Job Description

Job Description/Requirements

About Pembroke House
Pembroke House is a traditional, full-boarding, coeducational IAPS school of roughly 220 pupils from nursery to year 8, set in the Rift Valley, Kenya. The school has a reputation for providing an outstanding all-round education with a quality of pastoral care that is second to none. Whilst known traditionally for its sporting achievements, academic standards at Pembroke House are high and all pupils are prepared for 13+ Common Entrance or scholarship examinations. The majority of children move on to schools in the UK and in recent years an impressive number of awards have been won – including academic, sport, art, drama and all-round scholarships.

We are seeking applicants with a passion for children, mixed with drive, energy and a delight to see children achieve their very best. A willingness to be available throughout a school day, or night as well as on weekends, to fit in with the children’s school day.

The Role
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a dynamic and passionate person to join Pembroke House School as a Riding Instructor. We are looking for a creative instructor who is highly motivated and is able to enthuse, engage and inspire children through their teaching. The successful candidate will work towards and support the School vision to deliver a unique learning experience to every child, every day.

Qualifications Required
An equine teaching qualification, like BHS Instructor or Assistant Instructor, or Pony Club Instructor, that is recognized by the Kenyan Government, is a requirement for this role.

Membership to the HAK is also a requirement.

Responsibilities & Duties
•     Working with students one at a time or in groups, ensuring the safety of students and teaching professional equestrian knowledge.
•     Showing beginners how to get on a horse and how to control it.
•     Improving the riding techniques of more experienced learners.
•     Leading groups of riders on rides both inside and outside of the school grounds.
•     Coaching advanced riders and helping them prepare for competitions.
•     To meet the teaching standards in accordance with the school policies.
•     Teaching riders how to care for horses and how to look after equipment.
•     Making sure horses are fed, watered, groomed and exercised, and that stables are mucked out.
•     Checking tack and equipment for wear and tear and arranging for maintenance and repairs.
•     Ensuring any medical issues with horses are handled quickly and efficiently.
•     Carrying out other duties, such as planning riding lessons, supervising staff, ordering supplies and keeping accounts.
•     Good standard of stable maintenance, venue maintenance and other related work.
•     Applicant should be competent at organizing shows - show jumping, dressage and cross country - as well as be competent and experienced in building the courses to a suitable standard for both in house and an inter school competition.
•     Applicants should have the competence to school and improve the education of the ponies, in knowledge and size. Most ponies within the Pembroke House School environment are 13-14.3 hands.
•     Be courteous and engaging with parents of pupils and taking consideration of their comments.

As a member of staff at Pembroke House you should be mindful of personal data protection and safeguarding at all times. The ‘Expectations’ document helps identify the areas of expertise that as a school we most appreciate and seek to foster.

Personal Attributes and Skills Sought
We are looking for a well-qualified, dynamic, innovative and forward-thinking Instructor. We would be interested in applicants from both the maintained and independent sectors. The chosen candidate will be someone who really enjoys interacting with people, especially children, and who is looking for an opportunity to take on new challenges as well as developing existing skills. Applicants should have excellent organisational and time-management skills.

The successful candidate will be an excellent role model for pupils, and will set high standards of smartness, manners and general demeanour.

We expect the highest level of professionalism from all staff, displaying a positive demeanour - in particular with parents and pupils.

Specific Skills required
1. Riding
2. Stable management
3. Management of Grazing
4. First-Aid
5. Equine First-Aid
6. Schooling & Exercise
7. Lunging 8. Bandaging (travel)
9. Teaching of Riding 10. People Skills

Safeguarding
Pembroke House is totally committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and expects the same from its employees. Every member of staff has a responsibility to promote and safeguard the welfare of the children and young people for whom they are responsible and to ensure compliance with the school’s Safeguarding Policy at all times. If in the course of carrying out their duties a member of staff becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare a child at school they must report any concerns straight away to the school’s

Designated Safeguarding Lead. All new staff will be subject to enhanced DBS clearance, identity checks, qualification checks and employment checks to include an exploration of any gaps within employment, two satisfactory references (to include current employer) and police clearance checks from all countries in which previously employed.

Footnotes
All members of staff at Pembroke House are expected to ‘lead by example’ as well as by their skills of organisation, planning and motivation. The ‘Pembroke House Expectations’ document describes the manner in which the school hopes all staff will conduct themselves during their time at Pembroke House. The Staff handbook describes in more detail the organisation of the school from the staff point of view. In all cases ignorance of protocol is not an excuse and all staff are expected to make themselves familiar with the way in which the school operates and the manner in which it likes to handle issues with children, parents, staff and the wider community as a whole.

The School Ethos
•     All members of staff are expected actively to seek to encourage all children to participate and ‘do their best’ in as many disciplines as possible.
•     As a School we do all we can to aim for the highest standards possible with regards to each child’s education and development. At the same time we strive to be fair to ‘all’ – children, staff and parents. Not only must children be tutored and explanations delivered of decisions made but there must be the same consideration of our parents and their need to know. Thus members of staff are encouraged to email and telephone parents and communicate as regularly and openly as time allows.

Throughout the course of each day all members of staff should make it their business actively to encourage good manners, respect and tolerance, at all times and they should endeavour to teach children how to be humble when they excel and gracious when receiving constructive criticism and advice.

Person Specification: Riding Instructor
Personal qualities
•     Suitability to work with children. Police Clearance checks and, where possible, an enhanced DBS check will be completed on the successful applicant.
•     Strong communication skills (oral and written) for dealing with pupils, parents and colleagues.
•     Conscientiousness, enthusiasm, and the ability to sustain long hours during term time, including early mornings, evenings and weekends.
•     Ability to work collaboratively.
•     Strong organizational skills for planning, running and participating in horse shows.
•     Good management skills to work with support staff.
•     Ability to develop a rapport with pupils throughout the school.
•     A positive attitude towards professional development and their own learning.

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