School Caretaker

About the Role:

Following the pending retirement of our long-standing caretaker, we are seeking to appoint a highly motivated and skilled individual to join our team. As a Caretaker at our school you will ensure that the school premises and contents are properly maintained, secure and ready for use, in addition to helping to ensure that the school is clean and tidy. The Caretaker also has the responsibility, under the direction of the School Business Manager/Headteacher for the security of the school premises.

We are a large Junior School on a big site, so there is always plenty to keep you busy

We are keen to find the best person for the job and as such can offer the role with or without cleaning duties, and have broken down the two options below:

Working Hours

35 hours per week, term time plus 6 weeks to include daily cleaning duties

30 hours per week, term time plus 4 weeks with no daily cleaning duties

Working Monday to Friday, split between a morning (to allow for unlocking etc) and an afternoon shift.

Job Purpose

A non-exhaustive list of responsibilities for the role is listed below

• We require a highly motivated and skilled individual to ensure that the school premises and contents are properly maintained, secure and ready for use, in addition to helping to ensure that the school is clean and tidy.
• The Caretaker has the responsibility, under the direction of the School Business Manager/Headteacher for the security of the school premises. The normal hours of attendance for work will be determined by the needs of the school and undertaken with agreement of the Headteacher/School Business Manager.
• Undertake DIY to the level of a competent handyperson
• Good communication skills with staff, pupils, parents, visitors and contractors
• Report major items of repair to the School Business Manager
• In conjunction with the Headteacher/School Business Manager, attend meetings with the Trust Estates team and prepare schedules of planned and reactive maintenance works.
• Provide day to day support to colleagues for planned and non-planned situations
• Raise purchase orders as required for site maintenance and repairs
• Collection of orders from local suppliers
• Transport and disposal of items to the local recycling centre
• Complete all inspections and checks allocated to the Caretaker role on the academy's premises management portal.
• Ensure the academy is fully compliant in regards to legislation, statutory guidance and Trust risk assessments.

Duties and responsibilities

Security and Associated Duties

• To be responsible for the security of the premises and its contents, including the operation of fire and burglar alarms and undertaking key holder responsibilities, involving locking/unlocking entrances, checking and securing windows and internal doors, activating and switching off alarm systems, etc, ensure an effective CCTV system is in operation, and prevent/deter unauthorized access to the site and buildings.
• Key holder responsibilities extend beyond regular working hours to cater for emergencies at any time day or night
• Maintain a register of keys issued
• To undertake general building compliance that can be done within the role. Regularly checking the proper operation and function of alarms and fire equipment and ensuring emergency exits are not obstructed and that emergency push bars and door closers are in good working order.
• To ensure all Planned Preventative Maintenance for building compliance servicing is organized and undertaken by a professional contractor, such as asbestos survey report, emergency lighting and legionella testing in line with trust contracts and recorded on the premises management portal.
• Undertake annual portable appliance testing (PAT) across the site and upkeep the records
• Reporting acts of theft or vandalism to Head Teacher and/or police as necessary

Site

• Inspect the outside fabric of school, reporting defects and agreeing appropriate actions with the School Business Manager
• Assist with the management of contractors attending site, but not limited to, conducting site inductions and monitoring the work undertaken, when on site.
• To allow access to authorised maintenance or building contractors and ensure they are aware of any potential hazards connected with their presence on the premises, having regard to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 e.g., Legionella, Asbestos, Fire and general Health & Safety etc.
• To be fully aware of and to comply with all Academy instructions and procedures relating to Health and Safety at Work and to recognise the responsibilities required under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974.
• To undertake porterage and handyperson duties as required and particularly the laying out of furniture and other equipment for events and activities, including moving goods and furniture as required with due regard to current Health & Safety and Lifting & Handling regulations.
• To undertake general duties, such as collection and distribution of mail, dealing with lost property, general cleaning of storerooms and boiler rooms, cleaning of body fluids, obtaining or storing equipment and materials for teaching and other staff.
• Undertake maintenance tasks as per the premises management portal including but not limited to, descaling of taps, flick light testing, fire alarm testing, inspecting Fire prevention equipment for damage.
• Repairing leaks and blockages associated with toilets, taps and sinks.
• Carry out routine procedures such as replacing lights, batteries, coat pegs etc
• Carry out maintenance and repairs of property, fixtures, fittings, equipment and furniture, minor improvement jobs and internal decorating where such work is within the capabilities of a competent handyperson both internally and externally, to include plumbing, carpentry, painting and decorating, (within current or future risk assessments).

Grounds Maintenance

• Liaise with the ground's maintenance contractors
• Raising any work requirements and any discrepancies to the attention of the contractor and refer ongoing problems to the School Business Manager
• Undertake basic gardening duties, maintain low maintenance borders, general weeding, tidying, trimming and dead heading of the garden area and flower/shrub beds
• Fill uneven ground/holes on our field
• Mulch beds for weed suppression
• Clearance and disposal of fallen/overhanging branches
• Nurture new plantings
• To undertake outside duties, for example, clearance of waste drains, rainwater drains and gullies, general tidying, ensure all hard areas, grassed areas, beds, borders and grounds are litter free. Areas around the buildings, steps and car park and front of school are swept and cleared of the accumulation of debris and dirt.
• Ensure all hard areas are free from hazards, clear paths of leaves and debris and grit paths when needed.
• Empty litter bins regularly, food waste bins daily during the warmer weather/summer term. Maintain Health and Safety in the main bin area.
• Undertake daily perimeter security and safety checks, repair damaged fencing, collect up all debris, rubbish and discarded items to safeguard our children's safety.

Premise Management

• Highlight any hygiene issues/cleaning requirements to the Cleaning Staff/School Business Manager
• Replenishment of hygiene resources for all rest rooms and classrooms
• Report/repair equipment and plant faults to the School Business Manager and contact engineers as instructed
• To monitor daily cleaning and deep cleaning standards of cleaning staff/contractors (where applicable) under the general directions of the School Business Manager/Headteacher.
• Monitor stock levels and raise an order of cleaning products, resources, materials as required
• Maintain COSHH records and ensure all cleaning products are labeled and stored securely and locked away, and at all times out of reach of children
• Spot check classrooms for storage of chemicals and remove accordingly.
• Undertake daily cleaning of a designated area in line with and alongside the Cleaner job description and cleaning team and/or
• Under the direction of the School Business Manager/Headteacher and in the absence of cleaners, to clean designated areas and to ensure that they are kept in a clean and hygienic condition.
• Support the School Business Manager with external contractors Risk Assessment site improvements, i.e Legionella and Fire
• Ensure the effective maintenance, repair and safekeeping of all resources, including regular audits.
• Support the School Business Manager with improving and updating the site in accordance with the 5Year business plan
• Maintain to a high standard the hall floor surface
• Be confident to complete maintenance/repairs above shoulder height using step/straight ladders
• Working at height may be required from time to time and accessing the roof space to remove balls and inspecting the condition of the roof etc

Lettings

• Complying with instructions received from the School Business Manager concerning letting procedures and carrying out as per lettings agreement.
• Lettings are arranged throughout the year including school closure periods
• The Caretaker may be required to be available during the course of the letting to give assistance to the hirer relative to the facilities hired and subject to this included at the time of booking
• Following a letting security checks should take place, toilets cleaned and the site secured.
• A reasonable amount of facility lettings outside of the Caretakers regular working hours will be expected, and by agreement with the Headteacher/School Business Manager will be claimed as overtime. Overtime will be claimed at the current hourly rate from 19:00 hours for 1 hour per letting Monday – Friday. Lettings outside of the contract or/ at weekend can be claimed at a rate of time and a half per letting.
• Overtime for lettings where the Caretaker is required on site by prior arrangement with the School Business Manager, can be claimed at the hourly/part hourly rate as above.

Heating and Lighting

• To ensure that heating and lighting systems and other equipment are working properly,
• Check control system functions
• Report all defects to the School Business Manager and contact engineers as instructed
• Regulate heating/ventilation and lighting as necessary
• Ensure the operation of the heating plant so that the required water and room temperatures are maintained across the school site at all times and that an adequate supply of hot water is available

Energy Conservation

• In conjunction with the Headteacher/School Business Manager implement all agreed energy conservation activities
• Read, record and report all meter readings as per Academy H&S Policies
• Inform the School Business Manager of any energy conservation concerns
• Monitor energy use and take steps to reduce energy use in consultation with School Business Manager.

General

• The Caretaker must be aware of and comply with all current guidance, policies and procedures relating to premise management, health and safety, safeguarding and ensure that they are in accordance with statutory, trust and academy requirements at all times.
• Complete Health and Safety documentation and compliance checks for the school in accordance with statutory, trust and academy requirements. Support in Health & Safety audits where required.
• Use all Trust supplied computing hardware and any existing or future software supplied and engage in appropriate training for its use, including but not limited to, premises management portal.

Line management

• Line management of the cleaning team. The work may involve demonstration of own duties, or providing advice, training and guidance to new employees or others.

Professional Development

• Maintain personal professional development to ensure that the knowledge and skills required to fulfill the role of Caretaker are up to date.
• Undertake additional training as required by the Headteacher/School Business Manager to upskill where the role demands including First Aid.
• Be a professional role model, and understand and promote the aims of the Academy and the values of the Trust. Including promoting our culture of high aspiration that is rooted in our Christian values as demonstrated in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
• CPD is included in your salary and you will be expected to work on all published CPD days.
• Annual holiday entitlement is to be taken across the year and during the school holiday periods. Holiday requests should be made at the start of each academic year to aide planning contractual work and lettings.

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent

Pay: Up to £23,009.00 per year

Expected hours: 30 – 35 per week

Benefits:

• Bereavement leave
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• Sick pay

Work Location: In person