
• supporting the Christian ethos of the school and giving help and support where needed 
• monitoring the academic and pastoral development of the girls
• maintaining appropriate standards of behaviour by the girls 
• ensuring that the general atmosphere of the house is conducive to study at the designated times 
• supervising the boarding house and assisting with administrative duties related to the  running of the house 
• assisting with matters concerning girls’ health as directed by the School Nurse and in accordance with the School’s procedures 
• keeping relevant records as required
• supporting with the organisation and supervision of weekend and evening activities 
• supervising meal times and bed times when on duty 
• assisting with the closing down of the house in the evenings
• organising the collection and return of laundry 
• liaising with the Housekeeper and cleaning staff concerning the upkeep of the house
• reporting any maintenance issues in the boarding house and liaising with maintenance staff
• liaising with the Catering Manager and kitchen staff concerning food 

Graduate Assistants will have the opportunity to establish a link with a department within the school, and thus to gain further relevant experience of education.  Please express your areas of   interest in your application.  

It is important that the Graduate Assistant enjoys life in a community and in the company of young people from both the UK and abroad.  She should be flexible, sensible, approachable, enthusiastic, energetic, considerate and a good communicator.  She will liaise regularly with the Head of Boarding, housestaff, teaching staff, support staff, parents and guardians.  Ideally she will have a clean UK driving licence and an up-to-date first aid qualification.  The ability to drive a minibus would be an advantage.

Pay and benefits

The annual salary for the post is £11,200 (pro rata the annual salary for the period of the fixed-term contract). 

Single accommodation is provided during term time and school holidays for the duration of the fixed-term contract.  All meals are provided during term-time.  Staff have access to a kitchen and laundry areas for  personal washing.  Staff benefit from access to the school’s Fitness Suite, and use of the outdoor heated swimming pool in the summer term. 

Holidays

Graduate Assistants will be required to work not more than five and a half days a week with one and a half days off consecutively.  In addition to all other holidays, Graduate Assistants will be entitled to one weekend off work in each term, the dates to be agreed with the Head of Boarding.  At each half term Graduate Assistants will be entitled to take time off from the evening of the first Friday of half term (once all the boarders have left the house) until lunchtime on the second Sunday, boarders returning to the boarding house during the afternoon. 

How to apply

Applications (application form, accompanying letter and full curriculum vitae with contact details for two referees) should be addressed to the Headmistress, Mrs Sarah Ryan, and sent by email to the Human Resources Manager, Ms Ellen Phelips (ephelips@ryestantony.co.uk ; 01865 229227) or a hard copy can be posted to Ms Phelips at Rye St Antony, Pullen’s Lane, Oxford OX3 0BY.

For an application form, please contact Ms Ellen Phelips (ephelips@ryestantony.co.uk ) or visit the Staff Vacancies page on the school website.  Applications will be accepted only from candidates who have completed the application form in full. 

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Thursday 14 February 2019 and interviews will be held on Tuesday 26 February 2019.

Safeguarding

Candidates must be willing to undergo Child Protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. An overseas criminal record check may also be required.