Pastoral Assistant (UAE National)

Role Overview

Pastoral Assistant position at International Schools Partnership in the United Arab Emirates. This role is open to UAE nationals.

Role Purpose

Support student well-being and personal development through day-to-day pastoral care, mentorship, and guidance while promoting positive behavior, safeguarding, and a supportive school culture.

Key Responsibilities

Student Well-Being & Support

• Provide day-to-day pastoral support to students, offering guidance and emotional support as needed.
• Build positive relationships with students, helping them navigate academic, social, and personal challenges.
• Support students during difficult situations, including mental health concerns, bullying incidents, or family-related issues.
• Refer students to appropriate professionals, such as counselors or external agencies, when necessary.
• Monitor and support students' attendance and punctuality, following up on unexplained absences and offering support as needed.
• Assist with the transition of students between year groups or into the school.

Behavior and Conduct

• Work with students to promote positive behavior, ensuring adherence to the school's code of conduct and disciplinary policies.
• Support students in developing positive social skills and conflict-resolution techniques.
• Assist teachers in managing student behavior, supporting the implementation of behavior management plans when necessary.
• Help create and maintain a positive school culture, supporting inclusivity, respect, and responsibility.

Mentorship & Guidance

• Act as a mentor to students, providing a listening ear and offering advice or guidance on personal development, friendships, and school life.
• Assist with academic and personal goal setting, helping students build resilience, motivation, and self-esteem.
• Coordinate or support small group mentoring sessions or peer-support programs for students.
• Promote student leadership and personal development opportunities, such as through student councils or other extracurricular activities.

Liaison and Communication

• Communicate regularly with parents, guardians, and families regarding students' well-being, behavior, and academic progress.
• Work closely with teaching staff, counselors, and other pastoral staff to provide holistic support to students.
• Support school communication, including newsletters, letters to parents, or updates on pastoral care initiatives.

Pastoral Programs and Events

• Assist in the planning and implementation of pastoral programs, events, and workshops that support students' emotional, social, and academic growth.
• Organize and support extracurricular activities that promote student engagement, including clubs, team-building events, or awareness campaigns such as mental health days and anti-bullying programs.
• Contribute to the delivery of assemblies, workshops, and pastoral curriculum lessons on topics such as mental health, wellbeing, relationships, and citizenship.

Safeguarding

• Be vigilant for signs of safeguarding issues and follow the school's safeguarding policies to protect students from harm.
• Report any concerns about a student's welfare to the Designated Safeguarding Lead in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Attend safeguarding and child protection training to stay current on relevant protocols and procedures.

Administrative Support

• Maintain accurate records of pastoral support and interventions, documenting concerns, meetings, and outcomes.
• Assist with the preparation of reports on students' progress, welfare, and behavior for pastoral meetings, parent-teacher conferences, and other school-related purposes.
• Help manage student records, ensuring they are up-to-date and confidential.

Qualifications & Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent (minimum requirement).
• Degree or diploma in Education, Social Work, Psychology, or a related field (highly preferred).
• Previous experience working with young people in an educational or pastoral setting (preferred).

Skills & Competencies

• Ability to develop good personal relationships within a team.
• Effective and experienced communicator in written and verbal communication to a variety of audiences.
• High level of IT competency.

Additional Information

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures, including an online due diligence search, references, and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years' employment history.

ISP is committed to strengthening an inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing team members regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender expression, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background, or other demographic characteristics.