House Parent,Whitgift Summer School

Whitgift is a leading independent day and boarding school for boys, with approximately 1500 pupils including over 100 boarding pupils and flexi boarding pupils. It is set in an attractive 48-acre parkland site in South Croydon enjoying excellent links to London, Surrey and the south coast.

During the summer holidays, Whitgift runs its own summer school for international students, utilising all its fantastic facilities and modern boarding house. Whitgift Summer School, with its innovative and exciting English language and academic courses, along with activities which involve English speaking students, is designed to appeal to girls and boys aged 11-17 from all over the world.

We are seeking to appoint a team of House Parents who will be responsible for the pastoral care and well-being of all the international students at the 2026 Whitgift Summer School. House Parents manage the day-to-day boarding house operation and help generate a welcoming, supportive and fun atmosphere in the house, ensuring the students safety and well-being at all times. Applicants will be expected to contribute to the full life of our busy summer school.

Candidates must be hard-working, reliable and professional and be willing to go the extra mile to ensure the safety and well-being of all students. They must have the ability and skills to build a caring, friendly and positive rapport with students, while, at the same time, being able to deal appropriately with discipline issues when required. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are essential, as is the ability to work calmly, effectively and positively, even whilst under pressure.

Applicants must be passionate about child welfare and be educated to degree level. Previous experience of working with children in a professional setting is essential, preferably in a summer school, residential or boarding house context. Applicants with any vocational training in areas such as childcare, education or counselling are welcomed. Proficiency in spoken and written English is essential. The ability to work as part of a team is necessary.

This is a residential role in order to offer students a first-class pastoral and welfare service. Even when off duty, the House Parents must be willing to assist in case of any emergency that may arise, especially throughout the night.

Applicants must be able to present evidence of their right to work in the UK for the duration of the contract.

We welcome applications from all sectors of our community as we aspire to attract staff that match the social and cultural diversity of our student intake.

For further information and an online application form, please visit www.whitgift.co.uk/vacancies

From the advert on the School’s vacancy page, further information about the role and the skills required is available by selecting the 'Documents' button at the top right of the advertisement. Click the green 'Apply' button on the top right for the online application form. 

For any queries, please telephone the Summer School on 020 8633 9924 or email summerschool@whitgift.co.uk

The Summer School will run for six weeks, and, although applicants who have full availability throughout this period are prioritised, applications for shorter periods may be considered. Therefore, if you are unable to work for the entire 6 weeks, please state this clearly within the additional information section of the application form and provide reasons.

We invite interested candidates to apply as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed on a daily basis, and interviews may take place at any time. This vacancy may close earlier than the stated deadline if sufficient applications are received, so early submission is encouraged. 

                                    Closing Date: 7 January 2026

Whitgift School (part of the John Whitgift Foundation) is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening including checks with past employers, the Disclosure & Barring Service and online media checks (including personal, professional and other online activities). 

All roles within the school involve contact with children and are therefore classed as regulated activity. Child protection and safeguarding are the responsibility of everyone who works or volunteers in our school. All staff must be committed to providing a safe environment for children and supporting the school’s safeguarding ethos.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Applicants are required to declare all convictions and cautions, even those that are “spent” unless they are “protected” under the DBS filtering rules, to assess suitability to work with children. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to disclose information relevant to safeguarding prior to the interview.