School Office Administrator

SALARY RANGE: £23,000 – £24,000 pa, pro rata

HOURS: 27.5 hours per week term time plus INSET days

START DATE: Immediate or later by arrangement

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Headteacher

LOCATION: Pathways School, All Saints Parish Church, Shrewsbury Avenue, Harrow HA3 9LX 

PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Two terms 

SICK PAY: Full pay whilst unable to work due to sickness as follows: · 0 days in first three months · 5 days for the remainder of the first year · 20 days thereafter · Salary payments for periods of sickness beyond 20 days in a 52-week period are at the discretion of Pathways School 

OTHER BENEFITS: Pension: 3, 4,  5 or 8%  matched contributions after 3 months in post, loans for Season Tickets / Bike purchase  

For More Information Please Email: [email protected]

For an informal conversation about the role and our school call the Headteacher on: 0208 054 4540

APPLICATIONS CLOSE: 5.00pm Friday November 1st 2024

INTERVIEWS: w/c November 4th 2024 

APPLICATION FORM: Click Here

CRIMINAL RECORDS DECLARATION FORM: Click Here

Pathways School is committed to creating a diverse workforce. We’ll consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, religion, belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy, maternity, age, disability, marriage or civil partnership. 

OVERVIEW: 

Pathways School opened in September 2022 as an independent specialist secondary school for children and young people aged 11 to 19 with autism and learning disabilities.

We require an energetic and enthusiastic individual who is seeking a unique and exciting role as a School Office Administrator, supporting Pathways in the next phase of its development in improving the lives of vulnerable young people. 

The school is based on the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and Positive Behaviour Support (PBS). We believe every individual has the potential to learn and should be free of behaviours and activities that cause injury, pain or stress, or limit opportunities to access learning and community involvement.  

We also recognise that parents/carers are the child’s first educators and that their knowledge and expertise about their child is of paramount importance. The links between home, school and external support networks are crucial to fully support the overall development of our students. 

Pathways is not just a school, but a dynamic platform for community-wide capacity building and empowerment.

Main purpose  

The School Office Administrator is responsible for maintaining the front of house presence of the school, creating and sustaining positive and constructive relationships with parents/carers and the wider community.  They oversee the daily administration of the school office and are responsible for all administrative and organisational processes within the school, always ensuring confidentiality. They will assist the Headteacher and Governors with the planning and development of effective business functions, financial systems, HR and health and safety. 

 Duties and responsibilities  

Organisation 

• Ensure the smooth and effective running of the school office and all administrative and communication systems, including communication between parents/carers and school and the management of petty cash 
• Contribute towards the development and organisation of support service systems, procedures and policies, including site management and health and safety 
• Assist in the organisation of school trips in cooperation with other staff. This includes ensuring that staff and external providers (e.g. coach companies) have completed all associated risk assessments 
• Assist with organising parents’ evenings and other meetings and events, including the organisation of rooms and equipment, and providing refreshments as required 
• Ensure that all staff create a professional and welcoming reception for all visitors and parents and all visitor checks and health and safety processes are in place to monitor entry in and out of the school 

Administration 

• Manage manual and computerised record/information systems 
• Contribute to the evaluation of data/information and produce reports/information/data as required 
• Provide personal, administrative and organisational support to other staff and the governing board 
• Support the Headteacher & Behaviour Analyst with the organisation and management of admissions procedures in line with any local authority criteria, updating waiting lists in line with the school’s admissions policy 
• Carry out filing, printing and photocopying. Maintain the operation of the printer and photocopier to ensure it’s ready to use at all times, resolving any issues as necessary  
• Assist with managing the school’s email inbox, ensuring the school meets its expected response times and emails are forwarded to the relevant staff member as necessary  
• Manage and organise completed forms from parents  
• Organise and distribute incoming and outgoing post  
• Contribute to the induction process for new pupils  
• Book training courses for staff 

Resource management 

• Order, monitor and manage stock, ensuring best value following the school’s purchasing processes 
• Oversee and operate relevant equipment and IT packages (e.g. the school’s MIS system) 
• Provide advice and guidance to staff, pupils and others on administration systems and events that take place in school 
• Assist with procurement  
• Assist with marketing and promoting the school 
• Manage petty cash procedures and maintain appropriate records to satisfy audits 
• Manage office expenditure with an agreed budget 
• Manage service contracts 
• Assist with the organisation of premises repairs under the direction of the Headteacher  
• Ensure the office is kept tidy, organised and in good order at all times, making sure there are sufficient office resources available 

Compliance 

• Manage the administration of recruitment including advertising, collating documentation, medical clearance and DBS checks as required 
• Support Headteacher & DSL in updating SCR 
• Keep records in accordance with the school’s record retention schedule and data protection law, ensuring information security and confidentiality at all times  
• Support the data protection officer with ensuring data protection compliance and helping the school community understand how to comply with data protection law 

The School Office Administrator will be required to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people, and follow school policies and the staff code of conduct. 

Please note that this list of duties is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the role. It is not a comprehensive list of all tasks that the school office manager will carry out. The post holder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role, as directed by the headteacher. 

Person specification 

CRITERIA	QUALITIES
Qualifications and training	GCSE in Englsih and Maths First Aid Training, or willingness to complete
Experience	Working in an office environment at senior level  Organising, leading and motivating other staff  Developing, managing and operating clerical/administrative/financial and organisational systems  Managing staff  Working with children or young people   Managing school finances and budgets (desirable)  Analysing and evaluating data  Maintaining SCR (desireable)
Skills and knowledge	Good knowledge of financial regulations (desirable)  Excellent attention to detail  Excellent literacy and numeracy skills  Competent use of IT packages including word processing, spreadsheets, computerised accounting systems and school MIS systems  Ability to use relevant office equipment effectively   Ability to plan, organise and prioritise  Understanding of data protection and confidentiality   Understanding of safeguarding
Personal qualities	Understand the values associated with caring for young people with autism, learning differences and challenging behaviours  Commitment to promoting the ethos and values of the school and getting the best outcomes for all pupils  Commitment to acting with integrity, honesty, loyalty and fairness to safeguard the assets, financial probity and reputation of the school  Ability to work under pressure and prioritise effectively  Commitment to maintaining confidentiality at all times  Commitment to safeguarding and equality  Embraces change well  Deals with difficult situations effectively

 

Notes: 

This job description may be amended at any time in consultation with the postholder.