Facilities and Cleaning Lead in Bury St Edmunds

St Mary’s Church of England Academy is seeking a versatile Facilities and Cleaning Lead to join our operational team. You will lead and perform hands-on cleaning duties. An additional 10 hours per week will be dedicated to wider caretaking and operational tasks around the academy as instructed by the Operations Manager. The work is of a physical nature and full health and safety training is provided.

Your responsibilities:

• Ensure the school complies with all Health & Safety legislation, including COSHH, asbestos management, and legionella testing.
• Act as the designated Fire Warden, managing fire risk assessments, testing alarms, and organizing regular evacuation drills.
• Conduct regular site risk assessments and ensure prompt remediation of identified hazards.
• Maintain comprehensive compliance logs, tracking certificates for boilers, electrical testing, and playground safety.
• Oversee the daily opening, closing, and securing of all school buildings and grounds. Respond to out-of-hours emergency alarm activations as a primary keyholder.
• Carry out cleaning tasks set out in the Academy's cleaning schedule.
• Coordinate seasonal ground maintenance, including winter gritting and snow clearance.
• Diagnose faults, supervise reactive repairs, and carry out minor DIY tasks where appropriate.
• Use all cleaning materials and equipment in a safe and proper manner and in accordance with any instructions and specifications provided.
• Report the breakdown of any cleaning equipment or any perceived hazards in the workplace to the Operations Manager.
• Observe health and safety and security requirements.
• Ensure the site is secure during the day to prevent unauthorized entry or children leaving unescorted.
• Maintain primary-specific areas, ensuring playground equipment, sandpits, and outdoor learning spaces are safe and free from debris.
• Complete any appropriate records or documentation required by the Operations Manager.
• Ensure that work undertaken complies with stated requirements and undertake appropriate training, as required.
• Take reasonable care for the Health and Safety of yourself and others, including adherence to ‘lone working’ guidelines.
• Monitor and take delivery of stores, goods and equipment including cleaning materials and arrange their safe storage and distribution as appropriate.
• Maintain staff and pupil toilet facilities ensuring they are in working order, ensuring appropriate supplies of consumables are available.
• Carry out first-line, minor DIY repairs (e.g., unblocking toilets, replacing lightbulbs, minor painting).
• Maintain good working relationships with other Academy staff and cooperate with reasonable changes to daily work routines to assist the smooth operation of the Academy.
• Create detailed cleaning schedules and conduct regular hygiene inspections across classrooms, toilets, and communal areas.
• Plan and lead intensive deep-cleaning programs during school holiday periods.
• Other duties as directed by the Operations Manager.

What you will need:

• Proven experience in school and/or commercial cleaning and team supervision.
• Flexibility to balance hands-on cleaning with general facilities tasks.
• Good knowledge of health and safety, COSHH and manual handling.
• Ability to work independently and take direction from the Operations Manager.
• Commitment to safeguarding (an enhanced DBS check is mandatory).

We are a friendly and vibrant primary academy, situated in Mildenhall, Suffolk, and serve children and families from within the school catchment area and beyond. Our school is part of a wonderful, local community and as a Church of England Academy, we are committed to our ethos rooted in acceptance for all.

Everyone in the St Mary’s Academy team is welcoming, caring and dedicated to all pupils and families. We all believe that we can work hard to allow everyone in our school community to thrive and be the best they can be. Our vision is embedded in all that we do and ‘in the light of Christ we will shine together’.

Our dedicated team is committed to the personal development of every child and to provide a broad and balanced curriculum to engage all. Our sense of pride in the academy is evident as you walk around, particularly for the culture of opportunity we provide which aims to make a significant contribution to both the personal and academic achievement of every individual.

What we will offer you:

• An opportunity to shape the future of our school, the opportunity to make a real difference in children's lives at a crucial stage of their development.
• We strive to ensure that our teachers have a healthy work-life balance.
• A welcoming values driven school community where children and staff are genuinely cared for.
• A fantastic, supportive and friendly team of teachers and support staff.
• High-quality support and CPD.
• An ambitious SLT who are determined to make our school a great place to work and learn.

For more information:

To find out more, please contact Rosa De Simone and Roxanne Rutter, HR Officer, by emailing hr@smpsac.org.

How to apply:

To apply, please submit your completed Application Form (Word) by email to hr@smpsac.org. Closing date: 9.00 am, 3 July 2026. Interview date: Week commencing 8 July 2026.