PA to the Head
“
Pupils display excellent attitudes to their learning. They are passionate, motivated and enthusiastic.
ISI Inspection, 2022
”
Pupils are highly motivated and relish a sense of challenge
ISI Inspection, 2022
HEAD’S WELCOME
Welcome to RGS Prep.
Step through the front door and you will be met with a warm welcome, the sight of inquisitive, energetic and courteous boys and the feeling that anything is possible. Our Six Values of Collaboration, Courage, Inclusivity, Integrity, Respect and Scholarship are at the core of all that we do. We nurture these Values through small class sizes, individualised academic and pastoral support and most importantly, the passion of our staff.
Staff at RGS Prep join us from a range of backgrounds and bring with them a wide variety of beliefs and interests. We actively encourage staff to share these through our lessons, assemblies, workshops, 'Inspire' days and extra-curricular provision.
If you are offered a position here, you would be joining a close-knit and collaborative team.
I look forward to receiving your application.
Toby Freeman-Day, Head
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: PA to the Head
Responsible to: Head of RGS Prep
Responsible for: None
Job Purpose
To provide an outstanding PA service to the Head and run his office professionally, efficiently and calmly.
Job Description
• On a day-to-day basis to provide comprehensive admin support: deal with emails, calendar, telephone calls, organisation of meetings (remote and inperson); preparation of meeting papers, letters, oversee the set up for certain events/meetings; daily files; undertake report compilation, hard and soft copy filing; ensure provision of timely briefing material; operate a brought-forward system.
• Close liaison with the Office Manager; Admissions Manager; Headmaster’s PA at RGS Senior; Finance Department; the Head of HR; PA to the Bursar and Governing Body.
• Liaison with all stakeholders including Governors, staff, parents and students, as well as the public.
• Use of the student database, as well as maintenance of the Head’s contacts database to ensure its accuracy. Appropriate training will be provided for both databases.
• Coordinating invitations to Governors and VIPs for various school events. To be in attendance, as appropriate, at events including Prizegiving and the Carol Service where both events will require you to greet the Head’s guests. Attendance at Open Morning is also required.
• To support and promote the school’s ethos and objectives.
Skills & Experience
Essential
• You have experience of a busy professional office environment.
• You are proactive, able to use your own initiative, have meticulous organisation skills, a keen eye for detail and the ability to manage your own workload, knowing how to prioritise when working to tight deadlines.
• Confidentiality and discretion are a must for this role, as are excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• You possess excellent IT skills, proficiency in MS Office applications, as well as a positive can-do and solution finding attitude, to all aspects of the role.
• You have the confidence and ability to liaise with people of all ages and backgrounds and deal with all situations calmly and professionally.
• You are capable of independent working in a stand-alone role.
Desirable
• To have experience of working in a school.
• To have PA experience.
WORKING AT RGS PREP
Your career at RGS Prep begins with a warm welcome and comprehensive induction. You will be introduced to colleagues, key people within the school and fellow new starters from across the departments.
Opportunities to get involved in wider school activities are many and varied; sporting fixtures, theatre productions and residential trips to name just a few. Then there are the social groups set up by and for colleagues ranging from badminton to bingo and one-off events such as theatre trips. However you choose to get involved, you are guaranteed to find yourself among like-minded individuals.
We are proactively committed to creating a diverse staff body, which reflects the community that we teach. At RGS Prep we value diversity and inclusion; we want to attract the best people for the roles available. This is regardless of age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability, socioeconomic status or religious beliefs.
Hannah Creal
Year 2 teacher & KS1 Coordinator, joined 2020
What do you love about your department?
We are a real team and everyone is willing to help each other and get involved with new ideas.
If you could choose any other career, what would it be? Running my own delicatessen, coffee and wine shop!
Penny Peters
Prep Office Manager and Music Secretary, joined 2016
What do you love about your department?
The supportive nature of all colleagues, everyone is happy to muck in.
What would be the title of your autobiography? Leave it with me, I'm sure we can make this work!
Louis Lynch Head of DT and games teacher, joined
2015
What's the best thing about working at the RGS?
Every day is different. I never know what enjoyment or challenges the school day will throw at me.
Which staff social groups are you involved in? Most of them, I love a social.
BENEFITS
In addition to joining a successful and sociable staff body you will also receive the following benefits:
Hours of work
Remuneration
Annual leave
Private healthcare
Pension
Fee reduction
Commuting loan
Dining
Employee Assistance Programme
Full time: 7.30am - 4.30pm during term time; 8.30am3.30pm during school holidays. Some flexibility may be possible.
Circa £40,000
28 days' holiday to be taken during school holidays. Plus bank holidays and school closure over Christmas.
Private medical cover is available for all staff. This is paid for by the School, but is a taxable benefit so there is an indirect cost to the individual.
All support staff are automatically enrolled into the company pension scheme. The level of contribution by the individual is 5% the School will contribute 10%.
Fee reduction for son(s) of staff is available (after a qualifying period).
Interest-free loans are available for rail season ticket holders.
Lunch and refreshments are provided during term time.
A free, confidential counselling & wellbeing support service that can support you, your partner or spouse, and dependent children over 16 still living at home.
Pupils
show an acute sense of respect for each other and were unanimous in their belief that diversity is a normal part of life.
ISI Inspection, 2022
ABOUT RGS PREP
RGS Prep is a kind, inclusive, tolerant community where diverse opportunity, personal development, high achievement and collaborative partnership define who we are.
RGS Prep is a long-established IAPS school for approximately 330 boys, which has occupied the same site in a quiet, leafy residential area of Guildford since 1930. It is well known for its excellent academic and pastoral strengths, alongside outstanding music departments and strong sport and extra-curricular opportunities for all boys.
Aims & Ethos
RGS Prep's academic reputation is justly well-known but what sets it apart is its warm and purposeful atmosphere. Pupils are offered a happy, caring and stimulating environment where they can progress to their full potential. An excellent all-round education based on skilled teaching in small classes is at the heart of RGS Prep's approach to learning which strives to provide the widest possible range of experiences.
RGS Prep guides each boy on his journey and gives him the skills and understanding of how to learn, not just what to learn. Visitors to RGS Prep are struck not only by the cheerful, purposeful atmosphere of the school but also by the diversity of its activities.
The school also aims to develop those qualities that cannot be measured by academic assessment. The development of each boy’s interpersonal skills, team spirit, strong self-awareness and leadership potential is achieved through a broad range of extracurricular activities which also foster curiosity, creativity and individuality.
Curriculum
The National Curriculum is only part of the school’s own curriculum which covers a broad spectrum of academic, physical and artistic experience, to challenge the mind and develop personal interests and skills. Computers and ICT are a vital part of the teaching of many subjects from EYFS onwards.
Early Years
In the Early Years at RGS Prep, we follow the statutory framework provided by the Department for Education for Early Years providers. The Nursery and Reception (Shell) classes, work on a two-year rolling programme of topics to ensure a wide range of content and smooth transition from Nursery to Shell.
As well as following the seven areas of learning, the boys enjoy a variety of specialist lessons including Music, Spanish, PE and Outdoor Learning. They also have access to iPads and a digital screen within the classroom to ensure ICT is part of their learning from an early age. How the boys learn is tantamount to their success, hence, they enjoy collecting credits when they display our Learning Habits such as responsible risk-taking, persistence, independence and accuracy.
Boys are supported by a teacher and teaching assistant in each class to ensure that their learning can be tailored to their needs and interests. The Learning Support department can also offer advice and extra lessons as appropriate. The boys enjoy a variety of trips and visits from specialist providers throughout the year, helping to broaden the curriculum and enhance their social skills.
Key Stage 1
In Years 1 and 2, the curriculum offers a broad content of study, using the National Curriculum (KS1) as a basic framework. The combination of group work activities and high individual attention, promotes appropriate learning for all children across the various levels of ability. Specialist teaching takes place in PE, Music, Drama and French. The curriculum is planned to smooth the transition into KS2.
Key Stage 2
In Year 3 to Year 6, lessons are taught by both form teachers and specialist subject staff, making full use of our excellent facilities. In addition to the broad curriculum offered in KS1, Latin, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning are introduced from Year 5.
Boys are mostly taught in mixed ability classes across the curriculum. Boys are set from Year 4 in mathematics and ability sets are introduced in English in Year 6.
The school is particularly well equipped with the latest technology in the computing suite where a whole class can work together, as well as boys having 1:1 'Microsoft Surface devices in KS2. A whole range of additional resources are available as well as interactive whiteboards in every classroom. An excellent Learning Support department can offer advice and extra lessons as appropriate.
Through a rich curriculum, boys are given the opportunity to expand their subject knowledge, reinforce their numeracy, literacy and ICT skills, as well as develop effective learning strategies through the RGS Prep Learning Habits.
Facilities
Close links to the RGS senior school has encouraged academic standards to be pushed higher and the school has invested in new facilities. Since the millennium, RGS Prep has continued to evolve to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world and has more than twice as many teachers as 30 years ago. Digital technology and interactive whiteboards are in place throughout the school. A new state-of-the-art Sports Hall was opened in 2016, a dedicated rehearsal space for RGS Guildford Cathedral choristers in 2022 and a Pre-Prep Library in 2023. Throughout the last 10 years, new outside spaces have been created and refurbished in both the Prep and Pre-Prep departments including an adventure playground, outdoor classrooms and permanent cricket nets.
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“ Pupils display excellent attitudes to their learning. They are passionate, motivated and enthusiastic. ISI Inspection, 2022
“ “
Both in and out of class, behaviour is excellent.
ISI Inspection, 2022
“ Pupils of all ages have a mature understanding of, and respect for, cultural diversity and tolerance of individual differences. ISI Inspection, 2022
”
WHY WORK IN GUILDFORD?
Guildford is a vibrant and exciting place in which to live. Rich in history, it is a welcoming town with a flourishing and varied cultural life. Entertainment is diverse with a number of lively and nationally renowned venues including G Live, the Yvonne Arnaud theatre and the eclectic Electric Theatre. There are outstanding sport and leisure facilities which include the state-of-the-art training venues and sports complexes of Surrey Sports Park and Guildford Spectrum. Guildford offers one of the south east’s best shopping experiences with the iconic High Street combining exclusive and popular national chains as well as a number of independent retailers. Dining options cater for every taste and budget with local traditional and gastro pubs in nearby Surrey villages drawing customers from a wide area.
Educationally, Guildford is thriving. RGS Guildford is regularly ranked in the top ten single-sex schools in the country. RGS also enjoys close links with other girls’ schools, Guildford High School, Tormead School and St Catherine’s, Bramley. The University of Surrey was awarded ‘University of the Year for Graduate Employment’ by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.
Guildford has the advantage of being very accessible and enjoys excellent transport links. London is just over a 30-mile drive via the A3 and well served by trains (just 29 minutes to Clapham Junction and 39 minutes to London Waterloo). International airports London Gatwick and London Heathrow are only 30 minutes from the town.
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are close by; the Surrey Hills and North Downs are on the school's doorstep and provide opportunities to enjoy the stunning countryside; the south coast is approximately one hour by car.
William Cobbett “
The town of Guildford, which I, who have seen so many, many towns, think is the prettiest, and…most happylooking, that I ever saw in my life.
GUILDFORD
The setting:
The Surrey Hills
North Downs
South Downs
Picturesque villages
The south coast
Travel by rail:
Clapham Junction 29 minutes, London Waterloo 39 minutes
Portsmouth Harbour 60 minutes
Gatwick Airport 45 minutes
Travel by road:
London 32 miles via the A3, Heathrow 22 miles; Gatwick 34 miles via A3 and M25 Portsmouth 44 miles; Brighton 59 miles
North Downs
The
Guildford Castle
SAFEGUARDING
OF CHILDREN & SECURITY OF DISCLOSURE INFORMATION
The Royal Grammar School, Guildford meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. All applicants who are offered employment will be subject to an enhanced criminal record check from the DBS before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of cautions, reprimands or final warnings, as well as convictions. It is of fundamental importance to The Royal Grammar School to ensure, so far as possible, that those who take up appointments do not pose a risk to the children in its care.
Further details will be sent to applicants invited to interview which will expand on the above.
APPLICATIONS
We are proactively committed to creating a diverse staff body, which reflects the community that we teach. At RGS we value diversity and inclusion; we want to attract the best people for the roles available.
This is regardless of age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability, socioeconomic status or religious beliefs.
Please note: applications will be considered on receipt and we reserve the right to close applications early.
www.rgsg.co.uk
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