School Matron

The Job and What's Involved

As a school matron, you would usually work in a boarding school. You would be responsible for the health and well-being of the pupils and the smooth running of the domestic side of school life.

Your day-to-day tasks would usually include:

• Helping children settle into school life.
• Keeping parents informed about their children's health and well-being.
• Making sure children's clothes are kept clean and are repaired and replaced when necessary.
• Looking after children with minor illnesses.
• Taking children to medical and dental appointments and calling for emergency treatment if necessary.
• Keeping children's records up to date.
• Supervising cleaning and domestic staff.
• Ordering cleaning, domestic and medical supplies.
• Carrying out inventories of fixtures and fittings and reporting the need for repairs and replacements.

In many schools, the roles of matron and school nurse are combined.

You would work long hours, including evenings and weekends. You would also be on call for emergencies.

You may only work during term-time, although in some schools your duties could include looking after people attending summer schools or taking part in activities during the school holidays.

You would usually live at the school.

Assistant matrons can earn around £14,000 a year.
Matrons can earn around £19,000.

Accommodation and meals are provided.

Getting Started with this Career Choice

You could be employed in boarding schools around the UK.

Vacancies are advertised on the Boarding Schools Association website.

Education and Training

The qualifications you need will vary depending on the employer. Some schools will expect you to have qualifications and experience in childcare or nursing, others may consider your personality and life experience to be more important.

As a first step you could look for work as an assistant matron and apply for a more senior post as you gain experience.

You will need Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) clearance, as the job involves working with children.

You will usually need a first aid qualification. A driving licence will also be useful.

You may find qualifications such as the following useful, although they are not always essential:

CACHE Diploma in Childcare and Education.

BTEC National Diploma in Care or Children's Care, Learning and Development.

Nursing diploma or degree.

Check the Nursery Nurse and Nurse profiles for details of childcare and nursing qualifications.

A Few More Exams You Might Need

When you start your job you will receive training which will cover school procedures.

You could also complete the professional certificate course organised by the Boarding Schools Association (BSA) and Roehampton University. Visit the Roehampton University website for details.