Job Description

The Chaplaincy

At Dean Close the Senior Chaplain is responsible for the spiritual life of all five Schools across the Dean Close Foundation (Pre-Prep, Prep and Senior School on the Cheltenham site, Airthrie School and St John\xe2\x80\x99s on the Hill, Chepstow) and has Chaplaincy Assistants working with them across the Cheltenham Schools.

The Chaplaincy Assistants are embedded in the rhythms of life in our schools, holding responsibility for sports coaching, pastoral care, and pupil-facing ministry with the possibility of gaining teaching experience.

Our aim here is to present the Gospel and encourage young people in their relationship with Jesus in an accessible and relevant way, through our regular Chapel services and assemblies, prayer meetings, Bible Studies, annual school missions, Christian Unions and residentials.

Duties

• Helping to run Bible studies
• Organise opportunities/courses for young people to ask questions of Christianity.
• Assist the Chaplain in the administration and publicity of the Chapel and CU programmes.
• Speak at Chapel, House Assemblies and CU across all schools
• Opportunities to speak at the Prep and Pre-Prep Schools
• Mentoring and tutoring pupils
• Assist with the Confirmation course
• Encourage all pupils in their faith.
• PE & Games coaching: assisting coaching staff with PE and Hockey / Rugby / Netball sessions and matches and supervision of students at away matches.
• Assist the boarding community in the putting on and running of social events for boarders in the evenings and weekends.
• To take a full part in the life of a busy boarding school, which includes regular day, evening, and weekend duties plus school trips.
• Some help with covering lessons during a teacher\xe2\x80\x99s absence and supervision of work rooms

Please see the job description for further details.

Dean Close School is a co-educational day and boarding school which provides continuity of education from age 2 to 18. The School was established in 1886, and is set in 50 acres of parkland in the centre of Cheltenham. In 2015 the Dean Close Foundation was formed, when the School acquired St John\xe2\x80\x99s on-the-Hill Preparatory School and three nurseries in the Chepstow area. In 2017 the Foundation purchased a further two nurseries, Tree Tops in Cheltenham and Gloucester, taking its total to five.

Dean Close is renowned for focusing on individual development. Small classes, excellent learning facilities plus a 550-seater professional theatre, amphitheatre, 2 floodlit astro-turfs, 25m indoor pool, climbing wall, indoor rifle range, dance studio and fully equipped gymnasium all help to nurture each child\xe2\x80\x99s strengths and talents. With around 300 pupils in the Prep School and 500 in the Senior School, Dean Close is small enough to allow everyone to know one another and to feel valued. It also allows everyone to get fully involved in the life of the School. However, it is large enough to have an extremely strong boarding community, vibrant and exciting creative arts, impressive academic results and great sports achievements across all ages.

Visitors to Dean Close regularly comment on the atmosphere, saying how warm and friendly they find it, and we believe that this positive environment can be attributed directly to the Christian heart and principles of the School.

Dean Close Foundation