MANOR HOUSE HOUSE STAFF POST JANUARY OR SEPTEMBER 2012 Following Tony Pienaar s appointment as Head of High School at Hatfield School, Pretoria, South Africa, after just over ten very successful years in post, we are looking for a suitably qualified and experienced person to succeed him as housemaster of Manor House from January or September 2012. INTRODUCTION Clayesmore School is situated in the beautiful Dorset village of Iwerne Minster, mid-way between Shaftesbury and Blandford Forum on the A350. It occupies a fine site and is a flourishing community of 425 girls and boys aged 13-18, 235 of whom are boarders, and 120 or so are Sixth Formers. Clayesmore Preparatory School, on the same site and with its own staff, has another 230 pupils, 70+ of whom board. Clayesmore is much in demand at the present time pupil numbers at the senior school have grown from 300 to over 420 in recent years. Despite this growth, which is very stimulating and encouraging, we are at heart a small school and wish to remain as such.
Facilities are generally good; many are excellent. The Jubilee Building (2002) comprises eight laboratories, two large ICT suites, a small lecture room, and a new Learning Support Centre. In addition to dedicated space for each curriculum area, there is a Sports Centre complete with 25m indoor pool, squash courts and fitness suite, a full-sized floodlit all-weather hockey pitch and tennis surface, and lovely playing fields. In 2004 we opened the Spinney Centre, which was a second major new building for the Senior School. This houses classrooms for Geography, History, Careers and Business Studies, together with a new Staff Common Room suite and offices for senior staff. In September 2007 a new Pre-Prep and Nursery came on stream and this was followed in September 2009 with the fine new Everett Building at the Prep School. In the senior school, there are five houses, three for boys Devine, Gate and Manor and two for girls King s and Wolverton. All houses are run on similar lines covering the 13 18 age range there is no Sixth Form House. Manor House is positioned in the centre of the senior school next door to Gate House. In September, there will be 46 boarding boys in Manor with a further 24 day boys also attached to the house, and this principle of boarders and day pupils being together in the houses is an important aspect of Clayesmore s pastoral welfare. All the houses are run by a married couple and the Manor House couple and their family live in the accommodation attached to the house. This is provided free of charge. There is also a resident single teacher living in a small flat close to the boarding house who acts as resident tutor, taking responsibility for the house on two evenings a week and occasional Sundays. Other staff help in the houses as non-resident tutors. There is a non-resident Matron who shares greatly in the boys pastoral care and, indeed, is a key element of it. We see it as essential that spouses and partners are willing to play a part in the life of the house and the school and they are paid a small salary for this. Pupils and their parents set great store on the home from home atmosphere in boarding life, and the more a spouse feels able to help with this and promote it, the better. Visits to dormitories and invitations to pizzas and pancakes at home and suchlike are greatly valued and are essential aspects of boarding life. In the academic year 2011/12, the housemaster s allowance will be 7801 and the spouse s allowance is 4475, making a total combined allowance of 12,276. No charge is made for rent, council tax, fuel or telephone. Ideally, the appointee will teach up to 24 periods of Biology. Tony Pienaar was originally appointed as Head of Biology at Clayesmore and thus has always taught the subject to A-level. Flexibility within our staffing means that the A-level Biology can be covered by other means, and the priority at the present time is to appoint the strongest couple to run Manor House either from January or from September next year. Ideally, we would appoint a biologist able to teach other sciences to at least GCSE but teachers of other subjects should not be deterred from applying. The Clayesmore campus is a delightful place to live with full access to all the school s facilities in this parkland setting. Many of us have enjoyed, and continue to enjoy, bringing up our children in such a beautiful location. RESPONSIBILITIES The housemaster (HSM) is responsible to the headmaster for all aspects of the organisation and operation of their boarding house and for the welfare of the pupils in that house. The HSM is line-managed and supported by the Second Deputy assisted by his own house team. To assist the HSM in the effective management of the boarding house there will be: A resident house tutor At least two visiting tutors A house matron Domestic staff
DELEGATION OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITY The HSM is always in charge and has overall responsibility for the house and its pupils except on two weekends per term when the resident tutor will be responsible. SPECIFIC DUTIES The specific duties for a HSM will include: Ensuring that the boarding house is a clean, warm and safe environment in which pupils can feel comfortable and at home. Maintaining the physical state of the house by encouraging pupils to look after their environment, making regular checks on the physical state of the house and communicating with buildings and estates and housekeeping for damage to be repaired or to have furniture replaced. To provide adult members of the house team with a clear of their roles and responsibilities including providing an induction for any new members of the team. To ensure that boarding staff, parents and pupils understand the aims and objectives of Manor House and the principles on which community life in the house is based. To ensure that individual circumstances, needs and strengths of each pupil are identified and known by staff in accordance with the school s aim to develop the unique gifts of every girl or boy. To communicate with members of the house team about any current issues and ensure that the day book is available and kept up to date. To liaise with the medical centre to ensure that pupils medical requirements are properly catered for; to encourage pupils to adopt a healthy lifestyle. To plan, implement and review structures of staff supervision in order to ensure the safety and security (including emotional) of all pupils at all times when they are in the school s charge; to ensure arrangements for back up cover are made. To be accessible to parents in the house at the beginning and end of every term as well as half terms, exeats and weekends. To use every opportunity to cultivate contact and communicate with parents, to ensure that they are fully informed about their child s progress and welfare; to ensure that family incidents and problems are brought to the attention of those who need to know. To be responsible for the administration of the house fund and to ensure that proper accounts are kept. To write termly HSM reports on pupils To keep suitable records of pupils progress, welfare, health, emotional problems, achievements and behaviour; to provide such reports and references as may be required. To support the school s behaviour and discipline policies and to inform the assistant head or headmaster of any cases of severe bullying, substance misuse or sexual misconduct or other serious breaches of the school rules. To develop in pupils a collective responsibility to be aware of the difficulties and problems of others and to offer such support and help for each other as is appropriate. To mentor and encourage the house prefects and head of house, supporting the peer mentor system in the induction of Y9 pupils. To counsel pupils concerning any emotional, academic, social or behavioural problems they may have; to liaise with house staff of the pupil s siblings, if appropriate; to inform the
assistant head if any referral to outside agencies is required; to fulfil the requirements of the school s safeguarding policy. To ensure that pupils and staff are aware of and can access if necessary the school s policies on anti-bullying, health and safety, substance misuse and safeguarding children. To liaise with the house matron in ensuring that pupils clothes and personal belongings are used appropriately and stored securely and tidily; to encourage the pupils to treat the belongings of others with respect and the ensure that they maintain a good standard of appearance in accordance with the school rules. To be aware of the academic strengths and weaknesses of pupils, both day and boarding and to liaise with academic tutors to ensure that relevant background circumstances are known and discussed; to ensure that conditions and supervision in evening prep are conducive to effective academic progress. TERMS & CONDITIONS The HSM and his family lives in the house provided free of all rent, electricity, telephone and other charges. It is expected that the spouse or partner of the HSM will play a part in supporting their work through such things as the entertainment of pupils, staff and parents as may from time to time be necessary, and generally to enter fully and enthusiastically into the life of the house, supporting its activities in a full way. A willingness to answer the phone, take messages, is also essential. The HSM will receive an annual allowance of approximately 7801 and the spouse or partner an allowance of 4475. In appointing a couple to be resident in a boarding, a very full sense of professional partnership will be expected. The support member of the duo must be capable to taking full charge of the house should that be required in the case of any emergency. Qualifications Person Specification Manor House Staff Essential These are the qualities without which the applicant could not be appointed N/A (internal appointment) Experience: Of working with boys in a school environment Of pastoral care of children and young people Of communicating with families and parents Skills Excellent communicator Ability to keep full and accurate records Diplomacy and tact Discretion Knowledge Of the needs of teenage boys in a boarding environment Of the needs and feelings of the parents of boarders Desirable These are extra qualities which can be used to choose between applicants who meet all the essential criteria Of working with boys in a boarding environment Of leading a team ICT Counselling Method of Assessment Role play Personal Competencies and Qualities Warmth Balance in using and maintaining discipline Sense of humour Welcoming nature Stamina Ability to create a Varied interests optimism Role play
vision for Manor House Ability to instil confidence in pupils and parents quickly Ability to engender a sense of house spirit in boarders and day boys Personal circumstance that allows houseparent to be responsible first for the house in any emergency Emotional resilience APPLICATIONS Applications, which must reach the School by 9th September, should include the completed form, a letter of application, and the names and addresses of three referees. Please apply to the Headmaster, Clayesmore School, Iwerne Minster, Blandford Forum, Dorset. DT11 8LL. Clayesmore is committed to the safeguarding and promotion of children s and young people s welfare and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. Martin Cooke, Headmaster, August 2011.
Lots more information at www.clayesmore.com.