Deputy Head (Pastoral)

Job content

Deputy Head (Pastoral)

Full Time

Residential teaching and boarding position

Start Date: August 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter

After a review of the school’s needs and restructuring of the team in situ, this is a revised role.

Surval Montreux is a unique international girls’ boarding school in Switzerland which provides an exceptional all-round education for girls aged 12-18. The school offers a High School programme for Grades 8-12, alongside a French Language and Culture programme for semester/year long experiences, Winter Camp experiences and a Summer Camp June to August.

All aspects of a Surval education focus on empowering girls to challenge themselves, own their voice and lead their journey, across the academic, enrichment and pastoral life of the school.

Surval belongs to the international education group Bellevue Education consisting of 21 schools, with headquarters in London, UK.

Introduction

This role will be part of the school’s Leadership Team comprised of the Principal, Deputy Head (Pastoral), Head of Teaching, Learning and Assessment, and Head of Enrichment and Leadership. This is an exciting opportunity that will appeal to an ambitious and creative educational professional who is passionate about the power of an international boarding education to support the personal growth and development of students. The role will suit someone who has prior senior leadership experience or other leadership position where they have had experience of leading and managing change and driving high standards.

As Deputy Head, the successful applicant will be expected to liaise closely with the Principal, Head of Teaching and Learning, Head of Enrichment, Senior Housemistress and Office Manager to ensure the smooth day to day running of all aspects of the school. The Deputy Head will work closely with the boarding and teaching teams to ensure the pastoral care and welfare of all students and, as senior resident in the school, will be expected to cover some residential duties including evenings and weekends. The Deputy Head will deputise for the Principal in her absence.

Surval is a small school whose success and ethos depends upon our family atmosphere, the combination of safety and independence, and a warm relationship between girls and staff at all levels. This is balanced with efficiency and clarity in systems and processes which support the wellbeing of the students and ethos of the school.

THE ROLE

This job description gives an overview of the key areas of the position.

Leadership

• Lead by example, playing a full and active role in the daily life of this busy boarding school;
• Work closely with all members of the Leadership Team and Management Team (Finance, Office/Admissions/Marketing Managers) to provide strong leadership to the school across all areas impacting on the social, emotional, academic and wider development of students and to support the promotion of the school;
• Deputise for the Principal in her absence;
• Promote the development of an adventurous, supportive and forward-looking organisation and maintain and develop a strong sense of community within the school;
• Promote teamwork and motivate the staff by example and encouragement to provide the best possible learning environment for the students;
• Respect and promote international-mindedness;
• Promote the vision, direction and intended outcomes of the school established by the Principal through the school’s strategic and school development planning processes;
• Actively support the work of the Heads of Admissions and Communications to build the school’s profile and strong recruitment;
• Oversee Student Voice, leading the Student Council to ensure girls feel their voices are heard and clear, transparent feedback is given on follow up and relevant action taken;
• Coordinate the school calendar ensuring forward looking planning, coordination and communication on events across the school;
• Coordinate the Staff Professional Development schedule to ensure all key areas are covered;
• Oversee the assembly schedule;
• Be alert to any health and safety concerns and ensure timely reporting and action;
• Manage the fire evacuation procedures in the school, during the school day, evenings and weekends and carry out regular fire evacuation drills;
• Secure effective liaison and good relations with all Surval staff;
• Make the most of opportunities to work with the wider Bellevue network to share and learn from good practice.

Pastoral Care and Safeguarding

• Ensure the school delivers a high quality of personal pastoral care and puts wellbeing at the heart of the school;
• Ensure that the individual circumstances, strengths and needs of each girl are fostered to enable each girl to make the very best of herself during her time at Surval;
• Ensure the school’s boarding ethos and aims, pastoral objectives and policies, and Code of Conduct are clear, fit for purpose and communicated regularly and effectively to students, staff and parents;
• Implement the school’s Safeguarding Policy and keep the Principal informed of all concerns;
• Fulfil the role of Designated Safeguarding Lead;
• Put wellbeing at the heart of the school and oversee initiatives to support the wellbeing of students and staff, ensuring a healthy, balanced lifestyle;
• Oversee pastoral support plans for individual students, where appropriate, and make use of relevant data to track the pastoral needs of all girls proactively;
• Nurture and manage a fair and consistent approach to rewards, discipline and sanctions, across the boarding and academic life of the students to ensure high standards in manners, tidiness, dress and routines of the girls;
• Encourage each girl to develop self-discipline and a sense of responsibility throughout the school community;
• Develop in the girls a collective responsibility for all members of the community;
• Maintain confidentiality as appropriate and confide such matters only to the Principal;
• Support girls in their extracurricular activities, joining them when appropriate and being available, supportive and encouraging to staff and girls in any external activity.

Boarding

• Line-manage the Boarding Team, consisting of the Senior Housemistress, 2-3 Resident Boarding Assistants and School Nurse, enabling them to carry out their roles effectively and efficiently, and with the appropriate balance of autonomy and support. This calls for appropriate consultation and delegation, fostering good relations and open communication. The day to day running of the house is led by the Senior Housemistress who manages the day to day needs of the girls, boarding procedures and the staff duty rota;
• Ensure that the boarding and teaching staff, girls and parents understand the aims and objectives of boarding at Surval and the principles on which community life are based;
• Create a kind, respectful and positive living and working environment, with full awareness of the implications of the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools in an international context;
• Be present during the immediate days before and after term to ensure all necessary preparations have been completed to a high standard;
• Ensure adequate supervision of the girls at all times;
• Ensure that all members of the Boarding staff team are familiar with all the School’s policies and procedures, including child protection, anti-bullying, substance misuse and health and safety, and are aware of the appropriate response needed in these areas;
• Work closely with the School Nurse, to ensure the best arrangements for the medical care of students;
• Carry out an appropriate share of residential duties including some evenings and weekends.

Communication and Record-Keeping

• Establish and maintain excellent relationships and professional communication throughout the school community, internally and externally;
• Communicate proactively with parents regarding their daughter’s progress and any concerns socially, emotionally and physically;
• Co-ordinate a system of record-keeping of all pastoral and behavioural concerns to ensure a comprehensive, secure overview of concerns;
• Write settling in reports, interim and end of year reports;
• Ensure regular and detailed communication between the boarding and teaching staff, with particular regard to the girls’ academic profile and development, and communicate factors that may impair a girl’s progress or affect her conduct.

Person Specification

The Deputy Head (Pastoral) will demonstrate a range of qualities, skills and experience, as outlined broadly below:

• Be wholly committed to the values and culture of Surval, centred on our international family and boarding ethos;
• Have excellent and proven experience firstly in a pastoral boarding role, and secondly in a wider role involving the leadership of people and of change;
• Have high standards of written and oral communication;
• Be ICT literate;
• Have excellent and proven organisational skills;
• Be comfortable, confident, and effective when liaising with girls, staff and international parents;
• Hold a degree and appropriate training in pastoral areas.

Personal Characteristics

Candidates for Deputy Head (Pastoral) are likely to demonstrate the following qualities:

• A warm, caring and approachable manner balanced with clarity, firmness and rigour;
• Imaginative, open to new opportunities and ideas;
• Ambitious to strive for the highest standards;
• Organised and proactive with attention to detail;
• Forward-thinking and able to take the initiative;
• Dynamic and determined;
• Strong interpersonal skills to work within and lead a close-knit team of professionals;
• Resourceful, flexible, and resilient.

How to Apply

To apply for this role, please submit the following documentation to the Principal’s PA, Ms Pernille Mogensenpernille.mogensen@surval.chbefore 30 March 2023.

Applicants must give the names and contact details of three referees. Applicants should be aware that Surval reserves the right to contact previous employers, but will only do so after discussion with the applicant.