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- Look after the health and wellbeing of pupils in boarding schools
- You'll need excellent communication skills & the ability to deal with emergencies calmly
- You could become a senior matron or a housemaster/mistress
As a school matron you could work in the UK or abroad.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Helping pupils from all countries and cultures settle into school life
- Keeping pupils healthy and safe
- Helping supervise at meal times and bedtimes
- Communicating with parents about their children
- Taking pupils to medical and dental appointments
- Organising and attending social activities for pupils
- Keeping records and writing reports
- Attending staff meetings
- Sorting laundry and repairs
- Monitoring cleaning staff
- Driving a minibus
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You'll usually work long hours, including evenings and weekends and you'll be on call for emergencies. You may only work during term-time, or you could look after pupils at activities during the school holidays. You'll usually live at the school and you may need to wear a uniform.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone with excellent communication and listening skills, the ability to deal with emergencies calmly, organisational skills, IT skills for record keeping and report writing, and practical skills.
You could apply directly for jobs as a school matron. Employers may view your personality and life experiences as more important than qualifications.
You'll usually need experience in working with young people. Some may ask for relevant training and qualifications, including GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in English and maths.
Experience working with children and qualifications in childcare and first aid could also be useful.
You could take a college course before applying for a job with a school. Relevant courses include Level 2 Award in First Aid Essentials, Level 2 Award in Safeguarding and Protecting Children and Young People, Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid and Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce.
You could also start as a house parent or member of the wider pastoral care team. You could then take on the job training, for example through the Boarding Schools' Association, and work your way up.
You'll need to pass enhanced background checks and may need to have a driving licence and possibly a minibus licence.
CAREER PROSPECTS
You could start as a house parent or assistant matron, then move to matron and senior matron. You could also become a housemaster or mistress or head of boarding.