Student Advisor

This role is known as Director of Studies internally and will be referred to as such in this candidate brief, but for the sake of clarity in advertising the post, we have initially referred to it as Student Advisor.

This role can be both part time or full time, between 0.6 and 1FTE.

Job Purpose

The role of Director of Studies will be responsible for ensuring that all students in their care have appropriate support in place to provide them with the best opportunities to succeed. They will be the first point of contact for all communication with students’ parents/guardians/agents. They will be the key source of pastoral and academic guidance; university and job applications as well as maintaining full and broad oversight of behaviour and attendance. The role of Director of Studies is pivotal to the success of the students within their care.

Main Duties

·        To keep in close touch with each of students in their care, to an extent that enables them to offer help and guidance when the need arises. Students should feel confident in contacting their Director of Studies.

·        To work closely with the Heads of Department, Academic staff, and other teaching staff to ensure their students are achieving academically to the best of their ability.

·        To monitor academic progress through regular discussion with both student and teachers. In particularly the Director of Studies will keep a close eye on commitment, attendance and whether the student is able to balance the competing demands of their different subjects.

·        To ensure students are given all the help, support, supervision and encouragement to help realise their full potential academically. In so far as this is possible, this also means actively helping students to develop the necessary academic and study skills as well as strategies for coping with the demands of the academic programme.

·        To go through subject reports individually with each student, discuss any issues that arise and to write a summative report to go to parents with each set of reports.

·        To follow up on any absences from classes.

·        To advise and guide their students through all the stages of UCAS and/or other applications to Higher Education. Director of Studies are also responsible for writing UCAS and other references as necessary. Sometimes this may be after the student has left the school.

·        To take pastoral responsibility for their students, to ensure their welfare and wellbeing, and to offer as much help and support as may be needed if they are experiencing difficulties.

·        To regularly update CPOMS for any details in relation to the student, including academic and pastoral matters.

·        To be available in normal school hours to have time to meet and support their students.

·        To provide a regular meeting slot, usually on a weekly basis, to check in and discuss academic progress and any pastoral concerns with their students (this may occasionally be reduced to fortnightly depending on student need).

·        To maintain regular contact with boarding house parents for students accommodated in boarding houses, or in the case of students living with host families, with the Head of Boarding.

·        Director of Studies should play an active role in dealing with any issues or concerns relating to boarding that may arise. They should follow up on any concerns that residential students may have about their boarding arrangements.

·        To be vigilant for any signs of emotional or personal problems that their students may be experiencing.

·        To liaise with parents (or guardians, where applicable) on all issues relating to their child’s welfare and academic progress. Director of Studies will act as a formal point of contact for parents and guardians.

·        To support the work of Personal Development in supporting students. 

·        To carry out duties in accordance with school policies including Health and Safety, Child Protection and Safeguarding.

·        Directors of Studies are expected to attend all Parents’ Evenings and may be required at Open Mornings.

·        Director of Studies are expected to attend and contribute to a variety of meetings and forums in which school-wide issues of academic and pastoral policy are debated and reviewed. This includes Site Meetings (where appropriate) and Whole School Pastoral Meetings.

·        Directors of Studies are required to be available for all INSET days and contribute to the Induction of new students at the beginning of the Autumn Term.

·        Directors of Studies have some duties that require their attendance at the school outside of normal term-times. They are required to be present in school for A Level results days, to give guidance and advice to their students following the publication of exam results and take part in the planning and preparation for the coming academic year.

Further information

If you would like any further information at this stage, please feel free to contact Stephen Creamer, the Vice Principal (Staff and Curriculum Operations), on 01865 688600 or stephen.creamer@doverbroecks.com. 

Applications

Applicants should apply using the link below

Student Advisor[Student Advisor]

Please apply as soon as possible, but no later than 26 June 2023.

Short-listed applicants will be notified of the interview arrangements as soon as possible after the application deadline and we aim to interview before the end of term. Please also note that we reserve the right to shortlist candidates for interview and potentially make an appointment prior to this date.

Nord Anglia Education

In early 2021 d’Overbroeck’s was acquired by Nord Anglia Education, a leading premium international schools organisation. At the start of the 2022-23 academic year, NAE comprised 81 school in 32 countries, employing over 15,000 and teaching over 70,000 students.

You can find out more on their website: nordangliaeducation.com