Assistant Housemistress

**ASSISTANT HOUSEMISTRESS**

Permanent / Full-Time / Term-time +

**Salary**: £20,521,22 per annum - based on 38 working weeks per annum plus 5 in school service days

**Additional Benefits**: FREE Live-in accommodation provided with meals, and utilities in the popular central residential area of Murrayfield in Edinburgh City Centre.
- **Due to the nature of the role, (Provision of services to young females), this role is exempt as a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) under Schedule 9 of The Equality Act**_ **(2010) **_**and is therefore restricted to female only applicants.**_

The role of Assistant Housemistress is one of great importance, working closely with, and assisting the Housemistress, who has overall responsibility for the care and academic progress of the boarders and for leading the Houldsworth staff team.
- **Purpose of Job**_

1. To assist the Housemistress in the running of Houldsworth House in accordance with the policy of the School and in the light of current legislation and recommendations concerning the welfare of children.

2. To be resident in Houldsworth during term time and for a sufficient time before and after each term, and to build a strong personal relationship with each of the girls in her care, to sound out the needs of each and to work continuously towards meeting those needs.

3. To keep closely in touch with parents and guardians and to respond to their concerns.

4. To work closely with the Housemistress in ensuring continuity of care for each of the boarders and the proper running of the boarding house.
- **Duties and Responsibilities**_

**To Boarders**:
a) To liaise with the Housemistress to ensure for each boarder the provision of a comfortable living environment and to ensure that all her requirements are met.

b) To establish and maintain a healthy routine of life for each boarder, and to make sure that standards of cleanliness and personal hygiene are taught and carried out.

c) To ensure that appropriate care is given to boarders of all ages, and that the special needs of each group are met.

d) To be aware of and respond to the special needs of individual boarders, including those from different cultural backgrounds, and to be aware of the changing needs of all girls as they develop.

e) To eat with the boarders as frequently as possible, and to establish routines to ensure a healthy diet for each, and happy and civilised mealtimes.

f) To ensure that all boarders have sufficient rest, and that bed-time routines appropriate to each age group are established and maintained.

g) To liaise with the school’s doctor and nurse concerning the general health and life-style of the boarders, and to keep closely in touch with them and with parents in case of individual illness.

h) To deal with disciplinary problems in a firm but caring manner, and to liaise with the Housemistress and the Senior Deputy in any matter of serious concern.

i) To liaise with relevant members of staff to ensure that boarders have access to and participate in a lively programme of leisure activities in the evenings and at weekends.
j) To welcome day pupils into the House, and to integrate them as far as possible in all aspects of the life of the school.

k) To ensure that the House is never left unattended and that boarders are always adequately supervised at all times outside the teaching day, including weekends.

l) To be prepared to work at any time to care for the boarders in times of emergency.

m) To follow the instructions of the Housemistress and the fire officer to ensure that all fire regulations are rigorously met and regular fire drills carried out.

n) To ensure that legislation and school guidelines affecting the health and safety of boarders are properly implemented.

o) To ensure that any unauthorised absence of students is reported to the Senior Deputy immediately, and to work with her and the Housemistress to ensure that the parents and the proper authorities are informed and the safe return of the boarder ensured.

p) To ensure that visitors to the House are welcomed and carefully monitored, and that the bedroom accommodation, including the corridors, is private to the boarders and to members of the House Team only, and to parents at the appropriate times; to ensure that no other visitor, including members of the families of house staff, is permitted to enter these areas unless there is an emergency.

**To Parents**:
a) To liaise with the Housemistress to ensure that the House is ready to welcome parents as they bring back their children after every holiday.

b) To assist the Housemistress in ensuring that the House Team is ready to welcome returning parents on the day of return, and that all proper arrangements are made to guide and refresh them.

c) To work with the House Team to ensure that the travelling arrangements and visa requirements for each boarder are known and recorded, and to contact the Housemistress or Senior Deputy immediately should any problem occur.