Houseparent / Boarding Matron (Saturdays)

Closing Date:

October 28, 2025

Interview Date:

October 28, 2025

Non-Resident, Part-time (Saturdays during term time plus opportunities for additional hours)
Required as soon as possible

Ipswich School has been listed as one of the top 100 schools in the country and is certainly one of the foremost independent schools in East Anglia.  We were established prior to 1399, and moved to our present site in 1852.  We have been voted Suffolk’s top independent school (The Sunday Times Parent Power 2016-23).

BOARDING AT IPSWICH SCHOOL

Westwood Boys’ Boarding House is a Victorian mansion set in wooded grounds, just a 5 minute walk from the main school site. Anglesea Heights Girls’ Boarding House and our newly redeveloped Sixth Form Boarding House which opened on the Anglesea Heights site in September 2025, are modern attractive spaces, with ensuite facilities providing an experience similar to a university hall of residence. We now have capacity for around 120 students, all of whom benefit from a friendly, home-from-home experience.

THE POST

This is an exciting opportunity to help support our pupils in a friendly boarding house environment. You will play an important role supporting the Head of Boarding by ensuring the smooth running of all aspects of our Boarding Houses and the general welfare of our boarding pupils.  We are seeking to appoint a flexible, caring, organised person to join us on Saturdays.  In this post you will usually work at Anglesea Heights (Girls) house, but may also work at Anglesea Heights (Sixth Form) or Westwood (Boys) boarding houses according to need.

Please note that this is a non-resident post and accommodation is not provided.

You will have an interest in the welfare of the pupils in your care (aged between 13 and 18 years), empathy with young people, flexibility in working hours and duties, and the ability to work on your own initiative.

Ideally you will have experience of working with children and be warm, caring and nurturing with good communication and interpersonal skills. Experience of cleaning, laundry and/or a similar role would also be desirable.

HOURS OF WORK

The working hours are on Saturdays during Ipswich School boarding term time from 9.00 am – 6.00 pm (with a 30 minute unpaid break for lunch each day). This is 8.5 hours per day. There are usually 30 Saturdays in each academic year. 

In addition, you will work from 9.00 am – 5.00 pm (with an unpaid break for lunch) (and/or attend relevant training sessions as required) on the two INSET days prior to the start of the Michaelmas (Autumn) term each year. INSET days are used for staff training and development activities and are defined as term time days. They are also used to welcome new and returning students to our boarding houses.

SALARY AND BENEFITS  

CLOSING DATE AND INTERVIEW ARRANGEMENTS

We would encourage you to download an application form and a full job description for this role from our website: www.ipswich.school/vacancies or contact the HR team on 01473 408300 or hr@ipswich.school.  

Completed application forms should be returned by noon on 28 October 2025. 

Candidates may be contacted or invited to interview prior to the closing date, and we may close this vacancy early if suitable candidates apply. Therefore, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Please mark the envelope Private and Confidential and send to: The Director of HR, Ipswich School, 25 Henley Road, Ipswich, IP1 3SG or email: hr@ipswich.school.

Please advise us of any special requirements you may have if you are called for interview.  If your special requirements mean that you need to submit this application in a different format please contact us.

If we have not been in touch with you by mid-November then we regret that your application will have been unsuccessful, but we would like to thank you for your interest.

PLEASE NOTE

Ipswich School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment.  Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.