Job Introduction

The Day Matron is an essential figure at the School. They work very closely with other members of staff as they seek to support, and care for pupils.

The Day Matron is the first point of contact for pupils who are unwell or injured at school and will take a proactive interest in the general health and wellbeing of all pupils in the School; including offering a listening ear to pupils and being alert to those who are having difficulties. They provide a pivotal point of liaison for the welfare of individual pupils in the School.

Role Responsibility

They will be line managed by the Assistant Master, Extra-Curricular 

Responsibilities:

1. Medical matters

• Be the primary point of contact for pupils and parents concerning general medical, dental, dietary and welfare matters.
• Be aware of the nature of medical confidentiality and maintain patient confidentiality (except in matters related to safeguarding or whistleblowing). Communicating with colleagues on an as-needed basis.
• Follow all medical protocols and school policy
• Triage pupils for medical matters before addressing the matter or referring on externally by calling 111, taking a pupil to A&E or calling 999), where appropriate.
• Lead on the creation of Personal Emergency Evacuation Procedures (PEEPs) for pupils who need them.
• For pupils with specific conditions and/or medication, maintain appropriate care plans, distributing to staff as appropriate. 
• Ensure the collection and appropriate storage of non-prescribed medication and prescribed medication (including controlled drugs) and administer them correctly.
• If required and only in an emergency, accompany pupils to the local hospital, within normal working hours and if a parent is unavailable.
• Ensure First Aid boxes/bags are fully stocked and in date in School and the Pavilion; ordering supplies when necessary and maintaining inventory.  
• Liaise with the Senior Nursing Sister at Westminster School, to coordinate services, records, provision and policies where appropriate. 
• Monitor pupils carrying their own medication e.g. AAI’s and inhalers.
• Ensure first aid kits are checked and ready for school trips and sports fixtures, including adding relevant AAI's, inhalers and any other specific medication for pupils on the trips. 
• Regularly update Games registers with medical information. 

2. Administrative matters

• Maintain medical records (and incident reporting as appropriate) on the Under School online system for all pupils, especially those with severe conditions or allergies so that appropriate care can be given; ensuring all pupils’ personal medications are available and in-date, administering them when required at school.  
• Organise and maintain high standards of medical-related displays, signage, and information points throughout the school. 
• Maintain and update the list of trained first aiders in school.  
• Attend termly Health and Safety Committee to give First Aid updates. 
• Ensure HSE regulations regarding First Aid at Work are followed; and that the School’s approach in health matters is in line with statutory guidance and the requirements of ISI and other regulatory bodies recording/communicating/reporting as required by the School policy on First Aid and Health and Safety. External training for this will be provided.
• Have oversight of the budget for medical supplies.
• Monitor expiry dates for all supplies including pupils’ spare AAI’s, inhalers and other medication and arrange replacements as necessary. 
• Ensure their own training is regularly kept up to date and compliant.
• Undertake other tasks in the area of the pupils’ health and wellbeing as the Assistant Masters, Deputy Master or the Master might reasonably require. 

3. Safeguarding and pastoral welfare

The Day Matron shall:

• Safeguard the welfare of pupils at all times.
• Communicate regularly with all pupils both formally and informally, being sensitive to the differing needs and strengths of each individual, so that each pupil feels cared for, supported and advised.
• Liaise regularly with all staff to ensure effective pastoral care of the pupils.
• Report to the Deputy Master, in their capacity as Designated Safeguarding Lead, any pupils of concern.
• Understand and promote the School’s approach to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, as well as the School’s strategic aims.
• Provide proactive pastoral and supervisory presence in the School

4. Pastoral responsibilities

The Day Matron shall:

• Be a cheerful, positive and reassuring presence around school.
• Monitor the general pastoral wellbeing of all pupils in the School and report any concerns to the appropriate member of staff.  
• Ensure regular informal contact with the pupils and other new pupils over the first few weeks of their arrival at the School in order to help new pupils settle in to a new way of life.
• Be alert to those pupils who have particular vulnerabilities and may need extra support, sharing relevant information with the relevant staff as the need arises. 

As part of their induction, Day Matrons will gain further knowledge of their obligations with respect to:

• Safeguarding legislation (including Keeping Children Safe in Education [KCSIE] and Working Together to Safeguard Children [WTSC]).
• School policies and procedures.

Working hours

The Day Matron will work from 8.00 am to 4.30 pm Monday to Friday (term-time only), including INSET days and two preparation days at the start of the academic year.

School lunch is also provided for free during term-time.

The Ideal Candidate

Please refer to the attached person specification below.

Equal Opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer. We therefore encourage candidates to apply irrespective of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender identity, sex or sexual orientation.

Safeguarding and Child Protection

Westminster Under School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Package Description

Required for: as soon as possible

Location: Vincent Square - Westminster Under School

Contract: full-time (term-time only), permanent

Salary: £22,466.96 pro rata equating to a full-time equivalent of £30,000 per annum.

The closing date for applications is midday, Friday 15th March 2024. Interviews will take place w/c Monday 18th March 2024.

About the School

Working at Westminster Under School

Westminster Under School is a busy, purposeful and vibrant place to be and an excellent workplace. The community is made up of 292 pupils, 43 teaching staff and 50 support staff.

Westminster Under School is a friendly and welcoming place to work. There is a real sense of community here and staff members quickly become part of the rhythm of life, both inside and outside the classroom. Social events are regular and varied, with plenty of opportunity to socialise outside working hours. Support staff as much as teaching staff are encouraged to embrace the School’s day-to-day activities, whether that be attending a concert or a sports fixture.

At Westminster we will always select the best candidate for every position. We do know, however, that we can only truly choose the best person on every occasion if a broad and diverse pool of candidates see the job advertised and are encouraged to apply.

As such, we continue to work on how our job roles are encountered, and particularly welcome applications from groups who have traditionally been underrepresented here.

Westminster Under School is for everyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic. We hope you are encouraged to apply.

The School

Westminster Under School is a great environment for happy and purposeful pupils, and for all the staff who support them. Our aim is to produce well-rounded individuals with a love of learning and an enthusiasm for life, and who relish coming into School each day. All members of staff play an important role in ensuring that day-to-day processes at the School run smoothly, and in turn helping each and every pupil to enjoy and benefit from all that the School has to offer.

The Under School is a day school with approximately 292 pupils aged between 7 and 13. The School was founded in 1943 in the precincts of Westminster School in Little Dean’s Yard, just behind Westminster Abbey. The 17 boys with whom it began rapidly became 60 in  number and by 1950 there were 80 boys in the Under School. The boys had to compete for space with the senior school pupils who had returned from evacuation at the end of the war, but in 1951 the Under School acquired its own premises in Eccleston Square. Numbers of pupils continued to rise during the 1960s and 1970s and in 1981 the School moved once again to its present site overlooking the Westminster playing fields in Vincent Square. A stone’s throw from the same Square is the striking Art Deco Sports Hall, which is used by both Westminster Under and Westminster Great School pupils.

To this day, the Under School enjoys a strong and important bond with Westminster Great School. Both schools foster a deep sense of the importance of independent thought and the ethos of a liberal education, giving them a unique shared identity. It is usual for Under School pupils to be offered a place at the Great School, and the vast majority accept their offers, continuing on until they leave the School in Year 13.

Westminster School