School Receptionist

School Receptionist

Hours: 8am - 4.30pm, Monday - Friday (Term time only)

Salary - £15,014.60

Oak Tree School Cornwall is a Special Educational Needs School positioned near the City of Truro in Cornwall. The school provides full-time specialist co-education for up to 35 children and young people aged 8 to 16 who experience social, emotional, mental health, communication difficulties and associated challenging behaviours. These children and young people often cannot cope, function or achieve within a mainstream environment. The aim is to provide a structured, nurturing approach, with pupils accessing a broad, balanced and engaging curriculum to meet their significant needs. Our priorities are to develop and improve the core knowledge and skills required to make a manageable and successful transition to work, college and adult life. 

Oak Tree School is part of Acorn Care and Education, the second largest private sector provider of special needs education in the country operating 19 schools for children and young people who have a range of social, emotional and mental health needs and also pupils who have been diagnosed with autism or demonstrate behaviours associated with autism.

We are now looking for a School Receptionist to join our team. 

The School Receptionist will be the first point of call for visitors to the school, parents, staff and children. As the ‘face’ of the school the receptionist should be welcoming, personable, helpful and able to represent the school in a professional and friendly manner. In additional it is essential that the person for this role is organised, able to multitask, work flexibly and have a ‘can-do’ approach to work, as no two days are the same. The receptionist is also required to assist the Compliance and Admin Lead with various administrative tasks, requiring a good level of IT skills.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

• To act as the first point of contact for the school: welcoming visitors and responding to telephone/email enquiries in a helpful and constructive manner. Ensure that appropriate actions are taken in a timely manner and are in accordance to the schools safeguarding procedures
• Ensuring the safety and security of the school at all times, making sure that the front doors are locked and entry to the premises controlled. Ensuring that all visitors sign in and take a visitor badge where necessary
• Communicating with parents regarding all aspects of school life, receiving and passing on information, between parents and teachers, including phoning parents to ascertain reasons for pupils’ absence. Recording student absence on the schools management system
• Assisting with all admissions related tasks, including preparations for and assistance with school reports, taking calls and recording details of enquiries from prospective new families
• Maintaining and updating school information, records and databases. Ensuring parent contact information and medical information is up to date
• Receive, sort and distribute all packages/post to the relevant staff members. To send all outgoing post
• Ensure the reception area is kept smart and tidy
• To organise and distribute the school newsletter
• To supply existing students with additional uniform (at parents request)
• To ensure all transport requests for existing students are completed in a timely manner and follow school procedures. This involves liaising with the taxi firms, parents and staff
• To maintain the photocopier and ensure photocopying supplies are available
• To maintain confidentiality of information acquired in the course of undertaking duties for the school
• To attend training as and when needed, such as Safeguarding and Team Teach
• Any other reasonable duties commensurate with the post

Acorn Care and Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children and young people in our care. Successful applicants will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.