School Administrator/Receptionist

School Administrator (Reception & Pastoral Focus)

School: Swallow Grange (A Footsteps to Futures Specialist Provision)

Location: Swallow, Caistor Road, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. LN7 6DL

Contract: Permanent, Term Time

Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday (9:00 am – 4:30 pm)

Salary: Competitive, NJC Grade 3/4 (Actual pro-rata salary based on hours/weeks)

Responsible to: Head Teacher

Job Purpose

To be the welcoming, professional, and organised first point of contact for the school. This role is essential for maintaining the school\’s positive ethos, ensuring efficient administrative systems, and providing dedicated confidential support to the Head Teacher, particularly in high-priority areas like family and pupil liaison and safeguarding compliance within a specialist SEMH setting.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities

I. Reception, Communications & Safeguarding (The First Point of Contact)

• Front-of-House Management: Provide a warm, calm, and professional welcome to all visitors, including parents, external professionals (therapists, social workers), and contractors, in a manner sensitive to the needs of an SEMH setting.
• Visitor Security: Meticulously manage the sign-in/out system (including ID badge issue) and ensure all visitors are fully compliant with safeguarding and security protocols, reporting any anomalies immediately.
• Communications: Manage the central telephone line, main email inbox, and incoming/outgoing post, ensuring all messages and enquiries are triaged, logged, and relayed accurately and promptly to the relevant staff member.
• Parent/Carer Liaison: Act as a key communication link, handling routine queries from parents/carers and liaising sensitively regarding pupil illness, absence, or appointments, ensuring records are up-to-date.

II. Head Teacher and Senior Staff Support

• Diary Management: Proactively manage the Head Teacher\’s professional calendar, including scheduling meetings with staff, parents, and external agencies.
• Meeting Support: Organise and prepare paperwork for sensitive meetings (e.g., Annual Reviews, Head Teacher/Parent meetings), and take accurate, confidential notes or minutes as required.
• Confidential Administration: Handle highly confidential correspondence, reports, and personnel information (e.g., staff DBS records and Single Central Register checks), maintaining absolute discretion in line with GDPR and school policy.

III. Pupil Data and Welfare Administration

• Pupil Data Management: Be the proficient user of the school\’s Management Information System accurately inputting, maintaining, and updating pupil records (contact details, medical needs, admissions, leavers, etc.).
• Attendance: Administer and monitor daily pupil attendance registers, following up on unexplained absences promptly and in line with school policy.
• First Aid & Welfare: Provide basic first aid care to pupils (after training), liaising with parents and staff, and ensuring the timely completion of accident and welfare documentation.
• Admissions & Leavers: Assist with the administrative process for new pupil admissions and leavers, preparing documentation and supporting the induction of new families into the school.

IV. General Office Management

• Perform general administrative duties, including typing letters and reports, and maintaining tidy and efficient manual and electronic filing systems.
• Monitor stock levels for stationery and school resources, processing orders and deliveries in line with budget procedures.

Person Specification (E – Essential, D – Desirable)

Attribute

Criteria

Experience

E: Proven experience in a busy office or administrative role.

D: Previous experience working within a school or SEMH/SEND setting.

Skills & Knowledge

E: Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook). E: High level of literacy, numeracy, and attention to detail. D: Experience using a School Management Information System (MIS).

Personal Qualities

E: A resilient, calm, and empathetic approach, with an understanding of confidentiality in a sensitive environment. E: Exceptional interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with children and adults with complex needs.

Compliance

E: Knowledge of/willingness to undertake training on Safeguarding, Child Protection, and GDPR.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: From £25,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company events
• Company pension
• On-site parking

Work Location: In person