Residential Caretaker
Further Information
General school information is provided in the main document. Additional and specific grounds / maintenance
team information is provided at Appendix 1.
Introduction
St Faith’s is a co-educational day school on the south side of Cambridge, less than a mile from the city centre.
It is the largest Preparatory School in Cambridge with a current roll of 540 children and 103 members of staff,
including 51 teachers. We nourish a Christian ethos; all of those who are employed at St Faith’s are expected
to be supportive of its ethos and core values, whatever their own religious position or appointment in the
school.
Founded in 1884, St Faith’s is now part of the same foundation as The Leys School, but operates autonomously
with its own staff, Headmaster, budget and individual identity. The association with The Leys is reflected, inter
alia, in the proportion of children who move there in Year 9 and the close relationship between the senior
management teams of the two schools. St Faith’s and The Leys share a governing body, but each has a
separate governing committee which reports to the wider body.
St Faith’s is very highly regarded in Cambridge. It is valued particularly for its outstanding results, innovative
and dynamic curriculum, very high quality of teaching, the attractiveness of its surroundings and its family
atmosphere. It is an impressive school with a high profile both locally and nationally.
The school was started in a shed in Belvoir Terrace in 1884 – just a little further up the road towards the city. It
moved into a specially designed building in about 1895, and this building (School House) is now where the
Headmaster, secretarial staff, Registrar and children in Years 3 and 4 all work. One early alumnus was John
Maynard Keynes. The next three houses and gardens further down Trumpington Road were purchased just
before and after the Second World War, and the resulting large, green site has been improved and added to
since then. Ashburton was opened in 1998. It comprises a very large assembly hall, several classrooms, two
science laboratories, the library and a drama studio. A new development for Music, ICT and Design
Technology, the Keynes building, was opened in June 2006. Children have the use of our state-of-the-art
Sports Hall, built in 2011, several acres of on-site playing fields and AstroTurf pitches, tennis courts and acres of
pitches off Latham Road, just a few minutes’ walk away.
Expectations
St Faith’s is a busy and an active school. Staff here are encouraged and expected to work to the highest
professional standards, contributing to the very high regard in which the school and its staff are held by current
and former pupils and their parents and ensuring that the children are given all the opportunities that should
be available to them at a first-class independent school. Safeguarding of children and ensuring their protection
is a key concern for all staff.
St Faith’s is a no-smoking area. Working conditions are excellent.
The Curriculum
Boys and girls enter the school at age 4 and stay until they are 13. They are encouraged to develop their
talents to the full by following a curriculum which is broadly based and rigorous in its requirement. Class sizes
are approximately 16 pupils. There are three classes in each of the Pre-Prep year groups (Foundation, Year 1
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and Year 2) and four in Years 3-8. Teaching in the early years is principally class-based, while from Year 5 pupils
work entirely with specialist subject teachers.
Each subject has its own Head of Department who leads a team of subject teachers. The departments offer
courses which cover the needs of independent schools’ scholarship examinations and entry tests, as well as the
requirements of the National Curriculum. An emphasis is placed on excellence and innovation in teaching and
learning across the School.
Further information on the curriculum and the academic life of the school is at Appendix 1.
The Administrative Staff of St Faith’s
The administrative staff of the school provides support to all school functions and activities, and is organised
into a number of departments:
The Bursary provides the school’s financial and human resources capability. Working closely with The
Leys’ Bursary, the Bursary team assists academic departments with resources ordering and trip
management. The business functions of the school are also managed by the Bursary, as is human
resources support to all staff.
The Front Office team provides a wide range of administrative support to the teaching staff and provides
a reception facility for visitors. The team also support peripatetic teachers, and administer daily
registration, the school activities programme and late stay.
The Marketing and Admissions team provide the school’s marketing and recruitment (admissions)
functions. The team runs a number of events throughout the school year to attract new pupils, manage
the website and public relations.
The Maintenance Department looks after the maintenance of all school buildings and the school
grounds including those at Latham Road. The department is always heavily involved in supporting
academic departments with modifications to teaching facilities, refurbishment projects and with support
to drama, music and assembly events.
The Network team provides the technical expertise to manage and maintain the school’s information
technology network. Further information is provided at Appendix 1.
The Catering and Housekeeping team keep the school fed and watered, and keep the school buildings
clean. There is a daily breakfast available for parents and children each weekday during term time, and
an extensive lunch is on offer every day. With a strong focus on healthy eating, the majority of dishes
are cooked on site from fresh ingredients.
Continuous Professional Development
We believe that continuous professional development is a key element of looking after and supporting our
staff in their careers. Opportunities are encouraged for a range of training courses and activities such as team
building.
Child Protection
St Faith’s is committed to recruitment procedures which carefully assess the suitability of all those it employs
to work with children. All its employees are subject to Disclosure and Barring Service vetting procedures. All
who work at St Faith’s are trained to be alert to child protection issues. The highest standards of behaviour are
required of all who work at the school.
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St Faith’s Parents’ Association
Social events organised by the St Faith’s Parents’ Association have included Christmas functions, a Summer
Ball, a fashion show, wine-tastings, musical evenings (opera and jazz), a race-night and a quiz. We welcome
parents’ further involvement through support of music, drama and sport.
Package / Terms and Conditions
The Residential Caretaker role attracts the following package:
Salary. A starting salary of up to £19, 411. There is potential for the salary to increase to £20, 339 on
successful completion of a minimum 6 month probationary period.
Pension. Membership of the defined contribution support staff pension scheme is available. Any
employee contribution up to 5% will be doubled by the School.
On-site Accommodation. Provision of on-site accommodation to reflect the requirement for the post
holder to provide the first point of contact in the event of an emergency and to ensure the security of
the school site. The accommodation would suit a couple and consists of:
Kitchen, living area, bathroom, bedroom
Utilities. The provision of utilities on the basis of a minimum annual personal contribution of £400.
The school will pay any Council Tax liable
Lunch. Free lunch in term time.
The Leys Sports’ Facilities. Access to The Leys sports facilities, including swimming pool.
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Appendix 1
The Academic life of the School
Academic rigour is expected and fostered across the disciplines of English, Mathematics, Science, Modern and
Classical Languages, Humanities and Computing,
The curriculum focuses on the acquisition of knowledge, understanding, skills and appreciation and we aim to
encourage a life-long love of learning through engaging and inspiring programmes of study. We seek to build
secure foundations, encouraging strong learning habits through the nurturing of curiosity, creativity and rigour
and we are committed to pupils achieving the highest levels of excellence through tailored opportunity and the
stimulus of success. Good learning habits and attitudes are fostered in all lessons, with the pupils’ long-term
needs as life-long learners always in mind.
Pastoral Care
Through a house-based tutorial system, the teachers provide a structure for pastoral and academic care and
the development of social skills. There are regular meetings with parents who also receive written reports
twice a year. For the convenience of parents a very popular breakfast club is offered and a ‘Late Stay
Programme’ runs until 6pm. The health of the school is supervised by qualified nurses in the surgery.
Modern and Classical Languages Department
The aim of the Languages department is to inspire a love of languages both ancient and modern.
We encourage children to appreciate that languages are about communication with others through the spoken
and written word, connection with others across time and space, and respect for other peoples, recognising
what we share in common while learning to value the differences.
All children learn Spanish from Foundation onwards, and Spanish in Action is short-hand for our aspiration to
integrate the language actively into the everyday life of the School. French is introduced from Year 7, with
some pupils also having the opportunity to study Ancient Greek. The academic discipline of modern languages
is underpinned by Classics, with Latin from Year 5 serving to sharpen powers of logic and discrimination and
increase all-round linguistic competence. Knowledge of ancient civilizations gives depth and perspective to the
discussion of contemporary issues.
We seek to foster confidence and enjoyment in the use of other languages as well as understanding of the
underlying structures. Learning other languages raises awareness of grammar and idiom, develops analytical
and problem-solving skills, and enhances academic achievement. It also constitutes a lesson for life, with the
courage to take risks being balanced against the need for scrupulous attention to detail.
Pupils are taught by specialist teachers throughout the School, initially in tutor groups and from Year 5 onwards
in one of four ability sets, the content being delivered using a wide variety of approaches which mix published
resources with original in-house materials so as to ensure tailored and creative provision for all. The
Department works closely as a team, some members also teaching in other departments, and is generously
supported by assistants including native speakers who provide conversation and reading practice as well as
helping in other practical ways. Residential trips to Spain, France and Italy take learning beyond the classroom
and offer exciting opportunities for first-hand experience and adventure.
Pupils achieve at the highest levels in Languages in Scholarship examinations at 13+, and native speakers have
frequently been enabled to take an early GCSE in which results have been consistently outstanding. Old
Fidelians regularly go on to study Languages at university. In addition, the School is delighted to be recognised
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as one of ten Associate Schools of the Spanish Embassy in the United Kingdom, an accolade which reflects and
endorses our excellent teaching of Spanish.
Art and Design
Full use is made of the Art Studios, and the Design and Technology facilities in the Keynes Building. There are
facilities for painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, modelling and pottery. Design and Technology offers an
exciting and rewarding area of study, and creative skills are enhanced by the wide variety of facilities and
materials available.
Music and Drama
The School has a flourishing music department with a full-time Director of Music and many visiting
instrumental teachers. Emphasis is placed upon enjoyment as well as good performance. Pupils participate in
class concerts. Instrumental groups of various kinds and choirs perform regularly both in school and in the
concert halls of Cambridge and its University. Currently, there are over 30 musical groups which rehearse each
week.
Drama is timetabled for all forms and there are performances of plays or musicals by each year group
throughout the year. Many children participate in the co-curricular Drama groups.
Games and PE
St Faith’s has an excellent sporting reputation. Inter-house competitions and a strong fixture list with other
schools form the basis of competitive sport in the School.
Games and PE, like all subjects in the School, follow a pyramid philosophy with an inclusive ethos for sport and
a real desire for excellence, ensuring that the most able are challenged. Many of our pupils play at regional
and county level and in recent years several have participated on the national stage, reaching national finals in
several different sports – football, hockey, athletics, swimming, gymnastics and trampolining.
The department is based in a state-of-the-art Sports Hall adjacent to several acres of playing fields. Two
minutes’ walk from the school, on Latham Road, the school has access to approximately twenty acres of
playing fields including two AstroTurf pitches, which are used for hockey and tennis.
Co-Curricular Activities
Co-curricular activities are important at St Faith’s. These range from chess, reading, art and model-making to
the more energetic pursuits such as badminton, gymnastics and judo. All full-time teachers are expected to run
at least one afternoon activity each week; many run more than this. Currently over 90 activities are on offer to
the children each week.
There have in recent years been ski trips, a popular trip to canoe down the Ardèche gorge, term-time visits to
France, Germany and Spain, adventure weekends and visits nearer at hand to take advantage of the fascinating
possibilities of Cambridge and its environs.
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