Can anyone tell me about working in boarding?

[wearing]

Hi, I wonder if anyone out there has experience of working in a boarding school?

I'm teaching in private at the moment, but am considering taking a boarding job. It would involve living in the school, morning, evening and weekend duty and pastoral care.

It's mixed sex, aged 12 to 18 and lots of international students.

Can anyone help with what questions I need to ask? Anything to consider which I might not have thought of?

Thanks

I haven't, but DH does so have lived in with him- including in a boarding house.

Basically it will be your whole life in term time but the long holidays are a good compensation for this. As long as you can cope with work being 'there', literally on your doorstep, 24/7 it can be a great lifestyle. Free wine food, gym and pool 2 minutes walk away, often beautiful surroundings, if you are lucky mates to have dinner with and then amble home over the cricket pitch. Plus, you can borrow the school minibus and take it to IKEA.

Quality of staff housing can vary, especially if you are not going in at a senior level. We've had some lovely places but also some hovels. Now DH is a DH we have a very decent house.

Many people have a holiday home and the place can empty out in the holidays- either a good or a bad thing depending on how well you get on with your colleagues! The school will likely fill up with holiday lets which can be worse as you can't tell those kids off!! I would advise NOT selling the house you own, it is good to have an insurance policy.

Thanks Charles.

The accommodation is ok, it's currently a one bed flat but they are hopefully going to convert it to two bed over the summer. It's on the girls floor of the boarding house though so there's really no getting away from it!

I don't own a house but we go away every holidays anyway so that's not a problem.

Did you bring kids up in this situation?

I have a small daughter. I'm hoping she'll get a place at the school - it's something we're discussing at the moment. I think it could be great for her if it works out - older brothers and sisters on tap, lots going on and a school place that I could never afford on my own. Plus the school fields to play in and the facilities to use. On the other hand she'll have to "share" me, although she's young enough that in a few years she won't remember any different.

No, DS is 4.5 now and DH was in a day school when he was born so we were in our own house.

We are now back in a school house but it is a town boarding school rather than a campus one so we have a house in the town. However, DS is at the related prep (in a funded place) and I really like the fact that he and DH are 'at school together'. DS walks past daddy's office to go to the swimming pool etc.

It would be totally brilliant to have a small child in a campus school- so safe and so much space.

Are you on your own? If so will you have childcare available for when you are on duty? When we lived in house DH would be on duty til 11pm twice a week and had to assume he may have to leave the house- to look for kids out after curfew etc

Charles that's right, I'm on my own. It's a big concern - I don't have a safety net and I know that anything can happen.

I've been very clear with the school about it, but I'm not entirely sure what would happen if there were an emergency overnight. There are others on duty too so it's possible that they would have to be the ones to go out, or alternatively I'd have to ask one of the other staff to have a monitor and keep an ear out for dd. Luckily she's a good sleeper but I'm nervous as there's only me and I know how demanding the job is.

If the school are accepting of the situation I'm sure it will be fine. They love to promote a family vibe and I'm sure having your DD around will only add to that.

I'm glad you've got positive feedback Charles, thanks!

Will you be houseparents or live in Tutors? I lived in a boys boarding house in a mixed school where my DH worked a few years ago and I also did a duty per week in one of the girls houses. We did love it and would do it again but we didn't have children at the time. It literally takes over your whole life but the holidays are fab. We got free food etc too so saved an absolute fortune! I would definitely ask how many nights you'll be actively "on duty" per week and what the set up is at weekends. Also what the deal is with having your own friends to stay over. Will you be expected to have girls round to your flat for socials etc etc. Feel free to message me if you want x

Thanks Deffo

I'm currently a teacher so I'm used to the holidays etc

The money has yet to be decided but I'll be saving a fortune on rent, utilities, food etc so that's a definite bonus.

I can't have anyone round except on exeat at the duties don't seem too onerous, every 3rd weekend and 3 evenings a week. I'm so tied in the evenings anyway with dd that I reckon I may as well be doing duty and getting paid for it!

I'd be matron, so I'd also be doing all the cover if anything falls through. I'm under no false illusions - I know the job will take over my life!

I'd like to try to keep teaching a few hours a week - how realistic do you think this is? I want to keep my hand in if I can, a safety net I suppose...

Teaching matrons are very rare.

I'd be careful with the 'matron' job title.

In many schools it means dogsbody and little respect- it is rarely done by qualified teachers and is notoriously poorly paid.

Generally though, boarding is great and I love working in boarding houses. But I've always been Housemistress/deputy/resident tutor. Matron is a different job- lots of washing kids socks for no money in the schools I've worked in.

Would you not rather go for a Housemistress position? Same situation with respect to DD but more money, good career move, better house etc?

It might allow you enough money (and space) to have an au pair which would give you some cover.

My eldest boarded - lots of the boarding kids adored the staff's children, a willing list of babysitters will probably occur very quickly!!!

I would agree with lottie that being a matron is pretty much slave labour (sorry).

Sorry calling it matron was probably a bit misleading. Both matron and head of boarding are leaving. We're governed by slightly unusual rules which means the new matron must have a teaching qual. Obviously not many people will be up for the job, so the school have approached me (current teacher) to take it on.

They are frankly a bit stuck so at the moment they're offering to redefine the role along the lines of anything I want/am able to do (within reason obvs). They're taking on an extra person for the laundry/cleaning/grunt work and my role is more pastoral/admin/teaching. Lots of foreign kids and I'm an ESL teacher.

So it's all a bit flexible/foggy at the moment. I'm hoping they don't cut my pay though!

Man, they should be INCREASING your pay! The places we have been the HsMs have been on 15-20k allowances on top of their teaching salary scale point and barely taught any timetable.

At the current place a few of the older HsMs earn more than DH and he is #2ic!

Maybe do this job for a bit and then use the experience to get a top dollar Housemistress position in a major school when DD is a bit older and things childcare-wise are easier?

Wow really?!

I had no idea it was so well paid!

Thanks for the info, I'll go in armed with a few more facts to fight my corner now!

Definitely only go in if they are redifining your role to the extent of calling it 'Housemistress'. Employing a separate 'day matron' for laundry/housekeeping duties.
I agree it should be a payrise DEF not a paycut from your current teaching job.