Pastoral Activity Leader

Summer Boarding Courses

About The Role

The Role

The role of Pastoral Activity Leader, unique to Camp Dragon, combines key responsibilities in both pastoral care and activity delivery, creating a well-rounded and dynamic position. SBC Pastoral Activity Leaders play a central role in ensuring the safety, welfare, and well-being of students, working closely with House Parents and the Welfare Manager to support the day-to-day running of boarding houses. This requires flexibility, enthusiasm, and excellent communication skills to effectively collaborate with staff and connect with students.

In addition to their pastoral duties, Pastoral Activity Leaders are responsible for delivering the vibrant and engaging activities programme that SBC schools are renowned for. They also support students and staff within the taught programme, bridging the gap between learning and recreation. A genuine passion for working with young people, coupled with enthusiasm and an aptitude for play-led learning, is essential to creating a positive, enriching, and memorable summer experience for all students.

Location

Camp Dragon is located in beautiful and leafy North Oxford, just a short walk from the city centre, Jericho and beautiful university parks. A large school with excellent facilities that still manages to have a small, homely feel Camp Dragon gives our staff and students 22 acres to play with and be able to enjoy beautiful spacious facilities without sacrificing a city location.
Designed by language learning experts and qualified play workers, our summer camp provides an immersive learning experience for children aged 8 – 12 from around the world. Explore a range of themes through interactive lessons, inspiring workshops, and amazing activities. With up to 100 young learners Camp Dragon is a truly unique camp encouraging young people to discover, develop, and dare.

Ways we support our Pastoral Activity Leaders:

We will cover the full cost of a new DBS (if required) for your first contract working with SBC. We encourage all staff to sign up for the Update Service.
Extensive, paid, on-site training prior to student arrival
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

Remuneration: The salary for the Pastoral Activity Leader role is £720 per week (subject to tax and national insurance), paid weekly in arrears (for the avoidance of doubt this sum includes a holiday allowance at 12.07% of basic pay in the sum of £77.54), plus board and accommodation at the summer site.

Working Hours: A normal working week for Pastoral Activity Leaders will consist of up to 52 hours per week over six working days.

Programme Duties:

Acquaint yourself with the SBC Social Programme session plans, risk assessments, resources and equipment during the induction period.
Plan, prepare and facilitate a wide range of activity sessions to groups of students.
Support in the preparation, planning, delivery and pack-down of whole school events.
Bring energy and enthusiasm to all aspects of the Summer School programme.
Alongside the wider staff team, promote the social programme amongst the student body, supporting with sign-up and encourgaing all students to participate.
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
Working alongside Teachers to support the Camp Dragon learning programme, nurturing students' curiosity, communication and teamwork, building confidence and celebrating achievements.
Handle administrative tasks to include activity sign-up, registers, risk assessments and accident and incident logs.
Plan for session observations, reflect upon them, and attend feedback sessions with the Social Programme Manager(s) to discuss potential areas of improvement.

Pastoral Duties

Create a welcoming and inclusive residential environment, in which all students can feel comfortable and cared for.
Supervise students movement through the day, ensuring the timely delivery of the daily routine including meals, breaks and all aspects of the academic and social programme.
Facilitate conversations between students when needed, ensuring that students are building friendships with others and instilling strong values of equality, celebration of diversity, and respect within the school.
Proctively support, supervise and interact with students during meal and break times.
Work alongside House Parents during allocated 'House Duties' to support the residential daily routine to include wake-up, House Meetings, House Time and Lights out.
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.
Assisting with supervision and care of sick students under the guidance of House Parents and/or Welfare Manager
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.

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

General Duties:

Encourage students to successfully engage in the programme, helping develop their communication, confidence and social skills
Ensure clear communication to relevant Summer School Staff regarding student health or wellbeing concerns and complete incident paperwork and records as directed.
Follow all Health and Safety guidelines and risk assessments.
Ensure understanding of all Emergency and Fire Evacuation policies, including site evacuation points.
Interact with students in a manner that's both friendly and professional.
Help ensure the students meet the Student Code of Conduct; promoting and embodying standards of behaviour that we would expect from our students at all times.
Remain professional and empathic while managing student behaviour and approach in a positive and constructive manner in line with SBC Student Behaviour Management and Anti-Bullying policies and procedures.
Provide support during arrival and departure days both on and off-site, remaining flexible to tasks required and ensuring a welcoming and positive experience for all students
Where required, help with off-site student transfers. This can include work at airports, train stations and transfer taxis
Ensure the care, maintenance, and organisation of all Summer School resources and equipment, reporting any damages or shortages to the appropriate manager.
Demonstrate flexibility, as is often required in residential roles.
Assist at any time, whether on duty or not, in an emergency situation
Attend training, team meetings and programme briefings as required.
Share reflections about your experiences over the summer.

Please see the attached Job description for a more complete list of the duties associated with the Pastoral Activity Leader role. You can also see an overview of our sites and dates.

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 primary aged children in a professional capacity
• 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
• Experience of residential international boarding.

About Us

Founded in 2008, Summer Boarding Courses (SBC) delivers award-winning residential summer programmes that combine academic and social enrichment, bringing students from around the world together through education.

Our programmes take place at leading UK boarding schools and university college campuses, providing students with an inspiring environment to learn, develop confidence and build skills for their future.

To date, over 21,000 students from 155 nationalities have studied with us. SBC has also been ranked Number 1 in the EL Gazette’s British Council inspection league table from 2018 to 2026 and achieved a perfect 15/15 areas of strength in British Council inspections.

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

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

Please be aware that SBC may conduct online searches for shortlisted candidates as part of our legal duty to meet out safeguarding duties.

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.