Head of Pastoral & Extra-Curricular Activities

Role Description:

La Garenne International School is looking to appoint a Head of Pastoral. This critical role is essential for ensuring a seamless, safe, and enriching experience for students throughout the full 24-hour school cycle, encompassing academic, boarding, and co-curricular activities for learners aged 4–18.

As a key member of the leadership team alongside the Head of Primary & Middle School and Head of Secondary, the Head of Pastoral will report directly to the School Principal. This position prioritizes teamwork in supporting the school’s mission through a cohesive and comprehensive pastoral framework.

The Head of Pastoral will focus on providing strategic direction rather than just managing existing systems, ensuring collaboration between academic, boarding, and co-curricular teams while guaranteeing continuity of care in all aspects of school life, including evenings and weekends.

The working hours for this role will mainly take place during evenings and weekends; however, residing on campus is not mandatory, though proximity is important. Specific working hours will be determined in conjunction with the School Principal to ensure adequate Senior Leadership Team coverage throughout the 24-hour school cycle.

Leadership & Collaboration:

• Work effectively with the General Director, School Principal, and Heads of Primary & Middle and Secondary to promote harmony across academic, pastoral, and boarding services.

• Spearhead the strategic development and implementation of cohesive school-wide pastoral systems, ensuring consistency across Primary, Middle, and High School.

• Act as one of the school’s Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) during critical periods, ensuring 24/7 coverage and compliance with Swiss and international safeguarding standards.

• Foster effective communication and collaboration among academic staff, boarding teams, and co-curricular/activity coordinators.

• Lead the development of systems for efficient sharing of student information across all domains (academic, boarding, and co-curricular).

• Supervise all boarding houses (Primary, Middle, and High School) to consistently deliver a high-quality student experience.

• Work closely with Heads of Section to ensure strong alignment between boarding and academic provisions, addressing behavior, routines, and student support.

• Support Heads of Section in managing complex pastoral and safeguarding situations, ensuring a unified whole-school response.

• Design and implement evening, weekend, and co-curricular programs, collaborating with coordinators and service providers to align with student wellbeing and developmental goals.

• Lead and participate in staff training related to safeguarding, pastoral care, and boarding practices.

• Collaborate with the General Director and School Principal to promote staff wellbeing.

• Build strong relationships with students, parents, and boarding families, ensuring consistent communication regarding student wellbeing.

• Serve as an integral member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to the school's overall strategy and development.

Organisation & Administration:

• Manage pastoral systems within school platforms (e.g., iSAMS), ensuring that safeguarding, behavior, and student wellbeing records are accurate and up-to-date.

• Develop and monitor systems for tracking student wellbeing, behavior, and engagement across academic, boarding, and co-curricular areas.

• Ensure effective communication frameworks for daily and weekly interactions between boarding and academic teams.

• Contribute to the planning and coordination of the school calendar, particularly concerning boarding, activities, and student wellbeing initiatives.

• Assist with admissions processes where insights on pastoral care are necessary.

• Participate in accreditation and inspection processes related to safeguarding, boarding, and student welfare.

• Assess the quality and consistency of boarding and co-curricular services, identifying areas for improvement.

General Duties:

• Uphold and advocate for the school’s mission statement and IB philosophy.

• Maintain a visible and active leadership presence throughout the school, including evenings, weekends, and school events.

• Assist in conflict resolution and mediation involving students and staff.

• Engage in assemblies, student events, and broader school life.

• Collaborate with SLT to drive ongoing school improvement.

• Provide recommendations to enhance the overall student experience across academic, boarding, and co-curricular offerings.

Please be aware that while these primary responsibilities are outlined in this description, the role may involve additional tasks as directed by the School Principal based on the needs of the school/faculty.

The Ideal Candidate:

- You are an educator committed to ongoing improvement and exemplifying the attributes of the IB Learner Profile.

- You possess a good honours degree and/or an advanced degree in a relevant field. Additional leadership qualifications are preferred.

- You are dedicated to the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion.

- You have a passion for boarding life and can inspire others.

- You embrace innovations in teaching and learning and are open to exploring new practices.

- You possess significant experience supervising learners in the MYP Personal Project and the IBDP Extended Essay.

- You have exceptional written and verbal communication skills.

- You align with the educational philosophy of La Garenne International School and are eager to contribute to both co-curricular and pastoral aspects of school life.

- You have strong interpersonal skills, enabling you to build relationships and collaborate effectively with colleagues and school leadership.

- You demonstrate proficient ICT skills and are willing to adopt new technologies for teaching and learning.

- You maintain a positive outlook, an optimistic approach to change and development, and a good sense of humor.

Benefits:

We are committed to the ongoing professional development of our teaching staff, encouraging the adoption of innovative educational approaches. The successful candidate will have opportunities to teach across our campuses in modern, well-equipped classrooms featuring the latest educational technology.

The school offers a variety of additional benefits, including:

- An opportunity to live and work in a beautiful area with excellent connections to the rest of Europe.

- A secure and safe working environment.

- Access to numerous outdoor activities, particularly as Villars is a renowned ski resort.

- Opportunities to learn or enhance your French language skills.

- The chance to work in a school with an outstanding reputation.

- Be part of a growing institution with opportunities for career advancement.

- Attractive working conditions.

- Professional development opportunities.

- Potential for international travel.

- Depending on availability, places for children of staff.

- Access to your own MacBook Air.

- Teaching in modern classrooms equipped with cutting-edge technology.

- Approximately 15 weeks of annual holiday spread throughout the year.

- An annual ski pass and Free Access Card (offering numerous free activities and transport during the summer) for full-time teaching staff.

How to apply:

We invite applicants who are passionate about education, dedicated to providing individualized attention to each learner, and committed to embracing the life of the entire school while upholding our guiding principles. If this describes you, please complete the online application form (via Schrole connect), attaching your current CV and a cover letter.