Prep School Admin Receptionist

Ipswich Preparatory School, for pupils aged 5 –11, is the primary aged stage of Ipswich School and close links are enjoyed with the Senior School. There are two classes per year group, Reception to Year 6, and a day care nursery (The Lodge), which caters for some 100 children aged 3 months to the time the children join Reception.

From Tuesday 22 April as we begin a new school term, we are looking for a professional and friendly receptionist on a part-time basis in the Prep School Office, who will be equipped with excellent customer service skills. You will provide a warm welcome to children, our prospective and existing parents and visitors to the School, as well as colleagues from Senior School and The Lodge Day Nursery, both face to face and on the telephone. You will be working in a busy and frenetic school environment so the ability to remain calm and caring, retain active listening skills and the ability to multitask will be essential.

This post is open to a Receptionist with experience in a similar, customer facing role or to someone who enjoys working with children and is looking to develop receptionist skills in a school environment. You will be able to interact easily with young children, parents, visitors, teaching and support staff.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following will give you a flavour of the tasks and duties associated with this important customer-facing role in the School, you will:

• Welcome children, parents, visiting music teachers, prospective parents and all visitors to the School in a warm and professional manner
• Ensure all visitors including Senior School children sign in and out
• Ensure all Prep pupils leaving the site for music lessons are signed in and out, and arrange safe crossing (via radio) to our crossing patrol officer
• Answer incoming telephone calls, ensuring a friendly and efficient service is provided
• Take messages and/or deal with enquiries from children, parents and callers and distribute messages promptly and efficiently to colleagues
• Check incoming emails and respond accordingly, or distribute messages to colleagues in a timely manner
• Liaise with our Estates’ team (via radio) in relation to contractors visiting the school site, porterage and clearing needs as well as our school crossing patrol officer.
• Liaise with our catering team in relation to provision for school trips and events
• Deal with daily post (internal and external), sorting, distributing and arranging collections.
• Ensure that statutory pupil registration is complete, keeping records of children arriving late and leaving early, especially those travelling to/from on the school bus and producing AM/PM printout of registers in case of emergency
• Producing regular attendance reports
• Administer first aid and medication 
• Maintain accurate pupil records on the school database
• Assist with the issue of information to parents via the School’s electronic postal system (IS-Post) as requested.
• Provide general administrative support, when required, to colleagues (for example during quieter spells on the Reception desk). This is likely to involve helping our Office team with photocopying and preparing for school events.

HOURS OF WORK, SALARY AND BENEFITS

• This is a part-time permanent position (subject to completion of a 6 month probationary period)
• Hours of work: 8.15am-2.00pm Monday to Friday during Ipswich School term time only. This is a total of 5.75 hours per day, 28.75 hours per week.
• Support staff are expected to attend INSET day to complete statutory training (such as first aid, fire safety and safeguarding) as required.
• The salary for this post is currently £13,956.45 per annum, which includes paid holiday in accordance with the Working Time Regulations. Salaries are paid via BACS on the last working day of the each month
• Benefits include a free lunch during term time, use of the School’s swimming pool and fitness gym, cycle to work scheme. We have an employee assistance programme which offers mental health support and 24/7 GP service
• After 3 months service you will be entitled to join a defined contribution pension scheme with 10% employer contributions
• Support staff are entitled to generous fee remission once the have completed 3 years service.

CLOSING DATE AND INTERVIEW ARRANGEMENTS

We would encourage you to download a full job description and application form from our website https://www.ipswich.school/contact-us/vacancies/prep-school-admin-receptionist/

Completed application forms should be returned to Mrs Claire Jackson, Head of Prep, Ipswich Preparatory School, 3 Ivry Street, Ipswich, IP1 3QW or email hr@ipswich.school by noon on Monday 24th March 2025. Interviews are likely to take place on Friday 28th March 2025. 

PLEASE NOTE

 ●         Ipswich School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Having a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining the position. The Ipswich School policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders and the Code of Practice relating to the Disclosure and Barring Service are available on request. 

 ●         Ipswich School’s employees are responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of the children and young people they are responsible for, or come into contact with. The post holder must adhere to and ensure compliance with the School’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Children Policy at all times. If, in the course of carrying out his/her duties, the post holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the School he/she must report any concerns to the School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (the Senior Deputy Head, Pastoral for Senior School pupils, the Prep Deputy Head for Prep pupils and the Nursery Manager for The Lodge Day Nursery).

 ●         Ipswich School’s employees are expected to attend training in safeguarding children as directed.

 ●         Applicants are advised that in the interests of the health and safety of all its pupils and employees, Ipswich School operates a No Smoking Policy and employees are expected to comply with the statutory restriction on smoking in public places.