Defence Children Services (DCS) House Matron Wavell, Queen Victoria School (QVS)

Job summary

Queen Victoria School (QVS) is a Ministry of Defence full time boarding school within the Scottish Education System. We exist to provide a caring but stretching learning environment, valued by the military families whom we serve. We embody and promote values of Excellence, Equality, Integrity, Nurture and Positivity. QVS has a long tradition of ceremonial excellence; we take pride in this and all that our School has to offer.

The main function of this post is to provide support to the students of the Boarding House, acting as a parent figure and ensuring the well-being of the pupils by joining the Housemaster/mistress (HoM) and their House team to ensure the smooth running of the domestic arrangements in the House. Matron plays a key role in the Residential Boarding Team, working closely with the HoM and Deputy HoM across evenings and weekends to undertake Pastoral Boarding Duties and playing an active role in developing opportunities for students to thrive within boarding arrangements in the House.

Defence Children Services (DCS) is a Defence delivery organisation, subordinated under Army Regional Command. Our Vision is that we Educate the Child – Support the Family – Defend the Nation. HQ DCS is UK based at Trenchard Lines, Upavon and has forward deployed staff all over the world. DCS is responsible for the education and care of children of accompanied Service and Defence entitled personnel in MOD schools and settings; provides advice and guidance in respect of education for service families in the United Kingdom and the wider world.

The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, the Army Top Level Budget (TLB) employs around 7,000 MOD Civil Servants located at over 300 locations. Ours is a diverse workforce, with roles ranging from trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff. There are many different functions and professions delivering key outputs for the Army.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

This is a Live-in post and has General, Pupil, Supporting, Domestic and Medical responsibilities- full details can be found in the attached job description. Below is an outline of General and Supporting responsibilities.

General Responsibilities:

• Act as a ‘parent figure’, being generous with time and responsive to pupils' needs.
• Responsible for domestic administration and routine in the House.
• Oversee clothing, linen, bedding, laundry, mending, hygiene, and health.
• Supervise the day-to-day work of the Housekeeper.
• Create a cheerful, caring, and well-ordered environment for pupils, staff, and visitors.
• Undertake Boarding Duties, supervising students during evenings and weekends.
• Provide pastoral care, support, and advice to students.
• Ensure students are safe, active, happy, and thriving.

Supporting Pupils:

• To play an active role within the Residential Boarding team, working together to ensure that appropriate care is given to the pupils and that their individual needs are met.
• To work as part of the Residential House team to maintain and enhance a healthy routine of life for each pupil, and to make sure that standards of cleanliness and personal hygiene are taught and carried out.
• To deal with disciplinary matters in a firm but caring manner, and to consult the HoM in any serious matter of concern, and to keep him/her well informed.
• To liaise with the HoM/ School Nurse concerning general health and lifestyle of the pupils, and to keep closely in touch with him/her and the Health and Wellbeing staff in case of individual illness, if required.
• To encourage and guide pupils to cope with the daily routines and challenges of boarding school life – promoting good manners, responsible behaviour and punctuality in the pupils.
• To maintain a good liaison with pupils e.g. by being present at break and lunch time. To prepare for birthday celebrations within the House, as required by the HoM.
• To work as part of the Residential House team to help develop well rounded ambitious and committed young members of the community.

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com

Person specification

Essential

Registered, or be willing to register, with Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and obtain Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) 3 Social Services (Children and Young People) at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) level 7 within the timescales specified by SSSC (this will be provided).

• Able to move into the one-bedroom flat in Wavell boarding house.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Ability to show patience and understanding to young people.
• Experience in working effectively as part of a team.
• Sees the bigger picture of organisational aims.

Desirable

• A full, clean UK driving licence.
• Additional qualifications in Pastoral Care.
• Experience of working with teenagers or young people.
• Experience of working within a boarding environment.
• Experience of working in a secondary school environment.
• Safeguarding experience.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Pupil focus group

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £26,666, Ministry of Defence contributes £7,725 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

As a QVS employee you will become a MOD Civil Servant. Benefits for QVS/MOD Civil Servants include:

• The post attracts very generous allowances for Boarding School Duties.
• Personal and professional development opportunities.
• Part of a forward-looking organisation with inclusive workplace policies and prides itself on being a supportive employer.
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
• On campus car parking.
• Access to excellent sports facilities, including a multi-gym.
• This role includes Live In Accommodation
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Discover My Benefits:

Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD:

https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

This post does not offer any assistance with Relocation Allowances.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

At sift you will be assessed against your knowledge, skills and experience in your CV and Personal Statement.

Your CV setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements. Your Personal Statement (maximum of 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role.

Please note that the Personal Statement of suitability is an important part of your application and is as much the means by which you will be assessed as your CV.

At interview you will be assessed on four Civil Service Behaviours;

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

You will also be assessed on your experience outlined in the job advert and be expected to take part in a pupil focus group.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigation’s can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Jill Adams
• Email : jill.adams@modschools.org
• Telephone : 0131 310 2973

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-ResourcingTeam1@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please see Further Information document attached.

Attachments

20260317 - Wavell Housematron JP (M) PDF Opens in new window (pdf, 490kB)20241009 - Further Information - External Opens in new window (docx, 34kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)