Assistant House Parent

Summer Boarding Courses; Wimborne Minster; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An educational institution in the UK seeks Assistant House Parents to provide pastoral care and support students at summer boarding courses. The role involves supervising students, ensuring their well-being, and fostering a supportive environment. Candidates must be flexible and possess strong communication skills. Accommodation and meals are included, with remuneration set at £600 per week plus holiday pay. Experience with children and young people is essential.

Benefits

All meals included

Paid on-site training

Fully paid DBS check

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Experience in leading or coaching groups of children in a professional capacity.
• Residential experience with young people or children is essential.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Provide pastoral care and support to students.
• Supervise students in boarding houses to ensure safety.
• Create a welcoming environment for students.

Skills

Communication skills

Flexibility

Empathy

Leadership

Job description

Contract Dates -2/07/2025 - 11/08/2025 OR 2/07/2025 - 04/08/2025

The Role

SBC Assistant House Parents play a key role in providing pastoral care to students, supporting House Parents in the daily management of boarding houses, and ensuring the safety and well‑being of students. This role requires flexibility, enthusiasm, and excellent communication skills to work effectively with both staff and students.

Assistant House Parents often serve as the first point of contact for students' pastoral and welfare needs, making it essential to build open, supportive, and trusting relationships with children and young people. Flexibility is particularly important, as this role involves supporting students outside of lessons and activities, helping them navigate the experience of summer school while staying away from home. By fostering a welcoming and nurturing environment, Assistant House Parents play a vital part in ensuring students feel safe, supported, and able to fully enjoy their time at summer school.

The Site

SBC Canford Summer School is set on the beautiful campus of Canford School, located near the seaside city of Bournemouth, one of the top destinations for learning English outside of London. With some of the finest facilities in the country, Canford offers students a wide range of exciting activities to enhance their experience. SBC Canford caters to students aged 11‑15, with a weekly capacity of approximately 290 students, providing a dynamic and engaging environment for learning and personal growth.

Ways We Support Our Assistant House Parents

• Fully paid DBS check
• Extensive, paid, on‑site training prior to student arrival
• All meals and accommodation included
• CPD and Appraisals
• Staff Wellbeing Initiative
• Access to Employee Assist Programme (EAP)
• Continual support for all staff from the Head Office Team, both on the ground and via phone/email
• Online safeguarding and prevent training
• Professional, fun and supportive environment

Additional Role Specific Support

• Paid attendance of a certified First Aid Course

Remuneration: Paid weekly, one week in arrears. The weekly rate received for Assistant House Parents is £600 PLUS any accrued holiday to be paid at the end of contract)* Food and accommodation are included for all residential SBC staff.

Pastoral Duties

• Create a welcoming and inclusive residential environment, in which all students can feel comfortable and cared for.
• Supervise students in Boarding Houses, ensuring appropriate standards of student behaviour and ensuring a proactive approach regarding student wellbeing and ensuring a welcoming and positive atmosphere.
• Foster a strong house identity and ethos of equality, respect, and diversity.
• Ensure the timely and safe movement of students to and from houses to other areas of the summer school site.
• Proactively interact, supervise and support students during meal and break times.
• Maintain accurate administrative records to include house registers, activity sign‑up, risk assessments, first aid & prescribed medication records and accident and incident logs.
• Be on call/overnight duty as per contract for student medical, welfare issues, and emergencies.
• If required, complete First Aid Course and serve as school first‑aider.

Programme Duties

• Acquaint yourself with the House Activity session plans, risk assessments, resources and equipment during the induction period.
• Work with the Activity Manager and wider Activity Team to support the preparation, planning and delivery of House Events
• Plan, prepare and facilitate in house social activities during arrival days and House Time.
• Alongside the wider staff team, promote the social programme amongst the student body, supporting with sign‑up, preparing students for activities and encouraging all students to participate.
• Support students to prepare for excursions including management of pocket money.
• Where required, lead a group of students on off‑site excursions, following pre‑planned itineraries and ensuring thorough supervision throughout.
• Ensure that the students are safe at all times during activities, events and excursions.
• Take a key role during arrival days to include preparing the house, welcoming, assisting and inducting students arriving at the boarding house.
• Take a key role in supporting student departures to include supporting students to pack, communicating logistics as directed by the Management Team, and ensuring smooth and timely departures.
• If applicable, establish in‑house reward systems, house themes and competitions.

Safeguarding Responsibilities

• Be committed to the safeguarding and welfare of students in your care
• Complete online safeguarding training and attend on‑site safeguarding training during induction week
• To read and understand SBC’s Safeguarding Policy, Staff Handbook, Operations Policy Handbook and Part 1 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (including annexes A & B)
• To be alert to the signs of abuse and neglect, and report any concerns to the DSO immediately (including low level concerns)
• To know what to do if a student tells a member of staff they are being abused, exploited or neglected
• To help students understand how to keep themselves safe and manage risk; earning their trust while maintaining professional boundaries

Please see the attached Job description for a more complete list of the duties associated with the Assistant House Parent role.

About You

SBC PERSON SPECIFICATION

All members of staff employed by SBC will be expected to bring certain key qualities to the operation. There must be a professional interest in working with young people and particularly international children. Safety and welfare of the students is of paramount importance at SBC and a practical enforcing of this belief should be a quality exhibited by all staff.

We Look For Staff Who Are

• Approachable & empathic to the needs of students
• Enthusiastic & engaging
• Diplomatic, responsible & motivated
• Flexible within the summer school environment

We expect all SBC staff to be able to communicate effectively with our students, using an appropriate level of language to suit the group. SBC staff must demonstrate patience, empathy and an emotional awareness towards students both individually and in within a group setting. We expect all staff to take control of students and to manage discipline and behavioural issues in a firm, positive and constructive manner.

Essential

• Experience in leading or coaching groups of children in a professional capacity
• Residential Experience with young people or children
• Experience of, and genuine enjoyment of working with children
• Strong communication skills, ability to work under pressure, flexibility
• Ability to take control of and lead a group of children on activities and during excursions

Desirable

• Qualifications and experience in leading young people in either tennis, dance, performing arts, music or arts & crafts
• First Aid/Lifeguard qualification
• Experience and qualifications in coaching other sport
• Experience of residential international boarding

About Us

Founded in 2008, Summer Boarding Courses have united students from around the world through education. Delivering award‑winning, future‑focused courses that strike the perfect balance between academic and social enrichment.

Our courses unlock potential and ignite a spark for long‑term success.

Our residential summer courses take place at some of the UK’s top boarding schools and university college campuses, including Eton College, Oxford University Colleges and Headington School. We carefully select our campuses to ensure that they provide the perfect environment for our students to live and study.

Over 15,800 students from 152 nationalities have been welcomed to study with us to date.

Whether it’s preparing for future studies, developing 21st‑century skills or building confidence, the knowledge gained on an SBC course allows students to go forward and apply what they have learnt to other areas of their education and beyond; giving them the necessary skills to achieve their future goals.

The EL Gazette publishes a league table based on British Council inspections, and SBC have been ranked Number 1 from 2018 to 2023. We are very proud of this achievement and will continue to grow and develop our courses to offer students extraordinary experiences.

SBC is the only multi‑campus summer school provider in the UK to have achieved a perfect 15/15 areas of strength by the British Council. A true hallmark of educational quality.

TO APPLY

We want to make sure we do all we can to set candidates up for success in this process. If you require any adjustments to help you at interview and/or you have any questions at all, please contact us at [email protected]

Please note, as this post involves direct contact with vulnerable children, it is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

However, amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975 (2013 and 2020) provide that certain spent convictions and cautions are 'protected'. These are not subject to disclosure to employers and cannot be taken into account.

SHOULD YOU BE SUCCESSFUL

• Any gaps in your CV will be enquired about and must be explained satisfactorily
• You will have to prove your Right to Work in the UK
• You will provide the details of two recent and relevant referees who we will contact and specifically ask about your suitability to work with children and any concerns.
• You will be required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS), and equivalent if you live, or have lived, outside of the UK
• You will be asked to state that you have no known reason why you cannot work with children
• Official identification and certificates will be required for our records

SBC SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

Summer Boarding Courses is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We have a comprehensive Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and procedures in place which all employees, volunteers and contractors are expected to adhere to.

SBC EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSIVITY STATEMENT

We operate a policy of equal opportunities and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of sex, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin or disability.