Head of Pastoral Care

About the job

Introduction

Thank you for your interest in Geneva English School. We are passionate about high quality teaching and learning and want all of our staff to strive for excellence in what they do; it is what our students and families expect and deserve.

Founded in 1961, Geneva English School is a high-quality, innovative private school built on the strong foundations of the British Education system, providing structure and challenge at Primary level, and choice and opportunity at Secondary level. The school currently welcomes over 300 students and employs 80 academic, management and associate staff.

GES is proud to be part of Inspired Education Group. Inspired offers academic excellence to over 95,000 students in 126 schools across 30 countries. The international group of leading, premium schools utilises best educational practices from every corner of the globe to ensure each student receives a first-class learning experience.

We may be English in name, but our welcoming, thriving school community is as diverse as the Geneva area we serve, with over 60 nationalities represented among our students aged 3 to 18. We are deliberately a small school, focused on getting to know our students and their families to ensure that every young person is challenged and supported through their childhood and teenage years.

The GES approach is open, encouraging and outward-looking and we achieve outstanding results, placing GES in the top 5% of British schools worldwide. Our academic outcomes and pastoral care are graded outstanding by the Independent Schools Inspectorate and we are the only school in Switzerland accredited as a British Schools Overseas by the UK government’s Department for Education.

If this sounds like a learning environment where you could make a difference and you would like to join our fantastic team of professionals who put children at the heart of all we do, we look forward to receiving your application!

For further information, please visit the school’s website at http://www.geschool.ch

Responsibilities

• School Designated Safeguarding Lead for students from Pre-school to Year 13 at our Primary and Secondary campuses in Genthod and Versoix, respectively (Canton Geneva)
• Lead and oversee the pastoral care provision across the school, ensuring the well-being and personal development of all students.
• Develop and implement strategies to promote a positive and inclusive school culture.
• Work closely with teachers, parents, and external professionals to support students' emotional, social, and academic needs.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of pastoral care initiatives and make improvements where necessary.
• Provide guidance and training to staff on pastoral care practices and safeguarding policies.
• Act as a key point of contact for student welfare concerns and ensure appropriate interventions are in place.
• Deliver safeguarding training to all school teaching and administrative staff
• Contribute to the school’s leadership team and collaborate on whole-school initiatives

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a leadership role within a school or educational setting, with a focus on pastoral care
• A strong understanding of safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures
• Knowledge of the local context and Swiss laws and practices governing child protection
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the confidence and ability to build positive relationships with students, parents, staff and the wider community
• Able to recognise signs and behaviours that indicate mental health needs and to react appropriately in crisis situations
• Able to create and implement appropriate, proactive strategies and execute plans in relation to positive mental health
• Able to work autonomously and effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Discreet, proactive, empathic and accessible
• Relevant qualifications in education, psychology, counseling, or a related field
• Fluency in English is essential, as is a working knowledge of French

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Welcoming and supportive environment
• Wonderful students and parent community
• Continuous professional development opportunities
• Opportunites for sharing best practice across the Inspired Education Group of schools
• Free parking

Application Information

If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of young people and are excited about joining a dynamic and supportive team, we encourage you to apply for the role of Head of Pastoral Care at Geneva English School.

For further details about the school, please visit our website at http://www.geschool.ch .

GES is committed to equalities, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We welcome applications from suitable candidates no matter their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers, enhanced national/international criminal records checks and prohibition from teaching checks.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applications should be made in English and consist of your CV and a covering letter (no more than one side of A4).

Deadline for applications: Monday 23rd February 2026