General Graduate Assistant

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:

General Graduate Assistant
(Residential)

Department:

Boarding (+ another
department – not specified)

Hours of Work:

20 hours per week for duty hours and 20 hours per week supporting boarding admin (40
hours per week total). Fixed term- late August 2026 to early July 2027

Responsible To:

Director of Boarding and HoD

Responsible For:

N/A

Summary of Role:
We are seeking to appoint a full time Graduate Assistant to live and work in this busy boarding school and to
develop and share their subject expertise (where possible) as well as to contribute to the pastoral life of the
school. This is, in the first instance, a one-year appointment and one which involves close working with a range of
staff and pupils within the senior school.

Department (plus Boarding):

Weekdays – during school hours
20  hours  per  week  involve  a  combination  of  time  with  a  particular  department  around  school  (eg.  Finance  /
Marketing / School Office / Extra curricular organisation etc.) and wider school responsibilities – the Director of
Boarding will organise and discuss duties and responsibilities to suit the successful candidate and current school
requirements. These include, but are not limited to:

▪  Supporting in a Department with admin and subject specific tasks.
▪  Providing cover support for academic lessons where necessary.
▪
Locating students for registration purposes where necessary.
▪  Accompanying boarding students to medical or other appointments ad hoc.

Boarding
Your boarding hours (40hrs over 2 weeks) are spent working across our boarding houses, supporting our
residential team on a rota basis.  Graduates are usually assigned one house but occasionally straddle two if
necessary.

Weekdays
Weekday boarding duties could include, but are not limited to:

•  Wake up duty- this includes waking up boarders and supervising them at breakfast before getting them off

to school

•  Supervising study sessions after school
•  Providing admin support for the house whilst on duty
•  Supper duty – ensuring students attend and then register
•  Evening  duty-  this  includes  supervision  with  study  (homework),  snack  time,  taking  in  electronics  for
overnight storage and bedtime routine in the year areas and in the dormitories, as well as any other duties
(e.g. administration) which the Housemistress may request

•  Escorts - accompanying students to medical or other appointments usually on an ad hoc basis
•  Graduates work 3 evenings per week in Boarding

Weekends
Weekend boarding duties could include, but are not limited to:

•  Assist with Friday Fun (activity such as cupcake decorating, craft, quiz)

•  Supervise study
•  Assist with admin tasks
•  Run an activity with the girls such as baking, badminton, games
•  Ensuring the house is kept tidy
•  Be a presence in the House office
•  Assist with the regular evening routines, including snacks, electronics and bedtime
•  Assist with trips offsite, e.g. ice-skating, shopping, meals out, cinema, museums
•  Graduates work every other weekend in Boarding

Duty at the beginning and end of each term
Graduates must return to school by the evening prior to the Staff Conference Days at the start of term in order to
participate in meetings. Graduates are expected to attend all INSET days with the main staff body during term time
regardless of whether this falls on a day off.

At the end of each term Graduates are expected to remain in school until early evening in order to assist residential
staff to tidy and clear Boarding Houses.

Graduates are expected to support the start of term by being part of the airport ‘meet and greet’ rota as well as
welcoming back boarders (the day before lessons begin).

Time Off
Each Graduate has a full 24hrs off each week from both their Department and Boarding. In addition, they have a
further evening off from boarding during the week and every other weekend off. These are arranged by the Director
of Boarding in conjunction with the Housemistress and Head of Department.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Desirable

Operational Excellence

•  Have excellent organisational skills.
•  Confident in using ICT for a range of purposes
•  Willingness to learn
Teamwork and Communication

•  Communicate effectively (both orally and in

writing).

•  Fluent spoken and written English.
•  Willingness to share expertise, skills and

knowledge and ability to encourage others to
follow suit

•  Ability to work independently and as part of a

team

•  Acting as a role model and set high

expectations.

•  Sensitivity to the needs of others
•  Enthusiasm, commitment and energy.
•  Flexibility.
•  Establish positive relationships with pupils and
interact with them according to individual
needs.

Ethos and Whole School Values

•  Able to operate at the heart of the school

•  Willingness to contribute to whole school

community

•  Committed to the Sacred Heart Values
•  Commitment to Woldingham as a school with high
academic standing providing a holistic education
and outstanding pastoral care

Safeguarding and Pastoral

•  Committed to safeguarding and promoting the

welfare of children and young people.

•  A satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure from the DBS.

initiatives, and support school improvement
programmes

•  Set challenging and demanding expectations and

promote self-esteem and independence

•  Supervise and provide particular support for
pupils, including those with special needs,
ensuring their safety and access to learning
activities.

•  Assist with the development and implementation
of Individual Education/Behaviour Plans and
Personal Care programmes.

Terms and Conditions

Start Date:  Late August 2026
Working hours: This is a fixed term, term time only position; however, the Graduate is also required to be available
to attend INSET days and for periods prior to and at the end of terms. The hours of work during term time are varied
and include weekends. The Graduate will be entitled to a 24hr period off each week as well as every other weekend.
Salary:  £16,000 pa over 11 months.

Accommodation:  A  single  room  within  a  shared  flat  within  the  School  is  provided  throughout  the  period  of
employment, inclusive of all bills. Because this is a girls’ Senior School and all accommodation is within the girls’
boarding houses, we are required to appoint a female member of staff for this role.
Pension:  Auto enrolled into the School’s pension scheme, which includes life assurance.
Lunch:  Complimentary meals, when on duty, in the Dining Room.
Parking:  There is free parking on site.
Gym and Pool:  There are staff sessions for use of these facilities.
Fees:  Subject  to Governors’ discretion, school fee remission may be  available for dependants of the job holder
attending  the  school.  If  not  already  at  the  school,  any  child  would  have  to  meet  all  of  the  usual  entrance
requirements.
Overnight visitors: In line with the School’s policy for enhanced DBS clearance for spouses, family members (over
the age of 16) or permanent guests/regular overnight visitors must obtain enhanced DBS clearance from the Head
of HR.  Details of the process and cost may be obtained from the Head of HR. A regular guest is defined as 4 nights
in 30 days.
Overnight stays for non-DBS’d visitors are strictly forbidden, during term time, for resident staff who live
within/attached to school buildings which accommodate Boarders. Staff who are resident in other standalone
properties on the grounds must, giving a reasonable period of notice, seek permission from the Bursar and DSL
prior to having any overnight guests.  NB. Any guest of a member of staff who has received an enhanced DBS
clearance from Woldingham School does not need to seek written permission from the DSL or Bursar for
individual visit.
For health and safety reasons, Security should always be made aware when guests are on site.  In the interest of
general security, it is advisable that any legitimate guests with enhanced DBS clearance are not permitted to
wander unescorted around the site.  Permanent residents (spouses etc.) are excluded from this advice. Any non-
DBS’d guests must be escorted at all times.
Provided there are no commercial third-party lettings (where children under 18 are in residence) in the staff
member’s particular boarding house, non-DBS’d visitors are permitted to stay with residential staff who reside in
integrated properties (within boarding houses) during the school holidays.  Permission must still be sought from
the Bursar and DSL, with reasonable notice, and security notified.
Any contravention of this policy is deemed an act of gross misconduct which will be dealt with seriously in line
with the Staff Disciplinary Procedure.
The School reserves the right to refuse entry to the school site for any reasonable reason.