Residential Sports Graduates

St Leonards School is recruiting proactive, enthusiastic, and dedicated sports graduates to join our friendly team of residential staff and fully engage in the vibrant life of our bustling boarding community. The ideal candidate will excel in facilitating a diverse range of sporting and recreational activities, enjoy the company of young people, possess a pastoral mindset, and thrive in a close and mutually supportive environment.

General Description and Responsibilities

• Maintain effective communication with the Housemaster/Housemistress to plan for and carry out daily, weekly, termly duties under their direction.
• Supervise boarding students at all times; from early morning routines through to lights out.
• Maintain high expectations and levels of discipline to encourage students to be polite, punctual, diligent and supportive of one another.
• Foster the physical, social, cultural and spiritual development of all students, both boarding and day students.
• Be familiar with the Student Handbook and encourage the high standards of appearance and behaviour required of St Leonards students.
• Adopt a zero-tolerance approach to bullying, harassment, alcohol or substance abuse, raising any concerns to the Housemaster/Housemistress or Deputy Head (boarding).
• Undertake house duties which may include general cleaning and tidying, laundry, etc. as and when required.
• Accompany students for weekend or evening trips, sporting fixtures, etc.
• Help students and colleagues to organise social events for students.
• With other Resident House Tutors, help out with staffing the airport at the start and end of term and half-terms.
• Working closely with boarding colleagues, administer and oversee travel arrangements at the start and end of term/half term for boarding students.
• Ensure that office practice is observed in the duty room areas during office hours 7.00am to 11.00pm.
• Under the direction of the Housemaster/Housemistress, liaise with the School’s Medical Centre regarding the general health and welfare of boarding students.
• Monitor the security of the Boarding House and challenge students and/or visitors if that security is deemed to be breached.
• Working in conjunction with Admissions and Marketing departments, welcome visitors and prospective families to the Boarding House and conduct tours of the House, as and when required.
• Raise ICT requests through the Helpdesk for any problems encountered, e.g. wi‑fi connectivity or printer issues, on behalf of boarding students.
• Maintain awareness of Health & Safety regulations, applying Health and Safety principles within the Boarding House and carrying out spot checks, as and when required.
• Participate in regular fire practices and test the fire alarm on a weekly basis, documenting these on behalf of the Fire Officer.
• Should the fire alarm sound when on duty, command the evacuation of the boarding house along with other boarding colleagues or support whoever is on duty at the time.
• Attend house staff meetings and lead student boarder meetings within the house, as required.

National and School Standards

• Demonstrate an understanding of and adhere to guidelines as set out in the St Leonards School Child Protection policy.
• Adhere to, uphold and support all the School’s policies and the School’s Development Plans.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of contractual, pastoral and legal responsibilities.
• Actively contribute to the ethos of the School, for example, by maintaining a positive attitude and fostering positive working relationships among staff, parents and children.
• Report to the Housemistress/Housemaster any concerns about the welfare, progress or behaviour of the students.
• Understand the way roles and responsibilities are shared among staff and support colleagues, including those with responsibility for the curriculum, guidance, learning support and staff development.
• Willing to gain an understanding of the IB Diploma programmes.
• Familiarise yourself with and adhere to the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Codes of Practice.
• Register with SSSC and maintain the online post‑registration training and learning (PRTL) log.

NB. All pastoral staff who are not registered with the General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS) must register with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) within three months of starting in post. Within three years of registration, a requirement to obtain the Children and Young People Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ3) applies. St Leonards will fund one attempt at obtaining this qualification; further attempts are self‑funded. Failure to secure this qualification will prohibit the School from employing you in a care role and may result in termination of your employment.

Hours of Work, Rota System and Accommodation

• For Residential House Tutors and Residential Sports Graduates, the hours of work are term time only with one day off per week (24 hours).
• Residential House Tutors and Residential Sports Graduates must be in residence prior to the boarders’ return at term start, and prior to the in‑service days at the start of term.
• For new House Tutors, they must be in residence the evening prior to the new staff induction day, if that is earlier than the in‑service day.
• All Residential Tutors and Residential Sports Graduates will be expected to be available for any induction programmes or INSET provided by St Leonards.
• Residential House Tutors and Residential Sports Graduates must be in residence on the day students return at half‑term and, on a rotation basis, to be on duty from 1pm on this day.
• On a rotation basis, the House Tutors and Residential Sports Graduates must service the start of term/half‑term airport runs.
• In the case of the start of the half‑term holidays, this requires working before houses open and this day’s work is paid.
• For the purpose of tidying the house, the House Tutors and Residential Sports Graduates must be in residence/on duty for up to 24 hours after the end of term and to be in residence/on duty for up to 5 hours after the end of half‑term.
• Each week the House Tutor and Residential Sports Graduates will be expected to be on duty for their contracted hours, including boarding support hours, between 7.00am and 11.00pm each day.
• Hours of work will generally remain fixed from week to week.
• From time to time, shift swaps sanctioned by the HSM may be implemented to facilitate staffing.
• Overnight, Residential House Tutors and Residential Sports Graduates may be designated as ‘available’ in the event of an emergency.
• If sleep is disturbed by St Leonards’ business, the Residential House Tutor and Residential Sports Graduates will be paid for these disturbed hours of work.
• Single accommodation is provided in the boarding house for Residential House Tutors and Residential Sports Graduates.
• There may be a requirement to sleep in other boarding houses, when needed, and staff are expected to be flexible and cooperate with this requirement.
• Meals are available and free of charge in the school dining room during term‑time.
• The House Tutor and Residential Sports Graduates may, from time to time, be asked to support the wider needs of the school, e.g. school trips, chaperoning sport fixtures or hospital visits.

Sports Coaching

• Work with the Director of Sport to assist with the full range of games coaching or other outdoor activities, including early evening and weekend team practice, matches or hobbies/activities.
• Support swimming, athletics, badminton, basketball, tennis, hockey, squash and a variety of other activities.
• Support the Games department in the delivery of PE/Games lessons and the preparation of resources and equipment for these.
• Support the department’s organisation of major school events, including inter‑house sporting events.
• Contribute to the department’s promotion of sport as a healthy lifestyle choice.
• Support academic lessons which may include the preparation of resources, photocopying and giving support in lessons.
• In consultation with the Deputy Heads, develop links as appropriate with other academic departments; support the needs of particular students and undertake ad‑hoc duties and projects which are reasonably required or are of interest to the resident graduate’s professional development.

Person Specification

Education, Training and Qualifications

• Essential: Sports Coach Qualification.
• Desirable: SVQ3 Children and Young People qualification. Educated to HND/Degree level.

Experience

• Essential: Experience and understanding of pastoral support. Evidenced experience in sports coaching at club or school level.
• Desirable: Experience of working with teenage students in an education setting. Relevant experience of working in a care environment.

Skills

• Essential: Ability to listen to, understand and support the issues faced by teenage students. Good oral and written communication skills with an excellent telephone manner. Strong ICT skills. Enthusiasm to inspire in students a desire to learn and participate in sports and working as a team.
• Desirable: Skills and experience which can contribute to extra‑curricular activities.

Interpersonal Skills

• Essential: Ability to confidently deal with a wide range of people including staff, students and parents. Resilient. An ‘above and beyond’ attitude to work and supporting the team. Approachable and empathetic to the needs of others. Able to handle sensitive, confidential issues with a degree of maturity and professionalism. Ability to work independently and use initiative where appropriate. Well‑organised with excellent attention to detail. Ability to work calmly under pressure. Commitment, goodwill and a caring, positive outlook towards life. Flexible: Able to deal with a change of plans at very short notice. Professional manner and appearance.
• Desirable: Empathy with teenage children and the benefits of secondary education. Comfortable working with people from a variety of backgrounds, countries and cultures.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities and duties. It is expected that the post-holder will participate in other reasonable activities which may be required to meet the needs of the School or for better fulfilment of the role. All successful applicants will be required to undertake a Criminal Record check and either hold or be accepted for membership of the Disclosure Scotland Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme.