The Pilgrims’ School 3 The Close, Winchester, SO23 9LT thepilgrims-school.co.uk
School Nurse
Part-Time, Term time for September 2026
Closing date: noon on Friday 12 June 2026
Interviews will be held: Friday 19 June 2026
Applications will be reviewed as they arrive so early submission is encouraged
Welcome from the Headmaster
I’m delighted that you are looking at this role. Pilgrims’ is a remarkable and very special school community in which to work. In exploring the role and the school, I hope that you very much get a sense of our spirit and character.
We enjoy an excellent reputation for providing an outstanding all-round education, with world-class music making and very strong academic results sitting alongside fantastic sporting and creative opportunities.
Our values of Heart, Excellence, Integrity, Joy and Respect underpin the way we live and work together as a community. As a strong candidate, you would align closely with these yourself and bring good humour and a collegiate approach. I hugely look forward to working with someone who brings these qualities, alongside a warm professionalism, and who will love working with our pupils, putting them and their experience above all else.
Not a school to be judged by our very historic façade – beautiful as our medieval and Grade I listed buildings are! – we are an open, warm, hugely dedicated and supportive body of staff. We also have the considerable benefit, in these times, of being within the Winchester College corporation following our merger. This is presenting many exciting opportunities. If you feel the fit is right, I greatly look forward to you applying.
Tim Butcher
Headmaster
The School
The Pilgrims’ School is one of the UK’s leading prep schools for boys aged 4-13. It recently merged with Winchester College, an independent senior school offering boarding for boys 13-18, and a co-educational Sixth Form for day pupils and boarders. From September 2025, this exciting development initiated the start of an enhanced collaboration between two institutions with distinctive identities and a shared educational philosophy rooted in curiosity, creativity, and academic excellence. Exciting work continues in identifying opportunities to enrich the experience of both pupils and staff.
Pilgrims’ is a unique double choir school, located in a beautiful and historic ‘city meets country’ setting in Winchester. It is a vibrant, lively school where boys are encouraged to find their passions and nurture them, whether that be in the classroom, science lab, music room, art room, sports fields, at Forest School or beyond.
Nestled between Winchester Cathedral, Winchester College, and Wolvesey Palace, the School occupies a superb site in the historic Cathedral Close. We enjoy the use of the picturesque Wolvesey playing fields and a growing range of facilities at Winchester College. With our choral foundations, the School encourages musical achievement in all its pupils, but also excels in academic endeavour, sport and the arts. We enjoy an enviable local and national reputation.
For a flavour of the School and further information about us, please visit our website at thepilgrims-school.co.uk.
Healthcare at Pilgrims’
The Nursing Team comes under the responsibility of the Headmaster Mr Tim Butcher. The nurses cover the school day between 0730 and 1700, including Saturdays. The boarding matrons are mainly on duty during the evenings and overnight to care for the boarders. The Head Nurse is responsible for the overall medical care of pupils, liaising with other staff members as necessary to ensure joined-up pastoral care, and leading the nursing team. Each School Nurse currently works 19 hours per week over two days, although this arrangement may be varied depending on the availability of the appointed nurse.
The Role
The Duty Nurse will:
• Provide emergency care, first aid and immediate treatment to pupils, staff and visitors, ensuring a timely and appropriate response to medical incidents
• Administer medications and implement individual healthcare/welfare plans, including safe management and recording of controlled drugs in line with regulatory requirements
• Maintain accurate, confidential medical records and ensure compliance with data protection and clinical governance standards
• Liaise proactively with parents/carers/guardians regarding medical needs, treatment provided, and any associated pastoral concerns
Work closely under the direction of the Head Nurse, providing administrative and clinical support as required
• Contribute to the delivery and promotion of health education, supporting pupils’ physical and emotional wellbeing (desirable)
• Play an active role within the school’s pastoral system, collaborating with teaching staff, safeguarding leads and other support staff to provide holistic care
• Liaise with external healthcare professionals, including the school doctor and other services, when required
• Attend sports fixtures (including off-site/home fixtures) as the designated nurse, providing first aid and medical support as needed
Term-time only plus INSET days (34 weeks a year)
Weekly paid hours: 19 hours
Person Description
Essential
A paediatric nursing qualification
• Child-centred approach – demonstrates empathy, patience and safeguarding awareness when working with children and young people
• Professional integrity – maintains confidentiality, reliability, and adherence to clinical standards
• Strong communication skills – able to communicate clearly and sensitively with pupils, parents, staff and external professionals
• Calm under pressure – able to respond effectively to medical emergencies and prioritise workload
• Team collaboration – works constructively under direction of the Head Nurse and alongside school staff
Organisational skills – manages records, medications and clinic schedules accurately
• Attention to detail – ensures safe clinical practice and Adaptability – responds flexibly to the varying needs of a school environment
• Positive, approachable manner – builds trust with pupils, encouraging them to seek support
Commitment to continuous professional development – maintains and develops paediatric nursing knowledge and skills
Desirable
Willingness to contribute to school curriculum teaching, including PSHE
• Proactive mindset – identifies opportunities to improve student wellbeing and health education
• Interest in health promotion – supports preventative care and wellbeing initiatives within the school
• Cultural awareness – sensitive to diverse backgrounds and needs of pupils and families
Leadership potential – able to deputise for the Head Nurse when required
• IT confidence – comfortable with electronic health records and school systems
Staff benefits
Workplace pension scheme (defined contribution)
Parking on site
School lunch
How to apply
To apply, visit our school’s vacancies page where you will find an application form and further information. If you have questions about the post, please email Mrs Fiona Isaacs recruit@pilgrims-school.co.uk.
Applications will only be accepted from candidates completing the Application Form in full. We are not able to accept CVs as an alternative to the application form. Applicants will also be asked to provide a covering letter (no more than one side of A4).
Whilst every effort has been made to outline the main duties, responsibilities and requirements of the post, the list is not exhaustive. The successful candidate will be expected to undertake any reasonable request from the Headmaster to perform work of a similar level that is not specified in this job description.
Recruitment Statements
Safeguarding Statement
The Pilgrims’ School is committed to ensuring the best possible environment for the children and young people in its care. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people is our highest priority.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all staff should make sure their approach is child centred. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitations of Offenders Act 1974.
Recruitment of Ex-Offenders
We comply with the Disclosure & Barring Service (DB) code of practice and have a written policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders included within our Recruitment Policy, which is available on our website. If shortlisted, you are required to declare any relevant convictions, adult cautions or other matters which may affect your suitability to work with children.
Equal Opportunities Statement
The Pilgrims’ School welcomes applications from candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds. The school will recruit predominantly based on an applicant’s relevant skills, experience, capabilities and potential for development. The ability to work collaboratively with others will also be taken into account.
The Pilgrims’ School is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals are able to make best use of their skills free from unlawful discrimination or harassment, and in which all decisions are based on merit (apart from in any necessary and limited exemptions and exceptions allowed under the Equality Act).
We do not discriminate unlawfully on the basis of age, disability, marital or civil partner status, race (including nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, gender reassignment or pregnancy or maternity (defined in the Equality Act 2010 as protected characteristics).
If you have questions about our recruitment processes or would like any support to access our recruitment process fully please do contact us at recruit@pilgrims-school.co.uk.
Recruitment Policy
The Pilgrims’ School is committed to providing the best possible care and education for its pupils and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The School is also committed to providing a supportive and flexible working environment for its entire staff. The School recognises that in order to achieve these aims it is of fundamental importance to attract, recruit, and retain employees of the highest calibre, who share this commitment. The aims of the School’s recruitment policy are as follows
• To ensure the best possible staff are recruited on the basis of merit, ability, and suitability for the position.
To ensure that all job applicants are considered equitably and consistently.
• To ensure that no job applicant is treated unfairly on any grounds.
To ensure compliance with all relevant recommendations and guidance, including the recommendations of the DfE in Keeping Children Safe in Education and the code of practice published by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
To ensure that the School meets its commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people by carrying out all necessary pre-employment checks.
Candidates are encouraged to review the School’s full Recruitment Policy, and Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, both of which are available to download from the School website.
Shortlisted Application Checks
Applicants should be aware that all posts in the School involve some degree of responsibility for safeguarding children, although the extent of that responsibility will vary according to the nature of the post.
These checks form part of The Pilgrims’ School wider safeguarding due diligence which aims to prevent and/or deter individuals who may be unsuitable to work with children from working in a school environment.
As part of the shortlisting process, the School will carry out references checks and online searches on all shortlisted candidates, prior to interview. This may help to identify any incidents or issues that have happened, and are publicly available online, which the School may want to explore with an applicant at interview.
Shortlisted candidates, prior to interview, will also be asked to complete a self-declaration form in relation to their criminal record or information that would make them unsuitable to work with children. Applicants will be asked to sign a declaration confirming that the information they have provided is true. Where there is an electronic signature, the shortlisted candidate should physically sign a hard copy of the application at the point of interview.
Invitation to Interview
If you are invited to interview, this will be conducted in person and the areas which it will explore will include suitability to work with children. All candidates invited to interview must bring documents confirming any educational and professional qualifications that are necessary or relevant for the post (e.g. the original or certified copy of certificates, diplomas, etc.)
All candidates invited to interview must also bring with them:
• A current driving licence including a photograph and paper counterpart;
• A passport;
• A full birth certificate;
• A utility bill or financial statement issued within the last three months showing the candidate’s current name and address;
Where appropriate any documentation evidencing a change of name;
Where applicable, proof of entitlement to work and reside in the UK. These must be issued within the last three months and provide verification of address. Documentation confirming their national insurance number, where appropriate, any documentation evidencing a change of name.
Please note that originals of the above are necessary - photocopies or certified copies are not sufficient.
Offer of Employment
Any offer to a successful candidate will be conditional upon:
• Receipt of at least two satisfactory references (if these have not already been received).
• A satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (“DBS”) and if appropriate, a check of the Barred List maintained by the DBS.
Where the successful candidate has worked or been resident overseas in the previous ten years, such checks and confirmations as the school may require in accordance with statutory guidance.
Satisfactory completion of the probationary period.
Verification of medical fitness appropriate for the job’s requirements.
For a candidate to be employed as a teacher, a check that that the candidate is not subject to a prohibition order issued by the Secretary of State or any sanction or restriction imposed (that remains current) by the historic General Teaching Council for England before its abolition in March 2012;
• Verification of professional qualifications, including, where applicable, any award of Qualified Teacher Status;
Verification of successful completion of a statutory induction period (for teaching posts – applies to those who obtained QTS after 7 May 1999), where relevant;
Receipt of a signed Self-Declaration form showing that the candidate is not disqualified from providing childcare as set out in the statutory guidance “Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006”;
• If you are undertaking a management role, a check that you have not been prohibited from participating in the management of independent schools.
• A written declaration that neither they nor anyone in their household is disqualified from working with children.
Any offers of employment will be made conditional on obtaining such satisfactory checks. Additionally, successful applicants should be aware that they are required to notify the School immediately if there are any reasons why they should not be working with children.
ó GRIMS
The Pilgrims’ School
3 The Close, Winchester, SO23 9LT