Information for Candidates

CHAPLAIN

ContentsIntroduction from the Headmistress ............................................................. 5

Sherborne Girls ............................................................................................... 6

The Department ............................................................................................ 9

The Role ..........................................................................................................10

Person Specification ...................................................................................... 12

Working in Sherborne .................................................................................. 15

Application Process ....................................................................................... 16

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Working at Sherborne Girls is anexciting opportunity. As a fullboarding school we are able tooffer a varied and creativeacademic curriculum supported bya full co-curricular programme.We place a great deal ofimportance on appointing theright staff, and we look for thosewho are able to make a genuinedifference to the lives of ourstudents. We are fortunate to beable to attract a high calibre ofstaff to our wonderful school. Wereally value the contribution madeby all our teachers and supportstaff and in turn we offer a fullprogramme of continuousprofessional development tailoredto individual needs.

We are privileged to work in theattractive market town ofSherborne, which includes abeautiful Abbey, is steeped inheritage and has goodconnections by road and rail. Wework closely with the otherschools in Sherborne, particularlySherborne (boys) School, to makethis a unique educationalexperience.

Introduction from Jenny Dwyer, Headmistress

Most of all we are proud of ourgirls, who leave us as at the endof their time at Sherborne asadaptable, courageous,compassionate and curiousyoung women.

If you would like to be part of thisthriving community then we wouldlove to hear from you.

Jenny Dwyer, Headmistress

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The SchoolSherborne Girls is an independent full boardingand day school founded in 1899. It is situated ona beautiful campus on the western edge of thehistoric Abbey town of Sherborne and has anexcellent academic record combined with first-ratefacilities. It aims to give its pupils a broadand balanced academic, physical, social and moraleducation. The school has an Anglicanfoundation. Academic results are excellent atGCSE, A Level and in the InternationalBaccalaureate, with most girls moving on toOxbridge or other Russell Group universities.

Neighbouring SchoolsThere are very good relations with neighbouringschools: drama, music, social and academic lifeare all greatly enhanced by shared activities andresources. At Sixth Form level, Sherborne Girlsand Sherborne School operate a combinedtimetable, so that girls and boys have theopportunity to study subjects not available at theirown schools. Both Advanced Level andInternational Baccalaureate courses are availablefor our Sixth Form of over 170 girls.

BoardingThe boarders live in seven purpose-built houses:one for Years 7 and 8, five mixed-aged houses forYears 9 to 12, and an Upper Sixth House. Eachhouse has a pastoral team comprised of a teachingHousemistress or Housemaster, resident and non-resident tutors and matrons. Girls eat in theirhouses and the Personal Tutor system is house-based.

Academic AchievementWe are proud of our academic achievements and strive to give all our students the bestopportunities for them to develop their uniquepotential. The curriculum is enriched byappropriate use of technology, an extensive co-curricular programme, a range of study days

Sherborne Girls

and external trips. However, our aims arebroader than just to achieve excellentexamination results, and although ourpupils make progress significantly aboveexpectation, we also want them to developindependence and other life-skills, talentsand interests, along with respect for oneanother.

DevelopmentIn the last five years, we haveimplemented our strategic vision,resulting in the building of a new ScienceCentre, a new Boarding House for Years 7and 8 and the refurbishment of mostacademic spaces within the school.Boarding accommodation is beingupgraded and there has been areorganisation of pastoral staff in theboarding houses. A major development inour curriculum has been the introductionof our Sherborne Girls Diploma for pupilsin Key Stage 3.

• We aim to provide an excellent broad and academic, full-boarding education

for girls enhanced by links with other communities

• We aim to develop the unique gifts of each girl by providing an environment

and curriculum through which all members of the school will flourish

• We aim to create a community founded on Christian values and in which

every girl is encouraged to develop their whole selves including a spiritual

dimension

• We aim to send out into the world young women who are adaptable,

intellectually enquiring, courageous and compassionate, with the confidence

to be effective leaders

School Aims

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The Role

Worship

• Lead school services, plus the schools

regular Eucharist services and major school

services in Sherborne Abbey

• Organise occasional services e.g. Ash

Wednesday, Candlemas as appropriate

• Draw up the cycle of prayers for each term

and lead prayers regularly. Be at prayers

when not leading and ensure that all the

arrangements are made appropriately

• Invite appropriate visiting preachers for

services and for occasional school prayers

• Design and produce service sheets,

working in conjunction with the music

department and the Headmistress as

necessary

• Meet with the Chaplain at Sherborne

School and other local school chaplains

and liaise as appropriate on joint

opportunities for worship

• Meet with the Vicar of Sherborne and the

Abbey team as appropriate

• Support and/or lead student Christian

organisations such as Focus Group

• Develop awareness of students of other

faiths and support them in their needs

• Organise the opportunity for girls to be

confirmed on a yearly basis, liaising with

the Bishop and the Abbey as required.

Prepare and present the girls for

confirmation; also ensuring good

connections are maintained with the

Catholic Church and Sister Carmel

• Establish and maintain links with SCALA,

TISCA, the Diocesan Chaplaincy Team,

the local Independent Schools Chapter,

and other organisations, attending

meetings as appropriate

• Lead, encourage and develop the School

Chaplaincy Prefects, in their roles and

duties

• Continue the ongoing reflective informal

worship in houses and pupil participation

in all aspects of worship

• Ensure that there are opportunities for

students to participate in communion on a

regular basis

• Occasionally support the worship in other

schools as invited and as agreed with the

Headmistress

Pastoral Care

The Chaplain will be a key member of the pastoral

team and will support both House staff and

teaching staff in their pastoral roles. The Chaplain

is expected to:

• To assist, support and advise the Headmistress

and the Deputy Head (Pastoral and Planning)

on all matters relating to the spiritual life of the

school

• Keep in touch with and remain in contact with

all members of the school community and to

work closely with the Deputy Head (Pastoral

and Planning), Housemistresses/masters,

medical staff and Heads of Year

• To attend the weekly meetings of

Housemistresses/masters, full staff meetings

and any other meetings that may be appropriate

• To be co-opted to the pastoral hub and to

contribute to the pastoral strategy and

development of the school

• With the Deputy Head (Pastoral and Planning),

take a leading role in the school’s direction and

strategy for well-being

• To visit all houses on a regular basis for meals or

other occasions, formal and informal, taking

part in social and weekend activities as

appropriate

• To support girls, their parents and all staff at

times of particular stress and distress, especially

bereavement

• To provide emotional and/or spiritual support

to teaching and non-teaching staff as

appropriate

• to maintain a good relationship with the School

Counsellor and to support her as appropriate

The Chaplain is responsible to the Headmistress

and is expected to respect School policies on all

matters as well as the legal framework within

which a boarding school operates. However, the

Chaplain has a distinctive role within the school

and it is important that the students and staff feel

able to come to the Chaplain for confidential

advice and support.

If combined with a teaching role, the chaplain

teaches approximately half a timetable. Any subject

will be considered.

Accommodation will be available if required as it

will be advantageous to live close to Sherborne.

The Chaplain will take the lead in developing the Christian life of the school and ensuring

provision for other faiths. The school community meets twice weekly for morning prayers

and each Sunday for a school service, either in the school hall or in Sherborne Abbey. The

Chaplain is expected to:

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• Salary will be dependent on

knowledge and ability; the school

operates a scale which is in excess of

the National Scale in the

maintained sector

• Teaching staff are offered free lunch

and refreshments during term time

• All teaching staff are offered

subsidised membership of Oxley

Sports Centre

• All teaching staff are entitled to fee

remission (At Sherborne Girls,

Sherborne School and Sherborne

Prep)

Benefits

Sherborne Girls School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the

welfare of children and young people. Applicants must undergo child

protection screening, including checks with past employers and DBS and

barred lists checks. The school expects all staff and volunteers to share this

commitment. Sherborne Girls School is an equal opportunities employer.

Safeguarding

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Sherborne is, without doubt, one of the mostbeautiful towns in England. With its abundance ofmedieval buildings, superb Abbey, world famousschools, picturesque Almshouse and two castles,Sherborne has much to offer. Ideally located on theDorset and Somerset border it has excellenttransport links enabling the town to flourish.

Sherborne is a popular centre of activity for localsand visitors alike. It is known for its culturalevents and festivals as well as its attractive highstreet. Sherborne is surrounded by the beautifulDorset countryside of Thomas Hardy’s Wessexand is close to the spectacular Jurassic coastline.

Working in Sherborne

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Application ProcessAn application form may be downloaded from ourwebsite: www.sherborne.com/vacancies

Letters of application, along with a completedapplication form, should be addressed to theHeadmistress, Mrs Jenny Dwyer, and sent to:Mrs Heather CousinsPersonnel ManagerSherborne Girls, Bradford RoadSherborne, Dorset DT9 3QN

Or by email to: personnel@sherborne.com

Closing date for applications:12 midnight, Wednesday 7 March 2018

Short-listed candidates will be invited to the schoolfor interview. A tour of the school will be offered aspart of the interview process.

For an informal discussion about the post, thePersonnel Manager, Mrs Heather Cousins, will bepleased to answer any questions:e-mail: personnel@sherborne.com

Sherborne Girls reserves the right not to appoint tothis post should a suitable candidate not beidentified. Candidates are welcome to apply at anytime and may be called to interview immediately;we reserve the right to appoint at any stage duringthe process.

www.sherborne.com