Art Technician

West Buckland School is looking for a highly skilled Art Technician to join us from 30 August 2024. This is a great opportunity for an experienced and forward-thinking art technician. We teach the OCR GCSE and A level courses, so an understanding of this specification is preferable but not required for this role. Our Art department has outstanding grades and celebrated exhibitions, so we are looking for someone ambitious who wants to carry this success forward.

West Buckland Art Department’s ethos is to focus on the individual. Encouraging artistic and experimental development, we expose students to problem-solving scenarios that push their perceptions, incorporating guided discovery methods and providing chances for creative exploration.

The Art Department occupies the first floor of a purpose-built space, The 150 Building, which was opened in 2010. There are four dedicated art rooms including two large teaching rooms, and open access studios for both Year 12 and 13 students. We have a working photographic darkroom, printing facilities, kiln and access to a suite of ICT facilities which includes Adobe Suite. The students’ work is regularly displayed along our gallery space which links the teaching studios and celebrates the students’ efforts, as well as local artists.

Art and Design is a popular subject within the school, usually with two sets at GCSE and A-level. All sets are mixed ability. All students are taught Art and Design in Years 7 and 8, and most opt to study the subject in Year 9.

In Art and Design at GCSE the students are prepared for the OCR specification. Assessment is through portfolio submission and a set task with a 10 hour examination. Although the majority of work is geared towards fine art and design, students follow an unendorsed option so that work can be varied and explore different skills. Students in both Year 10 and 11 attend five one hour lessons a fortnight.

At A-level we also follow the OCR specification for Art and Design. Students in Year 12 produce one thematic unit of coursework which starts as led workshops and turns into a self-directed project. This unit extends into the beginning of the spring term in Year 13. In Year 13 this self-directed coursework unit is accompanied by a 1000 – 3000-word personal related study. The set task is started in February and culminates in a 15-hour examination.

The Department runs trips each year to the south west of England and Cornwall. There is an annual residential Sixth Form trip where students work as artists and produce a large body of work.

Main responsibilities

The Art Technician is responsible to the Head of Art, but liaises with all other staff within the department to ensure materials are ready for use across the week. The duties listed below form the core requirements, but the list is not exhaustive nor final and the post holder will be expected to meet all reasonable requests from the Head of Art, members of the Art Department or Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

• Preparation of classroom/studios ahead of lessons.
• Preparation of materials such as paints, inks, dyes, clays, canvasses, screen printing frames 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.
• Keeping COSSH forms up to date. 
• Preparation of materials for exhibitions and assisting in provision of displays (on and off-site).
• Management of displays in art rooms.
• Painting and maintenance of gallery wall.
• Maintaining serviceability of equipment and ensuring that equipment has regulatory tests such as electrical Portable Appliance Tests (PAT), Kiln test/service, etc.
• Arranging the servicing of some equipment.
• When available, assist students using appropriate technical skills.
• Shopping for ad-hoc department materials (locally or via internet).
• Assisting the Head of Department with the auditing of budget and accounts.
• Assist with department administration, using IT systems as required.
• Ensure that equipment is stored safely and, where relevant, securely.
• Attend termly Health & Safety Committee meetings, liaising with Head of Art over aspects to report.
• Ensure that any accidents/near misses are reported, in line with the schools H&S Policy.
• Providing and maintaining any Departmental First Aid packs and eyewashes.
• Disposal of hazardous chemicals in accordance with guidelines and regulations.
• 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 — check building in the event of evacuation without placing self in danger.

Hours of work

This is a part-time appointment based on a minimum of 30 hours per week, with the exact timing of those hours to be discussed at interview.

The school operates Monday to Friday between the hours of 08:30am and 5:00pm as dictated by the school calendar.

In addition to a competitive salary which can discussed at interview, we offer free parking, daily lunch and access to our outstanding sports facilities.