Groundskeeper - The Beacon School
Location: Amersham
Overview
We’re seeking to appoint a hardworking team player with proven skills in groundskeeping and experience of maintaining outdoor sports facilities to join our team from January 2025. Applicants will need to be prepared to work in all weather conditions and help out more generally as required as part of a small busy team.
The ability to drive the school minibus as part of the role is essential. If you are considering relocating, there are also a few staff flats on site which are sometimes available.
Term time only: No
Salary Type: Beacon Payscale
Salary details: £25,000- £35,000 per annum
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Closing date: 02/01/2025 00:00
Interviews to be held: 2nd/ 3rd week of January 2025
About us
The Beacon is a large prep school for boys aged between 3 and 13, with superb facilities and resources that support a forward-looking educational environment. The school occupies an 18-acre site in leafy Chesham Bois near Amersham and is accessible by Chiltern Railways and Met Line.
Website: https://www.beaconschool.co.uk/work-for-us/
About the role
Job purpose:
To ensure the general grounds across the school site and the school’s sports areas are well-maintained and meet health & safety requirements.
To carry out:
- routine inspection and maintenance of grass areas and outdoor sports facilities
- landscaping such as planting, keeping borders and external walkways tidy, mowing, scarifying and aeration, pruning and weeding
- marking out pitches etc for sports activities and events
- leaf clearance, gritting and snow clearance
- Ensure proper care and maintenance of flower beds, trees, shrubs, hedges, fences, pathways, and ditches
- Maintain sports facilities (both grass and astro/MUGA) ensuring they are in optimal condition for the various activities
- Meeting with Head of Facilities and/or DFO regularly to assess grounds needs and any issues
- Operate and maintain all groundskeeping equipment eg lawnmowers, trimmers, tractors, snow plough …etc
- Ensure all equipment is used safely and efficiently, conducting regular checks for maintenance needs
- Adhere to health and safety guidelines in all groundskeeping activities, including identifying and addressing potential safety hazards on the school grounds.
- Assisting with the School’s needs for driving school transport
As required:
- Work alongside the Facilities/Estates team to carry out other non-grounds duties such as undertaking:
- carparking duties
- preparation for exam set ups, productions, events, re-opening of school etc
- furniture and equipment movement
You may be required to undertake such other reasonable duties from time to time as the School may reasonably require
About you
Essential
Experience: previous experience of working in a similar role
Skills
• Ability to drive the school minibus
• Excellent communication skills, at ease with dealing with young people , staff and parents/ visitors
• Ability to remain calm and professional in all situations
Knowledge
• Understanding of Health & Safety
Other
• Committed to the safety of self and others
• Hardworking
• Friendly and approachable
• Self-motivated and versatile
• Excellent role model
• Highly professional with positive outlook
• Team player
• In all areas of school life, staff are expected to lead by example and demonstrate and uphold the values and principles that we wish the boys to learn.
• An unwavering commitment to safeguarding
Other information
Candidates who have a disability or any other special requirements should let the school know if there are any reasonable adjustments they would like the school to make as part of this recruitment process.
There is a requirement to complete the school’s Application Form. Please complete/download from the website: https://www.beaconschool.co.uk/work-for-us/ and send a copy of your completed Application Form and covering letter by e-mail to: [email protected]
We would encourage you to submit your application early as we reserve the right to close vacancies earlier than the deadline – if, for example, we receive a number of applications of interest early on.
Please note: CVs cannot be accepted. Whilst an interview is to be used as the primary feature of the selection process, if invited for interview you will be advised as to whether any additional selection methods will be required to supplement the interview. This may include a lesson, presentation and/or other task. Whatever methods are chosen, the panel will use these to assess the merits of each candidate against the job and person specification.
All applicants must be prepared to undergo appropriate child protection screening, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. The Beacon is an equal opportunities employer. References will be required and any relevant issues arising from such will be taken up at interview or a suitable point during the process.
Promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for who you are responsible and with whom you come into contact; following the school’s safeguarding policy at all times and using the internal systems/contacting the DSL for monitoring safeguarding, wellbeing and pastoral issues
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:
- All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
- All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020).
For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance issued by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).
It is an offence to apply for the role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. All shortlisted applicants will be required to complete self-disclosure form and return prior to interview.
