Art Technician

West Buckland School is a co-educational school founded in 1858 to offer an excellent education based on Christian values.  The school stands in nearly 100 acres of stunning Devon countryside, surrounded by farmland, near the western edge of Exmoor.  

The school is now a leading multi-cultural community for nearly 670 boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 18, from across North Devon and beyond, including a thriving boarding community of nearly 150 pupils.  Substantial investment in recent years in state-of-the-art buildings and facilities have seen the addition of the Jonathan Edwards Sports Centre, the award-winning 150 Building which includes the Art and Design and Technology departments and a Theatre space, Parker’s Sixth Form Boarding House and the Michael Morpurgo Library.  

This is a part-time maternity cover post working a maximum of 30 hours per week Monday to Friday in term time only.  Additional days on staff inset may be required and will be notified in advance.  

The post is a split appointment with the Art Technician paid 15 hours per week at £11.95/hr based on approved pay rates as of 1 September 2021.  In addition to the Art Technician element there is an additional position as the Art Department cleaner.  

The cleaner element of the position is based on 15hrs a week term time plus 1 week and paid at £9.70/hr, these hours are worked within the normal day to enable the department to work in a clean and safe environment.  The post is nominally 6 working hours per day Monday to Friday between the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 daily.

Duties include:

• Preparation of classroom/studios ahead of lessons
• Preparation of materials such as paints, inks, dyes, clays, canvasses and papers
• Ensuring rooms are left safe, clean and tidy at the end of the day (when on duty) and presentable when used by the school for parent consultation evenings etc
• Timely ordering of materials to replenish stock or to meet notified projects
• Management of the Department inventory and preparation of inventory for audit
• Preparing materials for exhibitions and assisting in provision of displays (on and off-site)
• Management of displays in Art rooms
• Maintaining serviceability of equipment and ensuring that equipment has regulatory tests such as electrical Portable Appliance Tests (PAT), Kiln test/service etc
• When available assist students with appropriate technical skills
• Assist with Department administration, using IT systems as required
• Ensure that equipment is stored safely and where relevant securely
• Ensure that any accidents/near misses are reported in line with the schools H&S Policy
• Maintaining the relevant paperwork or e-files in liaison with the Head of Art for Departmental Health & Safety including COSHH, Hazard Data Sheets and Risk Assessments
• Assist in the preparation of Departmental school trips and act as a volunteer driver of the school minibuses for such trips if suitably qualified and available
• Fire/emergency evacuation – building checking in event of evacuation without placing self in danger 
• Maintain the department in a clean, tidy and safe provision 

Start date – January '22 fixed term through to end of December '22.

Opportunities to work within the Boarding community may also arise for those interested in a wider role, this can be indicated on your application or discussed at interview.

Interview on receipt of positive application.

Further detail available via Head of Department – Mrs Amelia Morrison via AM@westbuckland.com  

West Buckland School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo safeguarding screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure & Barring Service. The post is defined as being within the scope of Regulated Activity.