Resident Boarding Matron at Hillcrest International Schools

Section: Boarding

Reporting to: Deputy Head Student Welfare

Responsible for: pastoral care of all the pupils in the boarding house

Key Purpose of the Job:

• The position of House Matron is one of significant importance and responsibility. The Matron has a special role in helping the HOB to create a happy and well-disciplined atmosphere throughout the House.
• Working under the direction of the HOB, the House Matron is required to play a key role in the pastoral care of all the pupils in the boarding house on a day-to-day basis, with particular responsibility for the physical, social and emotional well-being and presentation of the pupils in the House. Ultimately, the objective of the House Matron is to play a significant role in establishing a ‘home away from home’ environment in which the boarders are at ease and are happy.

Key Accountabilities

• Safeguarding: To support the HOB to provide boarding staff and senior students with a clear statement of their roles and responsibilities within the House, along with policies and procedures for child safeguarding (countering bullying, substance misuse, health and safety, e-safety, the promotion of PSHE, medical provision, welfare concerns and the School’s behaviour policy), instill a culture within the House such that Safeguarding is central to all operational planning and practices in order to provide a safe and fully compliant boarding environment.
• Regulatory Compliance: To be fully conversant with the implications of the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools; in the absence of the HOB , to be one of the persons responsible for Fire Safety and Health and Safety in the house ensuring any evacuations are carried out promptly and compliantly; generally to be vigilant to H&S hazards and risks and take appropriate action if any are spotted; to work with the HOB to implement changes to legislation governing Fire Safety, H&S and boarding and to ensure that a culture of full compliance is central to the way in which the Boarding House operates.
• Clinical Medical Provision: To support with the day-today running of the Boarding House and in particular be responsible for the health and wellbeing provision of the boarding students. This includes assessment and management of illness and injury, health care planning and review. Refer to and liaison with different agencies, such as physiotherapy and GP. To provide emergency first aid when required
• Health and Medical Arrangements: To provide and manage medical processes as required such as venipuncture, wound management, minor injury management, post-operation reviews and other minor medical procedures as appropriate.
• Communication and Record-Keeping: To ensure that appropriate, accurate and up-to-date written records are kept; communicate appropriately with parents/guardians, House staff, School Policies are adhered to in the
• management and communication of information; ensure that the highest standards of medical confidentiality are adhered to at all times. To promote the Health and Wellbeing Centre in a positive way and to maintain the high profile of the department, including updates for the school website.
• Stores, Supplies and Housekeeping: To support the management of adequate supplies of all necessary medical stocks within the boarding house; ensure the safe storage of all medical supplies. To ensure stock management is efficient and cost-effective. To oversee the laundry provision in the house and ensure that the boarders are keeping up high standards of personal hygiene.
• Policies and Procedures: Working in line with Hillcrest International Schools policies at all times. To be aware of and comply with all relevant ISI/DfE requirements such as the National Minimum Standards for boarding.
• Professional Development: Maintain up-to-date knowledge of chronic diseases, illnesses, childhood ailments, immunizations, etc.; to maintain own professional development in line with NMC Guidelines, keeping up with any changes and developments within in School Nursing in general; to maintain own portfolio of evidence for NMC revalidation.
• Additional Duties: The post holder will also be required to complete boarding duties, arrange all the transport arrangements for the start and end of term, be flexible in the hours of work and be available during the night if the boarders seek medical attention.

Measures

• Safeguarding: Child protection concerns are documented as per the Child Protection Policy and escalated in line with procedures.
• Regulatory Compliance: House runs safely and fully compliant when under the personal management of job-holder; emergency evacuations are focused, prompt and well-conducted; HOB is fully supported on reviewing and implementing any changes as a result of reviews/audits.
• Medical Provision: To manage caseloads appropriately, ensuring that pupils and parents are happy with provision.
• Health and Medical Arrangements: To provide appropriate treatment, health surveillance and care planning.
• Communication and Record-Keeping: Records kept accurately in line with medical protocols and for the required period; parents, pupils, house staff and matrons, communicated within a timely and appropriate fashion. To maintain high standards of medical record confidentiality.
• Stores and Supplies: To support well-equipped, orderly and safe medical stock with accurate and stocktaking and accounts records.
• Policies and Procedures: Medical policies are developed, communicated and implemented; all Health and Wellbeing staff are aware of and work within the relevant school policies and Boarding standards.
• Professional Development: To ensure that all opportunities are taken for CPD and ensure that professional development is maintained and recorded within the personal portfolio.
• Duties: All duties are undertaken willingly and enthusiastically are highly flexible and generous with their time; students feel welcomed, supported and that resident staff are interested in their activities, particularly when returning to the House late in the evening after school trips; HOB trusts and respects the contribution the residential matron makes to the smooth and efficient running of the House.

Key Dimensions Impacted by the Job:

• Direct reports when running the House: Resident staff
• Reports to HOB
• Boarding house of 60 students
• Hours of work and salary to be negotiated

Key Skills and Experience: (Knowledge, Experience, Skills & Abilities)

• Registered Nurse
• Evidence of continuing professional development and education.
• School Nursing/Matron experience or qualification desirable.
• Child Protection/Safeguarding training.
• Must be energetic, enthusiastic and thrive in an environment of rapid change and development.
• Possess an understanding and awareness of child development and psychology.
• Competent IT and keyboard skills evidenced by the ability to use the Microsoft suite of packages.
• Sound understanding of Health and Safety and working within policy guidelines.
• Ability to use clinical judgment to formulate and action a plan of care for a patient.
• Experience of undertaking autonomous clinical decisions face to face.
• First-class interpersonal skills evidenced by the ability to communicate in some complex and difficult situations. This would include a detailed and accurate assessment of stressed and vulnerable young pupils
• Ability to manage their time effectively and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work dynamically within a team, evidenced by a well-functioning and productive team.
• Ability to work flexibly within the business needs of the organisation.
• Willingness to participate in clinical supervision and competency-based assessment as required to maintain professional qualification.

Key Interfaces:

• Deputy Head Student Welfare
• Head of Boarding
• Welfare Team
• Heads of Year
• Parents/ Guardians
• Facilities manager and staff

Operating Environment and Context of the Role:

Hillcrest is a friendly, warm welcoming community, which offers a wide range of courses and qualifications for students. Hillcrest Senior School houses around 305 students, aged 13-18 years, of whom approximately 60 are multi-national boarders. The students are housed in 3 Day houses, of which the boarder are put into. The Boarding House is purpose-built, and modern. The School employs two School Nurses.

A Boarding House will typically comprise 30 mixed sex students aged 13-18 from a variety of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds who needed to be cared for, supported and nurtured as part of the larger school for twenty-four hours a day during term time, chiefly by the resident staff, full time and associated tutors during prep hours. The job-holder is accountable for standards in their allocated Boarding House in the absence of the HOB .

Whilst the Boarding House will have its own unique ‘character’, and is run on a collaborative, team focussed way and always with full compliance with all regulations relating to boarding and safeguarding; the job-holder is a key figure in ensuring that Safeguarding is at the centre of the culture within the House.

The most challenging feature of this role is to identify and meet the needs of each and of all students, which may be complex, profound and compounded by learning difficulties, language difficulties, cultural difficulties and the intensity of boarding life whilst providing a sense of community, inclusion and above all safety and security. All staff within the House must work collaboratively and collectively to support the delivery of an outstandingly good health and welfare service and boarding experience for all students in their care.

Boarding house staff are in loco parentis (both legally and pastorally), for that reason the job-holder is expected to role model extremely high standards of personal behaviour and ensure the same from each and every member of the team; all are visible role models for our students. Staffs’ care of students extends beyond the boarding house and they play a fundamental role in their total welfare and well-being, helping them develop into self-confident and purposeful young adults, pass through key stages of their physical and emotional development and prepare to enter the wider world beyond school as well rounded citizens. Each child is unique and must be cared for accordingly, whilst always bearing in mind perceptions of fairness and consistency in approach.

Staff work is often physically and mentally demanding, hours can be extended and long and there is a constant pressure throughout the term time from individual and groups of students. Balancing house demands with the demands of the wider school activities (academic and social) can require great flexibility and co-operative working with colleagues outside the boarding environment.

Safeguarding:

Hillcrest School complies fully with the “Keeping Children Safe in Education” and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The jobholder is expected to share this commitment and comply with all associated internal policies and procedures.

In addition, the job-holder will be responsible for ensuring that all Safeguarding requirements are met for the areas under his/her responsibility, including visitors to the house, suppliers, third parties working under contract to his/her direction and family members living onsite.