Caretaker

Join a community where relationships drive success.

Job Title: Caretaker
Location: Akeley Wood School, Akeley, Buckingham
Salary:     £26,500 per annum
Hours:     40 hours per week | Monday to Friday | 7am – 4pm
Contract: Permanent | 52 weeks per year
Working Pattern: On-site (this role is not hybrid)

Please note, early applications are recommended. We reserve the right to commence interview and offer for this role prior to the role closure date stated within this advertisement.

Join Our School Community as a Caretaker

Akeley Wood, part of Blenheim Schools, is a thriving co-educational independent school set across three beautiful campuses in the Buckinghamshire countryside. We educate pupils from 12 months to 18 years, offering a warm, inclusive, and ambitious environment where every child is known and supported to achieve their best.

Our inspiring learning spaces include woodland outdoor areas, specialist classrooms, creative arts studios, and modern sports facilities. We are proud of our strong pastoral culture, focus on individual strengths, and commitment to helping pupils grow into confident, curious, and compassionate young people.

Joining Akeley Wood School means becoming part of a dedicated, collaborative team who believe in high expectations, meaningful relationships, and the transformative power of education.

The Role 

We are looking for a Caretaker who will be responsible for the effective upkeep of the grounds and campus to which they are assigned. Working as part of a wider Facilities Support Team, they are remit includes responsibilities such as, carrying out Health and Safety compliance checks, grounds and building maintenance, managing contractors and in-house projects and events.

The post holder will be a key holder and as such, could be called upon out of hours to attend their place of work to deal with security problems, make emergency repairs or allow access to contractors etc who may be working on site. This could include evenings or weekends.

This role is ideal for someone with excellent organisational and administrative skills, attention to detail, and a proactive approach to supporting a busy school environment. Must be computer literate.

Key Responsibilities

Buildings & Grounds

• Working with the Facilities Manager to produce a Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) programme for the school.

• Liaise with the Facilities Manager to ensure implementation of repairs, maintenance and cleaning is to a high standard and work being carried out by contractors, including cleaners, is completed to a specified high standard, meets deadlines and complies with safe working practices.

• Provide effective, timely, maintenance, cleaning and support services in relation to the school buildings and grounds or equipment.

• The effective and economic operation of building services including central heating, lighting and water.

• Carry out set routine and compliance checks, along with maintenance procedures for equipment including heating boilers, water pumps and macerator pump, liaising where necessary with our approved contractors and the Facilities Manager.

• Inspect the playground, play equipment and all external areas ensuring the safety of all grounds, paths, fences, gates and steps, etc to which pupils/staff have or can gain access to.

• Calling in approved contractors/engineers, in consultation with the Facilities Manager, to undertake repairs/inspections.

• Undertake routine repairs and redecoration to the building structure/fabric, furniture, fences/gates/pathways electrical system, plumbing and equipment where necessary and as identified by the Facilities Manager and assessed as competent to do so.

Porterage & Transportation

• Receive and transport to appropriate areas all normal education and school deliveries, (not extending to contractors’ high risk specialised material).

• To arrange the movement of furniture and heavy teaching equipment as required and appropriate, including resources boxes, PE equipment, furniture for room use changes and setting up for events.

• Appropriate use of the school van for transport between sites, to transport equipment and supplies between sites, and on occasion to/from venues for events,  and collecting orders/running errands as required by the school.

• To adhere to safe manual handling practices at all times as per training.

• Emergencies

• Provide an ‘on-call’ emergency service out of hours. Be available in order to respond to any out of hours problems as may be needed and deal with, or arrange to be dealt with, all burst pipes, leaks, flooding, fires, breakages, as appropriate in consultation with the Facilities Manager.

• Arrange for contractors to deal with electrical, gas, water or any other installation emergencies. Make safe initially by switching/turning off supply and observing health and safety recommendations.

  Security of Premises and Contents

• Be a keyholder and responsible for the opening and locking up of the school, liaising with contract cleaning staff for evening security during term time.

• General security of the buildings and grounds, including operating the fire alarm and the intruder alarm systems during and including school holiday periods.

• Controlling the entry and presence of workmen/contractors within the school buildings/grounds in line with both Health & Safety and Safeguarding requirements.

• Be prepared for call out at unsociable hours or at weekends to deal with security problems, make emergency repairs or allow access to contractors etc. who may be working on site, including school weekends.

Administration and General Support

• Administration and processing of school maintenance/support requests via the Site Team’s email inbox or FM software, whether the execution of the required repair is undertaken personally or contracted out in consultation with the Facilities Manager

• The administration and repair/servicing of, the school vehicle in accordance with Cognita policy.

• Recording all routine and compliance checks, as well as recording defects/resolutions, on the Facilities Management (FM) software, including weekly and monthly routine inspections of the school van and monthly readings of utility meters.

• To provide general support services to customers letting the school during holidays.

• Undertake decorating of the school for events e.g., Christmas, parent’s evenings and school fetes.

• Ordering supplies, as necessary as approved by the Facilities Manager.

• Verification of invoices within areas of responsibility.

• Produce work plans, in consultation with the Facilities Manager, for seasonal and holiday periods.

Health & Safety

• Ensure full compliance is always maintained across the site, including with contract staff and actively promote through awareness of all Health &

  Safety policies.

What We’re Looking For

• Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to liaise with all members of staff, contractors and visitors.

• Good team member, aware of the needs of others .

• Flexible approach to working hours and duties where appropriate.

• Strong organisational skills

Qualifications/Experience

• The ability to undertaken general repairs / refurbishment at ‘DIY’ level and security experience.

• Knowledge of electrical, mechanical and building structures.

• Ability to identify harmful or potentially harmful conditions / practices / procedures within general areas of responsibility.

• Ability to liaise with and administer repairmen / contractors.

• Is a confident and competent user of basic ICT such as Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Teams and ability to work with our Facilities Management Software Civica.

Why Join Akeley Wood School?

You will be part of a supportive, high‑performing team who take pride in delivering exceptional experiences for families. This is a rewarding role where your work directly shapes the first impressions and future journeys of our pupils.

Safeguarding Commitment

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All staff are expected to follow safeguarding policies and engage in relevant training. Any safeguarding concerns must be reported in line with school procedures. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Why Join Us?

At Blenheim Schools, you will make a real difference every day, positively impacting the lives of pupils and vulnerable young people. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people.

All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful candidates to an enhanced DBS. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Blenheim Schools are committed to a fair, thorough, and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. While we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, we do not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other costs incurred as a result of delays or compliance processes.