PART I: THE ROLE
The school has in its care an extraordinary range of buildings from chapels and classrooms to a swimming pool and science laboratories; from the 14th to the 21st centuries. The list embraces 11 Boarding Houses and over 100 staff houses, many listed graded 1 and 11.
This built environment is maintained and improved by the Works Department. Under the direction of the Estate Bursar, who also manages the capital projects, the Works Manager has a staff of about 25 operatives and is supported by a Services Manager, Special Works and Planned Maintenance Manager, a Supervisor and an Office Manager.
Members of staff have a great affection for the school and 18 of its number have worked here in excess of 10 years. Combined with this affection, their skills produce a comprehensive and reliable service to the school community.
The department operates out of a purpose-built facility in Norman Road. The building, completed in 2021 includes a well-equipped joinery workshop and full welfare facilities.
The key role of the Senior Plumber is:
Responsible to: Special Works Manager
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Senior Plumber are as follows:
Essential
Desirable
The ability to work in occupied areas with care and sensitivity is essential. The successful postholder will be responsible for:
PART II: PERSON SPECIFICATION AND KEY QUALITIES
Experience and skills
The successful candidate will have/be:
Key Qualities
The successful candidate will be/have:
PART III: BENEFITS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND APPLICATION
Start date
This position will commence in June 2024.
Hours of Work
This position is full-time, 40 hours per week, 52 weeks of the year, Monday-Friday, 08.00 – 16.30 with 30 minutes for lunch and 10 minutes morning break, with the addition of some evening and weekend requirements as part of an emergency call-out rota.
Salary
The salary for this position is £36,000-£37,000 (gross) per annum, depending on qualifications and experience. In addition to salary, the school allocates a Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) for the emergency call out rota, which will be negotiated at the appropriate level. Salary is paid monthly, in arrears, to a nominated back account in 12 equal payments. Salary levels are reviewed annually, and this appointment will be next reviewed in September 2025.
Probation and Notice Periods
The first four months of employment will be a probationary period. During this time, conduct and performance will be reviewed. The College may extend the probationary period if it is deemed to be required. During the probationary period the notice required to terminate employment will be one week (by either the employee or employer). Once employment is confirmed, the notice period will increase to one month.
Uniform
Certain items of uniform will be provided, including polo shirts and sweatshirts. All items must be kept clean and in good repair; laundering will be the responsibility of the individual.
Holidays
The College leave year runs from 1 September to 31 August. This position will be entitled to the statutory holiday requirements. These are presently 5.6 weeks, including Bank Holidays. Any Public Bank Holiday occurring during term time is deemed to be a normal working day. All leave must be taken by prior arrangement with the Works Manager and for which four weeks’ notice is required. Generally, staff are discouraged from taking holidays during school holidays as the major workload is when the College properties are empty, although some exceptions will be made.
Subject to the discretion of the school’s Bursar, a gift may also be given of extra time off during the Christmas period.
Induction and Continuous Training and Development
The school is fully committed to the induction, training and development of all our staff, with staff supported to grow and reach their full potential.
We deliver a range of training, run by both our own staff and external providers, varying from highly practical First Aid courses to seminars and learning lunches, as well as offering access to Udemy, an online learning platform.
There is an annual cycle of performance reviews offering the opportunity to reflect on professional practice and development opportunities.
The school also offers a wide range of apprenticeships supporting staff development and progression.
Pension and Life Cover
On employment, employees will be auto-enrolled into the College’s pension scheme according to legislative thresholds.
Those who are not eligible for auto-enrolment may still elect to join the College’s pension scheme.
Initially, when joining the College’s pension scheme, employees will become a member of the College’s Group Personal Pension Plan (GPP). For this Plan, known as Tier 1, the employee contributes 5% and the employer 3%.
After 9 month’s membership of the Tier 1 plan, employees may opt to join Tier 2, which is also a GPP, where the employee contributes 5% and the employer 9%.
Employees in Tier 1 automatically qualify for a Life Cover of 2 times salary. On entry to Tier 2, Life Cover changes to 4 times salary.
Wider Benefits
Enhanced Disclosure Check
As Winchester College is an educational establishment, a condition of employment will be that the successful candidate must consent to the school obtaining an Enhanced Level Disclosure Check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This will reveal all spent and unspent convictions, warnings, cautions and bind-overs. A policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders is available on the school’s website.
Safeguarding is one of the primary responsibilities of this role. The jobholder is responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom they are responsible, or with whom they come into contact with, and will need to adhere to and ensure compliance with the school’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy at all times. The postholder should be conversant with the responsibilities and procedures detailed in this policy and with the Department for Education’s Keeping Children Safe in Education. If, in the course of carrying out the duties of the post, the postholder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the school, they must report any concerns to the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, or in their absence, the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads.
References and Other Pre-employment Checks
The appointment will be dependent upon the receipt of a successful medical check and satisfactory references. The College will usually seek references from shortlisted candidates before interview and may approach previous employers for information to verify particular experience or qualifications. At least one referee must be the current or most recent employer. Where applicants are not currently working with children but have done so in the past, one referee must be the person by whom they were most recently employed when working with children.
How to Apply
Only applications completed on the school website will be accepted.
Closing date for applications: 9am on Monday 3rd June 2024.
Please note that applications will be dealt with as they arrive.
Winchester College reserves the right to appoint prior to the closing date.
Interviews to be held during w/c 3rd June 2024.
Those wishing for an informal conversation about this role are invited to contact Paul Legg, Works Manager, pl@wincoll.ac.uk.
If you have any questions about this vacancy or the recruitment process, please email recruitment@wincoll.ac.uk.
Data Protection
Winchester College collects and processes relevant personal data as part of its everyday operations and is obliged to process it in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Act 2018. The school is the Data Controller of this data under the Act and is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office. Its registration number is Z5751669.
If you have any queries or comments about this policy or how personal data is processed by the school, please contact the Bursar and his team by emailing: dataprotection@wincoll.ac.uk or by writing to: Data Protection, The Bursary, Winchester College, College Street, Winchester, SO23 9NA.
PART IV: ABOUT WINCHESTER COLLEGE
In February 2021, Winchester announced a bold new vision and a significant programme of change. ‘Winchester College in the 21st Century’ describes the School’s ambitions for its future and heralds the start of an exciting new phase in Winchester’s development.
Winchester was a pioneering institution when it was founded in 1382 and this new vision will ensure the School continues to be a leader and influencer of great education on the modern global stage. The commitment to provide an intellectual education of exceptional quality and breadth remains unaltered, as do the values which have underpinned Winchester since its foundation. ‘Winchester College in the 21st Century’ will build on these strengths and bring multiple benefits to current and future generations of Wykehamists.
Winchester currently has over 700 pupils. In September 2022, the College welcomed 40 day pupils, including 17 girls, into the Sixth Form and will continue to do so, over time expanding the entry each year to include girl boarders in due course.
Academically, Winchester is among the very best schools in the country and is sought after for its combination of superb teaching, pastoral care, sports and activities.
At all levels Winchester encourages pupils to look beyond the curriculum. Div is our unique programme of general cultural studies and offers an excellent preparation for university study. In these lessons, pupils engage with a wide range of subjects, from English Literature to Ancient History to the History of Science.
Pupils in the Sixth Form study linear A-level courses and will ordinarily study three A-level subjects and an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) alongside Div. Linear A-levels are complemented by the flexibility of the EPQ where pupils are able to more deeply explore their cross-curricular research interests. The EPQ encourages pupils to develop first-class research skills, to synthesise information from a variety of differing sources, and to become accustomed to the demands of independent study.
Music has been central to life at Winchester ever since its foundation, and the school is unique in having maintained its Choral Foundation to the present day. The Music Department is now one of the leading departments in the country, and offers outstanding opportunities to all.
Sport is a major part of Winchester life. There are many fixtures against other schools, and in 2024 the redevelopment of the sports facilities will see a state-of-the-art complex open that will allow all pupils to enjoy and participate in a variety of sports, whilst simultaneously enabling the most talented and driven pupils to train and compete at the highest level.
Much energy is also invested in the Combined Cadet Force, the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Community Service, and in links with local primary and secondary maintained schools. This commitment provides pupils with many opportunities to work for the benefit of others, inside and outside the classroom, developing the knowledge and skills, and the rights and responsibilities, which will enable them to grow into valuable and productive members of society.
Pupils eat all meals in their boarding houses, talking with their Housemaster/mistress, and interacting with friends, visitors and teachers. We believe that conversational ability, developed both inside and outside the community, equips pupils to talk to anyone, about anything, in practically any situation.
This unparalleled combination attracts pupils from across the world, making Winchester a truly international and diverse community which celebrates every pupil’s individuality, passions and potential.
Winchester College is committed to maintaining the founder’s original intention of offering an outstanding education to any pupil who would benefit from it, regardless of their financial circumstances, and many of the pupils in the College are being helped financially through the school with substantial bursaries.
Diversity and Inclusion
Winchester College is a truly international community that celebrates everyone’s individuality, talents and potential and offers regular training and career development opportunities. We embrace diversity and inclusion in the workplace and are committed to promoting a fair and supportive environment for all our employees. We work hard to create a culture where different perspectives are valued and our staff feel valued for their individuality, and share a sense of belonging. Our aim is to reflect the diverse nature of society and of our pupil body.
Sustainability
Both staff and pupils at Winchester College are committed to being the most sustainable school possible. You can learn more about our goal of creating a more sustainable school here.
Full details about the school may be found at www.winchestercollege.org.
