Administration Assistant

Looking to take your first step in education? We are looking for a dedicated and detail-orientated individual to join Harris Primary Academy Merton as Administrative Assistant. Working under the instruction and guidance of senior staff to provide general administrative and financial support to the school, you will either have experience in an administrative role or looking to take your first step in an administrative support role within an educational environment. 

About Us

Welcome to Harris Primary Academy Merton. We opened in 2014 as a local school for children aged two to eleven. We have a Nursery for 60 children and are a 2 form entry school for children in Pre School through to Year 6. We also have an additional resource base for 22 children who are diagnosed with Autism. Our belief is that children thrive when they are consistently happy and safe at school and that through expert teaching and support all pupils can achieve to a high standard. As a part of the Harris Federation, we share best teaching practice with other Harris Academies and continue to build on the Harris Federation's proven track record in the borough: with two successful and oversubscribed Harris Secondary Academies, Harris Academy Merton and Harris Academy Morden.

Our aim at Harris Primary Academy Merton is to make sure that our pupils leave us thoroughly prepared for secondary school and feeling that they have succeeded both academically and in the extracurricular aspects of Academy life.

We want all of our children to have a truly enjoyable experience at school. Our pupils’ achievements are celebrated every day in their lessons and we are proud that they are kind, caring, self-assured and eager to learn. 

Main Areas of Responsibility

Organisation

• To represent the Academy in a professional and welcoming manner to all visitors, staff and students, including telephone callers
• Undertake reception duties, answering general telephone and face to face enquiries and signing in visitors
• To organise the timetable for after school activities such as football, netball and basketball to a high standard from start to finish 
• Organise trips and workshops to provide depth to the national curriculum alongside the Head of Academy 
• Assist with pupil first aid/welfare duties, looking after sick pupils, liaising with parents/staff etc. First Aid training will be provided
• To undertake the Academy finance duties including but not limited to processing invoices and staff expenses, organising the BACS run and being aware of Academy finances. 
• To organise the Academy's wraparound care register, ensuring that all relevant information is given to the wraparound care lead and that charges are organised appropriately 
• To ensure low levels of pupil dinner debt by maintaining a good record of payments from ParentPay and liaising with parents where applicable 

Administration

• Provide general clerical/admin support e.g. photocopying, filing, faxing, e-mailing, completing standard forms, responding to routine correspondence
• Maintain manual and computerised records/management information systems
• Produce lists/information/data as required, e.g. pupils’ data
• Undertake typing, word processing and other IT based tasks
• Sort and distribute mail
• Ensure reprographics requests are fulfilled on time;
• Undertake general administrative procedures
• Maintain and collate pupil reports

Resources

• Operate relevant equipment/ ICT packages (e.g. word, excel, databases, spreadsheets, internet)
• Maintain stock and supplies, cataloguing and distributing as required
• Provide general advice and guidance to staff, pupils and others

Qualifications, Knowledge and Training

• Minimum of GCSE school-based qualifications
• Good numeracy/literacy skills
• Good written communication 
• Minimum of 2 years school office experience - desirable but not essential 

Experience & Knowledge

• General clerical/administrative/financial work
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures for young people
• Experience of Reception duties including dealing with visitors to the Academy

Skills & Abilities

• Appropriate knowledge of first aid
• Effective use of ICT packages
• Use of relevant equipment/resources
• Good keyboard skills
• Ability to relate well to children and adults
• Work constructively as part of a team, understanding of school roles and responsibilities and your own position within these
• The ability to take initiative and work independently
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Good communication skills
• Good organisational and time keeping skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• Able to work independently and manage own workload

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact us via e-mail, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. You will need this when completing your application.

Please note: we may hold interviews as and when applications are received and we reserve the right to offer to a candidate prior to the closing date. We only accept applications submitted online via our careers website and which are completed before the closing deadline. With this in mind, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible and advise you check the job information as per the listing on our careers site.

Professional Development & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level to senior leadership.

We look for talented individuals who share our vision for creating exceptional places of learning, and are committed to ensuring that every child in London has access to the best possible education.

In addition to the opportunities for career progression, training and development, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance, a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan and many other benefits.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants. Before applying, please review our Policy Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.