Apprentice Gardener
Sherborne School
Dorset
- £15,704 per year
- Expired
- Salary:
- (Pension, Free School Meal, Staff Parking, Reduced Gym Membership, Free exercise classes, Employee Assistance Programme, Free Eye Tests, Cycle to Work Scheme)
- Job type:
- Full Time, Fixed Term
- Start date:
- 05 January 2026
- Apply by:
- 27 November 2025
Job overview
Apprentice Gardener
Sherborne Schools Group is seeking an Apprentice Gardener to join our Estates team. This role will assist with the day-to-day upkeep and maintenance of the gardens across the SSG Estate, ensuring they remain attractive, safe, and well-presented throughout the year.
Key Responsibilities
• All aspects of horticulture and garden management i.e. lawn management, hedge cutting, planting, pruning, feeding, and weeding
• Maintaining, restocking, and tending formal gardens
• Maintaining the stream
• Use and maintenance of hand tools and light machinery after thorough instruction.
• Ensuring work areas are kept clean, tidy, and secure at all times.
• To ensure all tasks are carried out in a safe, competent and professional manner, observing and complying with all current health and safety regulations to ensure safety of students, staff, members of the public, and one’s self is safeguarded at all times.
• Conduct yourself with professionalism, tact, and diplomacy at all times as a representative of the Sherborne Group
• Have a pragmatic approach and the ability to adapt to carry out any other maintenance tasks within your competence that may be required.
• The ability to work effectively with other members of the wider Estates Team and customers to carry out work as directed.
• Ability to work alone without supervision.
• Undertake other duties as required.
• Attend any College based training including one day a week in term time.
• Timely completion of all portfolio work required of the apprenticeship programme, including 20% off the job training.
What We’re Looking For
• Good standard of GCSE’s grades 4-9 / A*-C (or equivalent) inclusive of English and maths
• Ability to work on your own as well as within a team environment.
• Confident, personable, and strong communications skills.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Physically fit.
• Interest in horticulture or land-based skills.
• Interest in gardening
• Ability to meet deadlines and prioritise workload.
• Willingness to undertake practical land-based operations.
• Ability to work at heights.
• Enjoy working outdoors.
• Able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Good time management skills.
• Be prepared to undertake any necessary training.
• Enthusiasm
• Positive work ethic
Working Hours
40 hours per week – 08:00 – 16:30 - Monday to Friday.
This will include one day per week off the job training, based on site and provided by KEITS.
This is a Fixed-Term up to 24 months or until the qualification has been achieved, whichever is the earlier.
Closing date for applications: 9.30am – Tuesday 18 November 2025
Interviews likely to take place: Thursday 27 November 2025
Sherborne Schools Group Recruitment and Selection Policy Statement
Sherborne Schools Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants for this post must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including reference checks with previous employers and a criminal record check with the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Attached documents
About Sherborne School
Sherborne is a boys’ independent school situated in the shadow of Sherborne Abbey. Founded by Royal Charter in 1550, the school has roots going back to the origins of the See of Sherborne in 705. There are eight boarding houses accommodating a total of about 550 boys (aged 13-18). Sherborne Boys is an extraordinary community with a rich heritage and ambitious outlook. The boys are talented, engaged and interesting, and staff are likewise. The co-curricular provision is of outstanding breadth and quality.
Sherborne Schools Group Recruitment and Selection Policy Statement
Sherborne Schools Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants for this post must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including reference checks with previous employers, criminal record check and social media checks. All positions within the Schools are exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
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Applications closed