Chaplain Assistant Information Pack

About Monkton

Monkton places thinking differently at the heart of its strategic vision. We are already one of the country's best known smaller boarding schools and pride ourselves on our size meaning you can really get to know all of the pupils and serve as a full part of our community. We are a Christian school with worldwide connections and interests, and have a strong reputation for pioneering and proactive pastoral care.

A single board of Governors oversees the entire School (Pre-Prep, Prep and Senior) and Monkton is a registered charity and is incorporated as a company limited by guarantee. The Principal acts as both the Head of the Senior School and as the CEO of the group of schools.

The Senior School enjoys a very attractive rural location in the Monkton Combe valley some two and a half miles south of the historic city of Bath. Nearby are Monkton Prep and Pre-Prep each with separate Heads but part of the same foundation.

The Senior School and Prep School have a strong boarding tradition; however, day pupils comprise one third of the intake of the Senior School and are in the majority in the Prep School. Since 1992 when it merged with Clarendon School for Girls school has been co-educational with three boys' boarding houses and three girls' boarding houses, all in the school's immediate environs..

The School buildings are in many cases converted houses, formerly privately owned, in the village. There are also many purpose-built teaching areas and extensive playing fields; the School has two boathouses on the River Avon. Some staff live in the valley in school accommodation. There has been a major programme of rebuilding and improvement in recent years: a £4.5 million extension and rebuilding of Maths and Science Departments was completed during 2008, a completely remodelled £3.5m Music Department opened in February 2012, and a significant enlargement and refurbishment of the Art and DT Departments in 2015. Current projects are focusing on the refurbishment of boarding accommodation, and a ten-year strategic estate review was recently commissioned.

Monkton Combe School | Appointment of Chaplain Assistant

The Chaplaincy at Monkton

The expectations of spiritual life of the school are little changed in their aspiration from when the school was founded, although it is understood and desired that the outworking should be thoroughly modern. Monkton is a Christian School: Governors and most senior managers are expected to be fully supportive of the school’s ethos, houseparents pray with the pupils in their houses, pupils go on to fulfil leadership roles in university Christian Unions around the UK. The Chaplaincy is expected to facilitate this, and to create opportunities for spiritual enquiry, growth and support for all members of the school community. However, the maintenance and promotion of a vibrant spiritual life for the pupils, and particularly a healthy atmosphere of discussion for teenaged pupils, is at the very heart of the work of the Chaplaincy. A sense of journey and discussion, as well as enquiry and mutual learning, make up the spiritual exploration, lacking any heavy compulsion on pupils to think in a certain way, is the ethos the school is seeking to maintain and extend.

The chaplaincy is at the heart of Monkton Combe School. The aim of the chaplaincy is focussed around helping the pupils find 10:10 Vision - to look and live. In John 10:10 Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The fullness of life he speaks of has not only eternal value but also shows how Jesus and the Christian life can give a framework to live by in order to have a “full” life. This 10:10 Vision underpins all that we do here at Monkton Combe School to help every pupil grow, mature and flourish.

Look: to look into the claims of the Christian faith, consider the big questions of life and to enable everyone to construct their own world view in order that they leave Monkton grounded, rounded and prepared for all that lies ahead. Live: the fullness of life that Jesus speaks of is what we want to consider living by - it provides the founding principles on which to ground our lives, gives a moral compass, teaches about the importance of balance in life and what it means to put others before ourselves. Our school values (Humility, Confidence, Integrity and Service) all flow directly from this.

At present, the spiritual life of the School has a focus in the services attended compulsorily by pupils at the Senior School, Prep School and Pre-Prep. At Monkton Prep School (MPS) and Monkton Senior School (MSS), short midweek formal services begin the school day, and involve (usually) a brief talk based on the Bible, prayers and a hymn. These are taken by staff, including the respective Heads, pupils and the Head of Chaplaincy. At both Prep and Senior Schools the main service of the week takes place on Saturday - one first thing, the other at lunchtime. Senior School pupils are also given the chance to attend local churches on Sundays. Sunday services are still held for Remembrance Day, Confirmation and so on, and are attended by boarders from MPS as well as MSS. Voluntary Holy Communion services are of a shortened form and take place before two of the three terms for members of staff and every half term for pupils

The compulsory elements of the school are augmented by a large and thriving Christian Union which meets on Wednesday evenings and is led by a committee of senior pupils at the Senior School, where year group Bible Studies also meet in the homes of staff on Monday evenings. In the autumn we hold our annual week long Michaelmas Addresses with a main speaker and an invited team from LymingtonRushmore. For the first

Monkton Combe School | Appointment of Chaplain Assistant

time this year we are holding a day long Lent Addresses with Christians in Sport coming to run a number of different events. In addition to all this, we have the Chaplaincy Big Event in September (Guvna B came two years go to perform his set and this last September we had the comedian Paul Kerensa with us), twice termly apologetic event Crossfire and our annual residential weekend The Big Escape. At the Prep School, there are two Christian Unions running XtB for Years 3-6 and Xcite for Years 7-8. In addition ‘Ichthus’ (a group of Year 8 pupils) run assemblies on Friday mornings and there is The Hub on Sunday evenings for the Hatton House if they have not been to church that Sunday.

The Chaplaincy also contributes to the pastoral care of all staff, providing them with opportunities for reflection, enquiry and support as members of the community. The school values its relationships with other Christian agencies, and the Chaplaincy plays a vital role in developing and sustaining these. Many pupils spend time in their Gap years in positions which encourage and draw from their visions of Christian service. The school sees this as an essential area for continued support and direct involvement by the Chaplaincy and the development of the school’s provision in this area is viewed as important.

More information about the work here and our Head of Chaplaincy can be found on the school website.

The Role This post is an exciting one, and there are huge opportunities for the successful candidate to develop the already thriving spiritual life of the school. The faith of pupils is often brought to life at school, and the pupils given a vision for Christian service both at school and thereafter. The school leadership is eager for this record to continue, and to be enhanced by this new position.

Our aim is to present and encourage children to engage and consider the good news of Jesus Christ, to help them build solid foundations that will last for their lifetime. We seek to do this through dynamic, faithful and relevant teaching of the Bible, this could be in the context of chapel CU, Biblestudies or smaller group work.

This is potentially a residential post (with the possibility of being a resident tutor in a boarding house) where accommodation could be provided throughout the year with all meals during term-time. This post requires weekly, evening and weekend commitments during term-time. There are substantial holidays at Christmas, Easter and Summer in addition to Half Term weeks and Exeat weekends.

This role would be ideally suited to someone who is a recent graduate and has completed a year or two working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in a school or in a church as a ministry assistant or a Christian Organisation (e.g. Christians In Sport, LymingtonRushmore Holidays) who is seeking to be involved in paid Christian work on a longer term basis or perhaps in time is seeking ordination.

Monkton Combe School | Appointment of Chaplain Assistant

Job Description In conjunction with the Head of Chaplaincy: ● To help run, take the lead and establish new Christian activities running throughout the school (including leading bible study groups, the Christian Unions, organising events and reading the Bible with pupils) ● Speaking at Chapels, CU’s and Assemblies as appropriate ● To help take responsibility and coordinate the planning of ‘The Hub’ at Hatton House. ● Helping with the administration of the School’s Chaplaincy with regard to Services, Christian Unions, Assemblies, publicity etc. ● To visit boarding houses on a regular basis over and above any duty evenings. ● To encourage and equip staff involved in running Christian Activities. ● To build good relationships with the pupils across all three schools and encouraging them to deepen in their relationships with God, or explore Christianity for themselves ● To fulfil various school duties and be involved in the games programme as directed by the Assistant Deputy Head ● To assist in some lessons and/or the co-curricular programme of the which judged appropriate and desirable in order to help support and get to know pupils. ● To be fully involved in the life of the school, which will involve day, evening and weekend duties ● To take part in the Chaplaincy Theological and ministry training sessions ● Organise opportunities for young people to ask questions of Christianity ● Support for pupils in the everyday business of their school lives, by ‘organised loitering’ and by interaction with pupils on their terms and at their times, with great approachability. Note: The post holder may be reasonably required to perform duties other than those given in the job description for the post. The particular duties and responsibilities attached to posts may vary from time to time without changing the character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed.

Coaching Ethos: Monkton staff are committed to continuing to hone and improve our practice in different areas. We intentionally reflect on our professional development throughout the year. As part of this, and to support it, we train staff in coaching skills, and staff coach each other, as well as gaining valuable skills to use day to day. Over the next three years, our aim is to train all staff in coaching.

Monkton Combe School | Appointment of Chaplain Assistant

Person Specification Note: some of the areas described in this person specification would be developed through the training on the job over the course of the first year.

Essential Desirable Qualifications Qualification in Youth Work √

Essential Desirable Experience √ Previous experience of working for a Church or supporting Christian work in school or a Christian Organisation/summer camp. √

A committed Evangelical Christian which a heart for children aged 2-18

Essential Desirable Skills Excellent communication Skills √

Able to communicate in a fresh and thought-provoking way, including to an audience in which the majority may √ not profess themselves to be Christians

A good team player and can exemplify fully the schools √ values √ Good humoured √ Can lead and draw people with you.

Classroom management/pedagogical skills √

Monkton Combe School | Appointment of Chaplain Assistant

Essential Desirable Knowledge and √ Understanding Have the understanding and ability to support the Evangelical Christian activities at Monkton Combe School √ Basic knowledge of needs of children √ Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Child Protection

National minimum standard of boarding schools or willingness √ to learn

An understanding of the Bible and confident in being able to √ lead a Biblestudy and/or give a Bible talk.

An understanding of the significance of music in Christian life, the role of prayer & a grasp of the main Christian Doctrines √

Understand and engage with the school’s Vision, Mission and Values through their everyday activities √

Essential Desirable Personal Approachable to all in the school community, wherever √ Attributes they are in their journey of faith, young and old, male and female;

Sensitive to the beliefs of others and able to present the Christian √ message in an inclusive way;

Concerned for the welfare of pupils and all staff in the largely √ boarding community of MSS

Motivated and enthusiastic √

Able to work as part of a team and flexible in their √ approach to workload, tasks and providing cover as required by the school

A willingness to be involved in all aspects of boarding √ school life.

Monkton Combe School | Appointment of Chaplain Assistant

Safeguarding

Monkton Combe School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and Disclosure and Barring Service. ● Child Protection (Safeguarding) and Staff Code of Conduct and Behaviour Policy, including EYFS ● Equal Opportunities Policy, including EYFS

Monkton Combe School | Appointment of Chaplain Assistant