Lay Chaplain - Catholic

Full or part-time, maternity cover, starting September 2019.

A committed and practising Catholic with a vocation for fostering young people’s exploration of their faith, and for providing pastoral support for all people – regardless of their beliefs, is sought to support the spiritual leadership of this unique school community.

Our employees are inspiring and creative, transforming the futures of intelligent pupils who experience challenges in their learning due to literacy and language-related difficulties, by empowering them.

The School:

Nationally celebrated, More House School provides an exceptional, mainstream education for boys with Specific Learning Difficulties.  Providing a transformative education repeatedly recognised as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted over more than a decade, we offer a specialised learning environment for 470 day and boarding boys from Year 4 to Year 13.  Our pupils are taught to recognise their strengths and develop their self-belief so that they achieve independence and extraordinary results at GCSE, BTEC and A Level, above the national averages.

About the department:

The successful candidate will work in the Humanities Department, within a team delivering History, Religious Education, Travel and Tourism, and Geography, including Physical Geography and land-based courses such as BTEC Level 2 Countryside and Environment and BTEC Level 3 Countryside Management.  Geography and related subjects are taught to pupils from Year Four to Year Thirteen, including the delivery of A Level, and GCSE courses.

Class sizes are small (up to fourteen) and there is ample opportunity for boys and teachers to get involved in the school’s extensive extra-curricular programme.  The highly creative and enthusiastic teaching team is keen to support the children in accessing the curriculum and encourage the boys to recognise their academic and extra-curricular potential. A key element of the school evident through all departments is the offer of a strong pastoral provision, recognising that the boys may perceive their previous educational experience as a failure, and they therefore need to develop their trust in the school, teachers and themselves. 

About this post:

An inspiring and dedicated chaplain is sought to provide spiritual leadership, advising and supporting the Headmaster in fostering a caring and thoroughly inclusive shared community bearing witness to God’s love and mercy.  Pupils and employees come from a wide social background, with nearly half of pupils’ placements being funded by more than thirty different local education authorities.  The school’s Catholic population, as a percentage, is broadly similar to that of the national population; the school welcomes boys and staff-members of any faith, and those with no faith.  The curriculum provides an insight into many different major religions, and pupils learn to understand and to respect those of different cultures and beliefs.

A practising Catholic, the new chaplain will coordinate the chaplaincy provision that is rooted in the Catholic foundation of the school, but supports the diversity of the school’s population.  With the large school chapel as a base, the chaplain will provide a witness to God’s love and mercy in diverse aspects of school life.  There may be opportunities for the post-holder to become involved in school assemblies, teaching or pupil supervision if he or she wishes. 

Full or part-time considered.  This is a non-residential role, although for the right candidate there may be the possibility of on-site accommodation afforded for the purposes of engaging in residential boarding duties, as part of the boarding team.

The above list of duties is not exhaustive, and the post-holder may be required to perform such other duties as may be, from time to time, deemed necessary by the Headmaster.  This is currently a non-residential post, but on-site accommodation may be available for the right candidate where engagement with residential boarding duties is agreed.

A comprehensive induction programme is offered, and ongoing professional development is supported through INSET days and training opportunities, in which staff-members are expected to continue their professional development and practice, supported by excellent internal and external opportunities.  Lunch is provided free of charge, daily, as is parking within the school’s beautiful grounds.