Facilities Assistant - Part time
Downsend School
KT22 8TJ
- Expired
- Salary:
- Competitive Salary
- Job type:
- Part Time, Permanent
- Apply by:
- 28 March 2024
Job overview
About the School – Downsend is an independent day school with 4 sites across Leatherhead, Ashtead and Epsom, Surrey, offering a broad-based curriculum leading to outstanding academic success. Younger children aged 6 months – 4 years old attend the Nursery and Pre-school at Little Downsend Ashtead, whilst children aged 2-7 years old attend the Nursery and Pre-prep at Little Downsend Leatherhead and Epson. Children aged 8-16 years attend the main school site in Leatherhead.
The school now has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Facilities Assistant to join our fantastic team The successful candidate will be required to carry out a range of duties in relation to the maintenance and security of the premises.
Full time hours are 35 hours per week (52 week contract) including evenings and weekends on a shift basis. We will happily discuss part time working hours with you at interview or during an initial call if preferred.
About Cognita
Cognita is an extraordinary family of diverse yet connected schools, spanning sixteen different countries. We share one common purpose: to create an inspiring world of education that builds self-belief and empowers individuals to succeed. A global leader in independent education with over 100 schools in Europe, Latin America, North America, Middle East and Asia, we offer excellent professional development as well as outstanding networking and career opportunities.
About the role
The post holder is required to oversee the daily operations of external hire and general operational requirements at Downsend School (multi-site) including transport. Duties include meeting and greeting facility hirers, as well as locking up and securing the school site. Having a flexible approach, willingness to adapt and being able to respond to priorities is essential. This will include working evenings and weekends on a shift basis, ensuring the school buildings and grounds are kept clean, safe and secure, in accordance with the operational needs of the school and any regulatory requirements.
Main duties and responsibilities include but not limited to:
· To ensure the smooth operation of the facilities when in use by external hirers
· Coordinate bookings via the school hire system and any related administration
· To liaise with external hirers and internal departments to ensure they are provided with the required services as agreed within the external bookings agreements.
· To follow procedures set out for the safety and security of the school premises including retrieving CCTV footage as requested.
· To ensure the necessary records of the school building, grounds and equipment are kept in relation to Health and Safety (H&S) and statutory inspection and maintenance guidelines. This includes the swimming pool area.
· To have a good working knowledge of relevant current legislation and good practice, reporting any concerns to the Facilities Manager.
· To be aware of your responsibilities regarding any critical incident and follow instructions given by the Senior Leadership Team at such a time. .
Who we are looking for:
· A practical hands on approach
· Must possess good communication skills.
· Ability to work as part of a team and on your own initiative.
· Ability to work with enthusiasm and motivation without direct supervision or when part of a team.
· Qualified First Aid at Work and Fire Marshall
· Effective time management
· Ability to work under pressure.
· Proactive approach
· Working in an educational or leisure environment would be an advantage
· General knowledge of managing hard and soft school related services
Benefits at Cognita
· Competitive salary depending upon qualifications and experience
· Pension
· Free coffee and tea supplied throughout the day
· Public holidays
· School fee discount
· Exclusive third-party discounts
· Professional Development
Apply now
Please send a cover letter and completed application form to: Simon.baker@downsend.co.uk Please note we do not accept CVs without a fully completed application form.
EARLY APPLICATIONS ARE ENCOURAGED, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO INTERVIEW AND APPOINT PRIOR TO CLOSING DATE FOR THE RIGHT APPLICANT.
Applicants who have not heard from us by the closing date must assume that, on this occasion, their application has been unsuccessful.
Cognita Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers and other third parties to share this commitment. Safer recruitment practice and pre-employment background checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.
We believe having a diverse workforce makes us better, smarter and happier and so welcome applicants from all backgrounds, genders, and races. We have an unwavering commitment to being fair and equitable in our recruitment process.
Attached documents
About Downsend School
Introduction
At Downsend, we prepare children for the future with a creative and problem-solving approach to learning that not only inspires young minds, but fosters bravery, sparks imagination, celebrates innovation and creates opportunity every day.
From nursery through to GCSEs, we provide the skills, motivation and inspiration for our students to be successful throughout their school journey and far beyond.
We have three Little Downsend locations in Ashtead, Epsom and Leatherhead. Each teaches children from the age of two to six. All the Little Downsend sites are overseen by the Head of Little Downsend, Mrs Lisa Burns, who instils the same ethos, high standards and innovative curriculum across each school through her dedicated team of experts.
The main school is located in Leatherhead and continues the same innovative, creative and academically excellent curriculum from Year 2 to Year 11 under the inspiring headship of Mr Ian Thorpe. Over the last 2 years, Downsend has benefited from an £8m investment in brand new flexible teaching spaces and our cutting edge Creative Arts Centre opened summer 2022. Last year we added Modern Foreign Languages block consisting of 5 contemporary classrooms.
Our ‘Inspiring Young Minds’ philosophy pervades all four schools and has resulted in some really creative teaching and learning initiatives across the schools, as well as fantastic enrichment opportunities, such as our tailor-made Stretch Programme.
The core curriculum provides a solid framework, preparing children well for their educational journey through Downsend. We achieve amazing success at all levels academically, and we are delighted for our first cohort of Year 11 pupils who have achieved remarkable results last year. As the first cohort to undertake a full set of GCSEs at Downsend since becoming a through-school, they mark a momentous day both personally, and for the School. We are delighted by their results, which are a testament to their hard work. With 100 % of all pupils securing the grades required for their first-choice onward destination.
It is the school's broader curriculum and strong pastoral support that particularly sets us apart, with an emphasis on practical subjects such as STEAM, Computing, Design Technology, Drama, Textiles and Food Technology.
The sporting programme offers scope for nearly every child to represent the school, with strong results achieved in both county and national competitions. The school’s huge range of clubs, with more than 50 activities on offer each week, further enhances the schedule.
The active programme continues into the school holidays when Downsend+ takes over. Children have the opportunity to participate in horse riding, rock climbing, scuba diving, fashion design or any of the other activities that are on offer throughout the holiday weeks. The school also offers Downsend Early Years+, for younger girls and boys age 2 to 5, at Little Downsend Leatherhead. Combined with term time schooling, Downsend can offer 50 week provision for working parents.
We are an incredibly friendly and supportive staff and we are looking for the right people to join us. So, if you are a great practitioner with a level of creativity and innovation to your teaching, would relish contributing to the extra-curricular life of school, are ambitious, and are happy to challenge and be challenged in a positive way for better outcomes for the children, then we want to hear from you.
Additional Benefits
· Free on-site parking
· Good road and rail transport links and proximity to London
· School Fee remission after qualifying period
· Childcare voucher scheme in operation
· Holiday club discount
· Free lunch available
Benefits of being a Cognita School
Cognita is an international group with over 90 schools in Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Asia, we employ 15,000+ teaching and support staff in the care and education of more than 60,000 students.
Teaching excellence represents everything we stand for at Cognita. We’re committed to hiring and retaining outstanding talent: teachers and school leaders who are passionate about their craft as well as functional leaders and professionals in our Head and Regional offices who can take the business forward.
We are looking for people who want to make a positive difference to children’s lives, who can help us stretch and support children to achieve beyond expectation.
Our diverse portfolio of schools and Regional Offices, combined with our ongoing investment in the professional development of our people, means we can offer first-class career opportunities with a global dimension. If you want to take your career further, we want to support you in achieving that goal within Cognita. www.cognita.com
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