Residential House Parent

ABOUT GUILDHOUSE SCHOOL

Guildhouse School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school serving international students aged 15+. The school specialises in preparing students for pre-university exams, including I/GCSEs, A Levels and the University Foundation Programme (UFP). There are approximately two hundred and fifty students on roll, class size average is nine, and students take part in an extensive range of extra-curricular activities including leadership awards and national/international competitions. Approximately half the School’s students live in our boarding accommodation. The school is a member of the Independent Schools Association (ISA) and inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and was most recently (May 2019) rated "Good". It is in Bloomsbury Square at the heart of London and counts among its neighbours some of the world’s greatest centres of education, art, fashion, and finance.

OVERVIEW OF THE JOB

The school seeks Resident House Parents (RHPs) to work in its principal boarding facility (“Premier House”) in central London. Premier House has about 120 international students, typically aged 15-19, accommodated in a large building near Bloomsbury Square. The great majority have English as an additional language; some speak English fluently, others less so.

RHPs work within the team of about 15 boarding staff assisting with the personal, moral, spiritual, and intellectual development of each student in the House. They must model the high personal and academic standards of responsible adults that students respect, and have the personality to contribute to a secure, stable, and caring environment.

The post of RHP at Guildhouse School is unlike residential posts in other schools. Our students are older, and that brings both managerial challenges and professional opportunities. They are much less likely to need pastoral support from the RHPs during the day, and this gives opportunities for RHPs also to be involved in the academic life of the school day. Students are much more likely to need pastoral support before class, in the late evenings and at weekends.

REPORTS TO

The RHPs report to the Assistant Head (Boarding & Independent Accommodation).

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB

The duties specified are not intended to represent an exhaustive list and will vary where necessary to suit the skill set of the post holder and the needs of the school. The role of an RHP is to work in the Boarding Team with the Assistant Head (Boarding & Independent Accommodation).

Responsibilities include the following:

1. Aiding the well-being, safety, discipline, and pastoral care of students.

2. Helping to create a calm, quiet and tidy living and working environment.

3. Helping supervise the day-to-day routines of normal boarding school life, such as wake-up duties, laundry, and bedtimes.

4. Assisting in the academic life of the School during the School Day and being involved in activities.

5. Maintaining confidentiality and other professional standards of the education sector, such as the implications of the National Minimum Standards for Boarding.

6. Completing records of progress, welfare, problems, achievements, conduct and other reports.

7. Responding to circumstances of individual boarders, including those from different cultural backgrounds or with specific health needs.

8. Knowing and treating each student as an individual and encouraging self-discipline and a sense of responsibility.

9. Supporting Induction Programmes to ensure that the settling in process is a happy one, equipping students with essential initial information and resolving any problems as soon as possible.

10. Supporting, helping run, and enthusing students to participate in the Guildhouse School extra-curricular programme.

11. Helping with any emergency that may arise, such as fire alarms, and to accompany students to occasional medical appointments.

12. Attending House meetings, staff and School functions as required.

13. Any other reasonable request of the Head.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The boarding house, Premier House, is unusual in its layout. It consists of 7 floors of student accommodation and has 3 or 4 student flats on each floor, each able to accommodate 4 to 8 students. On the ground floor is the house entrance and in the lower ground floor is common room space. 

A key requirement is that RHPs have the confidence to spend time with students in their flats, making sure that students are behaving well, providing light-touch, friendly supervision and making sure rooms are tidy and organised. It is also valuable to be in the common room in the evenings, ensure that students go to bed on time, and that they are then ready for school in the mornings. 

The characteristics we seek are:

A fluent speaker of English with strong written skills.

Energy.

Flexibility.

A calm, positive, pragmatic approach to life.

Confidence and resilience when dealing with teenagers.

Charisma and maturity, able to establish friendly relationships with students whilst recognising that friendship would be inappropriate.

Enthusiasm to participate in the wider life of the school.

TERMS AND BENEFITS

Full-time, permanent post, working term-time only (plus a few days as detailed below).  

Additional paid employment may be available during July and August with the School’s sister organisation Stafford House Study Holidays. 

One 24-hour period off each week according to school rota.

Duties include residential supervision, organising/supporting activities, and in-school support. 

Holidays are from Saturday evening at the end of each term/half term until Saturday evening before term (re-)starts. This applies to autumn half term, Christmas, spring half term, Easter, and summer holidays. Before the autumn term starts, RHPs must arrive ten days before term starts (approx. 20th August) to assist in preparation of the House and to take part in whole school INSET. 

Accommodation is provided all year, in and out of term. This is a private, single ensuite bedroom, normally in a three-bedroom flat in the boarding house which also has a shared small kitchen and breakfast area. All bills (heating, water, council tax etc) are covered by the school.  

Residence is expected every night of term. Any absence needs to be agreed well in advance with the Assistant Head and must be rare and in very exceptional circumstances.  

Meals are available without charge in school whenever the school kitchens are operating. RHPs are expected to undertake “natural surveillance” supervision when in the dining room. This natural surveillance supervision is always the norm for RHPs around the school, including in the boarding house. 

The school offers a wide range of training and support. RHPs who are interested in pursuing a career in teaching or boarding will be supported to explore these career possibilities.

Please review the full job description on the website prior to applying

AND FINALLY

Employees of The School have a responsibility for, and must be committed to, safeguarding, and promoting the welfare of children and young people and for ensuring that they are protected from harm. As such, appointment is subject to the satisfactory completion of safer recruitment pre-employment checks in line with KCSIE guidelines. This will include satisfactory references, enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service and, where applicable, any international equivalent being obtained.