Dean of Students - summer courses

Main purpose of the role

To provide general oversight of students on the Banbury Road campus in all matters relating to welfare and discipline. This is a crucial management role, especially in the evenings and at weekends, and requires a high level of competence and confidence in dealing with young people aged 15-17 from around the world.

Duties and responsibilities

  1. Liaises with the administration team, the Director of Studies (DOS), the Activities Director, wardens, nurse, transfers and accommodation team, group leaders and catering staff in matters relating to the smooth running of courses: attends a weekly ‘feedback' session.
  2. Supervises and supports the Assistant Duty Manager, devising rotas and applying consistency to decisions, and maintaining a physical presence on site, especially outside normal office hours.
  3. Manages a variety of documents that relate to students: medical information, ID and access cards, welcome packs, Health and Safety documentation, exeat forms etc.
  4. Keeps records of all incidents and the actions taken, and reports thoroughly to the Course Director, and others as appropriate, each morning.
  5. Oversees the Welcome Team on arrival days from 16.00 until the last student is accounted for; and monitors departures from 08.00 on Saturday departures.
  6. Makes a presentation to students in the Hall on the first Monday of each course, introducing the role, explaining the expectations and parameters of course participants, and arranging for the rules to be signed.
  7. Clears the dining room each morning by 08.55 and ensures that students are present in class (in consultation with the DOS and the teachers). Checks residences for sick and absentee students during the first lesson.
  8. Monitors the students when outside class: at break-times, in the lunch queue, over meal-times; and encourages students back into class at appropriate times.
  9. Disciplines students as required, according to the agreed framework, and monitors detentions, gatings, expulsions etc. Liaises with parents, agents and group leaders over disciplinary matters as required.
  10. Supervises the curfews, ensuring that students respect the deadlines and move to the residences without disturbing our neighbours.
  11. Provides an emergency on-call service, via mobile telephone, to wardens and students.
  12. Responds effectively to unexpected incidents at any time of the day or night, contacting the police, hospital, emergency services or senior management according to the guidelines.
* Please note: students who choose this programme are aged 15-17. This is a choice agreed and sanctioned by their parents. All students are, therefore, expected to accept the responsibilities and restrictions that apply to this course.

Summer Dean profile

You should be educated to degree level. A teaching qualification and welfare experience would be an advantage. You will need to command respect, display empathy for and awareness of cultural differences amongst the young people in your care, have excellent organisational skills and, above all, show tenacity and perseverance in a very challenging role.

Summer Dean: Terms and Conditions

You report to the Director of English Language Courses for contractual matters.
  • Two contracts are available with contracts available from 20 June to 21 August.
  • Orientation and induction takes place three days prior to course start-date and attendance is essential.
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available seven days a week during the contract. You must live close to college so a room in college may be available to the right candidate.
  • The role requires late nights, some early mornings, and long hours over 6 days each week during the summer period.
  • The rate of pay within the range £450 - £600 per week (inclusive of holiday pay) depending on experience acknowledges the heavy workload.

References and checks

All offers of employment and contracts are issued subject to satisfactory references and satisfactory outcomes on completion of all necessary checks, including establishing the right to work in the UK. In some cases some or all of these checks will have been undertaken before an offer is made. In most cases, taking up employment will be subject to the satisfactory completion of all necessary procedures.

Under the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools, we are required to undertake additional checks on all employees working with our residential students who are under 18.

Full written references, and phone references on quoted referees, including current employer, may be obtained before or after interview. You should indicate specifically if you wish St. Clare's to refrain from contacting your current employer.

Criminal Records Bureau checks must also be undertaken, for which employees / prospective employees are required to provide information and consent. A Certificate of Good Conduct is acceptable if you are returning from abroad.

Contact with all previous employers where the employee has worked with children or vulnerable adults is also required. This is to establish the reason for leaving the position. On occasions, further information and a reference may be sought in writing, by phone or by other means. By providing details of previous employment, it is assumed that the employee/prospective employee has given consent for this contact, and no specific consent of the employee / prospective employee will be sought.

The College reserves the right to contact any previous employer and to make any additional enquiries it considers necessary in order to meet its responsibilities in relation to employment of people working with students who are under the age of 18.

Statutory Deductions

Tax and National Insurance will be deducted from salaries in accordance with UK employment regulations. St. Clare's, Oxford will require P45s (if available) and National Insurance numbers before commencement of employment.

How to apply and further information

Applicants will be asked to:
  1. complete an application form
  2. send a short covering letter
  3. include a current C.V. (including two referees, one of which should be your current or most recent employer)
These should be sent either by mail or email to:

Summer Administrator
St. Clare's, Oxford
139 Banbury Road
Oxford OX2 7AL

Email: adam.guy@stclares.ac.uk

Please note that CVs without a suitable accompanying letter and/or details of referees will be discarded.