School Bus Driver in Newtownabbey

Primary Location: Antrim-Newtownabbey-Rosstulla School

Contract Type: Permanent

Duration of Contract/Contract End Date: N/A

Status: Full-Time

Hours per Week: 36 hours per week

Working Pattern: Monday - Friday (7.2 hours per day)

Grade/Scale: School Bus Driver | NJC pt 11 - 14 | £28,142 - £29,540 per annum

Additional Allowance(s): A retainer fee is paid during school holidays

Anticipated Interview Date(s): 14/08/2026

JOB PURPOSE

To drive any vehicle allocated in a careful, lawful manner with special reference to the persons and equipment being carried.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Transport children, including those with mobility problems or severe/moderate learning difficulties to and from school or other authorised locations.
• Assist children, including those with mobility problems in and out of the vehicle.
• Ensure the good behaviour of children on the bus where practicable and report any behaviour incidents to the Transport Officer.
• Operate lifts and ramps on vehicles as required and ensure that wheelchairs are properly clamped down and secured.
• Provide minor first aid to passengers and ensure that any injured child receives medical attention as quickly as possible.
• Complete and submit the relevant personal injury report/accident report forms to the Transport Officer without delay.
• Direct School Bus escorts where employed, in assisting with the above duties.
• Transport meals from, and return empty containers to School Meals Kitchens and assist generally at schools as required.
• Ensure, as far as possible, that scheduled timings are observed and keep a detailed record of journeys, fuel issues, oil, servicing and repair work on the vehicle log/mileage sheet.
• Carry out daily routine vehicle maintenance including checking fuel, oil and water levels, tyre pressures and topping up as required.
• Complete defect report book and submit to engineer.
• Comply with the EEC drivers’ hours and records regulations including the use of vehicle tachographs and submission of daily tachograph charts.
• Ensure the safe custody of all spare parts, tools, articles, equipment or other goods carried in the vehicle.
• Wash the allocated vehicle as and when necessary and ensure that the interior is kept clean and tidy.
• Comply with the provisions contained in the Education Authority’s official Drivers’ Manual.

General Conditions

• Carry out all duties to comply with the Health and Safety at Work (NI) order 1978; Acts of Parliament, Statutory Instruments and Regulations and other legal requirements; Codes of Practice.
• Carry out all duties in the working conditions normally inherent in the particular job.
• Complete all necessary paperwork.
• Carry out duties for jobs up to and including those in the same grade, provided such duties are within the competence of the employee.
• This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works.
• Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.
• In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post-holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

NOTES TO JOB APPLICANTS

• You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how, and to what extent you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.
• You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria by the closing date for applications, unless the criteria state otherwise.
• The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is outlined in the table below.
• Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.
• Please note that the Selection Panel reserves the right to shortlist only those applicants that it believes most strongly meet the criteria for the role.
• In the event of an excessive number of applications, the Selection Panel also reserves the right to apply any desirable criteria as outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting, in which case these will be applied in the order listed.

SECTION 1 - ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Hold a full category D1 licence
• Hold a driver qualification card (DQC)
• Digital Tachograph Card
• Evidence of experience of driving minibuses or other large vehicles
• Evidence of experience in using safety and mobility aids relating to wheelchair accessible vehicles
• Proven ability to maintain accurate and up to date records
• Willingness to undertake job related training and necessary certifications to fulfil the requirements of the role

SECTION 2 - ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Demonstrable competence in driving a minibus safely to meet the standards and requirements set out for Cat. D. PSV license holders and in line with the Highway Code
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Effective team working skills
• Excellent customer service skills
• Proven ability to work successfully to deadlines
• Ability to communicate and take instruction in the English language

SECTION 3 - DESIRABLE CRITERIA

• Some or all of the desirable criteria may be applied by the Selection Panel in order to determine a manageable pool of candidates.

DISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL BACKGROUND

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as ‘regulated activity’. In the event that you are recommended for appointed to a post that involves ‘regulated activity’, the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background. Please note that you WILL be expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate.