Animal Keeper

Role overview

This permanent Animal Keeper position is based at Trent Acres in Kings Bromley, Staffordshire. The role is part-time at 32 hours per week and is term-time only, plus an additional 2 weeks. The annual salary is £22,048, and this is not adjusted pro rata. The planned start date is August 2026. Only candidates who are eligible to work in the UK can be considered, as sponsorship is not available.

What you will do

You will help ensure the daily care, welfare, and wellbeing of a varied animal population. The role focuses on maintaining excellent husbandry standards, supporting animal health and behaviour, and keeping the animal areas clean, safe, and professionally presented.

Key duties

• Provide day-to-day animal care, such as feeding, cleaning and maintaining enclosures, mucking out, poo-picking paddocks, and watching for signs of illness, injury, or behavioural change.
• Develop positive, safe relationships with animals using handling, training, and desensitisation methods that help them become confident around staff, students, and service users.
• Design and run suitable enrichment activities that support wellbeing and mental stimulation.
• Keep health, husbandry, and treatment records accurate, current, and aligned with organisational rules and legal requirements.
• Carry out routine preventative healthcare, including vaccinations where relevant, parasite control, and other prophylactic treatments.
• Work with veterinary professionals to schedule routine and urgent visits, assist during examinations and treatment, and put veterinary advice into practice.

What you need

We are looking for someone with a strong commitment to animal welfare and a clear understanding of good animal care standards. You should be comfortable working with animal health, behaviour, nutrition, and welfare legislation, and have practical experience with routine treatment administration and record keeping. Experience planning and delivering enrichment is also important, along with relevant animal care qualifications.

About the employer

Trent Acres School is an independent specialist school in rural Staffordshire supporting pupils with autism, trauma, attachment difficulties, anxiety, and other complex needs. The setting provides a nurturing, structured environment with small groups, high staff ratios, and personalised programmes that support social, emotional, and academic growth. Integrated clinical support and strong family partnerships help each pupil develop confidence, independence, and the skills needed for adult life.

Options Autism has delivered specialist care and education for children, young people, and adults with autism, complex needs, and learning difficulties for more than 19 years. As part of Outcomes First Group, the organisation uses innovative, evidence-based approaches to achieve meaningful outcomes. In 2025, Outcomes First Group was certified as a Great Place to Work for the sixth year in a row.

Benefits

• Life assurance
• Pension scheme with the option to increase contributions
• Mental health support and physical health checks through the Your Wellbeing Matters programme
• Flexible Benefits Platform (Vista)
• Health, wellbeing, and insurance-related benefits
• Access to hundreds of UK and international discounts
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Electric Car Purchase scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support, including enhanced maternity and paternity leave and paid fertility treatment support

Additional information

The employer places pupil and vulnerable young adult welfare at the centre of its work. Safeguarding is taken seriously, and all applicants will undergo social media checks. Successful candidates will also need to complete an enhanced DBS check. The organisation may close the vacancy early if enough suitable applications are received.

Terms and conditions

The recruitment process is designed to be fair, thorough, and efficient, and it follows Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. The employer aims to keep candidates updated, but it does not accept responsibility for any loss of earnings or other costs caused by delays or changes during compliance checks. All compliance stages remain subject to safeguarding checks and statutory requirements, which may affect timings.