School Chaplain

School Chaplain

Location: Surbiton, Surrey

Salary: United Learning Pay Structure

Start Date: January 2022

Closing Date: 8:00am, Monday 8 November 2021

Interviews to be held week commencing: 15 November 2021

Job Purpose : To lead the spiritual development and growth of the School and to offer support to pupils and staff

Tenure: Permanent, Part-Time (2.5 Days per week, 38 weeks of the year)

Key Responsibilities:

Leading worship

 

• Supporting the Principal by planning the programme of collective worship, develop formal liturgies and ensure that church seasons are publicly and creatively celebrated 
• Providing ongoing support and resources necessary for the spiritual growth and development of each pupil 
• Celebrating the Eucharist for the Senior School 
• Leading assemblies, formal acts of worship, and special services, such as Harvest Festival, Founders’ and Carol Services, Confirmation Service, Leavers’ Service across the Senior and Preparatory Schools 
• Preparing candidates for Confirmation 
• Developing and strengthening links with the local parishes, Deanery, Diocese 
• Supporting tutor time, Friday Reflections and developing a range of short informal liturgies/prayers appropriate for use by students and staff 
• Leading focussed Bible-study, teaching and discussion groups 
• Supporting the private prayer life and reflectiveness of each individual 
• Encouraging and supporting the awareness and understanding of faith practice across the whole community

Pastoral Care

The School places particular emphasis on strong and sensitive pastoral care for each member of its community and their families. The Chaplain takes a strong lead in this, effectively acting as “parish priest” to the entire School, and the responsibilities include:

 

• Being regularly available for private consultation and acting as a listener 
• Visiting families at times of difficulty, such as bereavement or hospitalization 
• Weekly meetings with the Senior Vice Principal 
• Providing individual support to students and staff, and a ‘pastoral presence’ providing support and nurture for members of the School 
• Contributing to the development of pastoral systems so that they reflect Christian principles 
• Developing links with parents and outreach to the local community 
• Liaising with the Principal and others, as appropriate 
• Carrying out any such duties as may be reasonably requested

Person Specification

The successful candidate will be likely to fit the following profile:

Qualifications, experience and key skills

 

• The person appointed may be an ordained Anglican priest, reader or a lay person 
• Although experience of working with children and qualifications are desired, the intention is to appoint the right person who will form a central part of the Surbiton community 
• Committed Christian able to relate to faith in everyday life; (this is a genuine occupational requirement under the Equality Act) 
• Able to understand the complexity of working in a school and sensitive to the need to work together in the interests of students 
• Unconditionally welcoming of all faiths and none, at ease with working with students and staff within an educational context 
• Have a good sense of the Church’s liturgy and be able to enthuse children and young people to take part in school worship 
• Be committed to ongoing training and learning 
• Able to exercise sound judgement in a wide range of situations 
• An understanding of safeguarding in its broadest contexts, and its importance in a School environment 
• Awareness of issues facing children/young people and how to engage pastorally with these issues 
• Be a strategic leader for spiritual growth in the school, demonstrating an ability to create, manage and lead projects which meet the spiritual needs of young people

Personal Qualities

 

• Passion for the local community (including churches of other denominations) 
• Emotional and relational intelligence 
• Have a strong feeling of empathy towards the pupils 
• Personal warmth to gain the confidence and trust of pupils, staff and parents 
• Good communication and listening skills 
• A confident and positive outlook 
• A flexible and creative approach to solving problems 
• The ability to interact with people and work as part of a team 
• An articulate speaker with presence and the ability to present, credibly and enthusiastically, the challenges of the Gospel 
• High levels of personal and professional integrity and the ability to exercise discretion and confidentiality 
• High standards of personal presence and presentation and attention to detail 
• The ability to communicate concisely and sensitively, both orally and in writing, to a variety of audiences 
• A healthy sense of humour

To Apply:

Please apply online by clicking on the following: https://unitedlearning.current-vacancies.com/Jobs/Advert/2402275?cid=1567 

Closing date for applications: 8:00am, Monday 8 November 2021 

Interviews to be held week commencing: 15 November 2021 

For any queries relating to the role or your application, please email:

recruitment@surbitonhigh.com

Surbiton High Prep Schools are culturally diverse and are fully committed to celebrating, respecting and learning about inclusion and diversity throughout the community.

Surbiton High School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. 

Please note that the School reserves the right to appoint at any stage during the recruitment process.