School Caretaker

About the Role and Organization

Ormston School, situated in Headingley, Leeds, is part of the Polaris Education Community, with over 30 years of commitment to providing excellent education and support to children and young people aged 5 to 18. The school fosters a safe, nurturing environment that inspires learning and promotes self-discipline and engagement. Polaris Education includes more than fifteen special educational needs (SEN) schools across the UK, all dedicated to tailored education in supportive surroundings, and has achieved good or outstanding Ofsted ratings consistently.

Role Overview

The School Caretaker will be responsible for ensuring all school premises including buildings and grounds are maintained in a clean, safe, and secure condition. This full-time permanent position located in Headingley involves a range of duties including cleaning, minor repairs, porterage, health and safety promotion, and security maintenance. The caretaker will coordinate with contractors for larger repairs and supervise cleaning staff as needed.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain cleanliness and safety of school buildings and external grounds.
• Perform cleaning tasks, handyperson duties, small repairs, and refurbishment work.
• Supervise the school's cleaning staff when required.
• Promote and uphold health and safety standards within the school.
• Handle porterage duties such as moving furniture and equipment around the premises.
• Manage school furniture and fixtures upkeep and promptly report issues to the Headteacher.
• Arrange and oversee larger maintenance tasks through contractors and obtain repair quotes.
• Conduct daily cleaning, litter picking, waste disposal and emergency cleaning like gritting or spill clean-up.
• Organize an annual deep cleaning for classrooms, staff areas, kitchens, dining and food technology rooms.
• Maintain cleaning inventory and ensure stock levels are sufficient for continual operations.
• Act as the primary key holder for the school premises, managing locking and unlocking, especially outside school hours.
• Ensure all windows, doors, gates and utilities are secured at the end of the day.
• Operate and monitor security alarm systems, respond to alarms and coordinate security breach responses as per protocols.

Qualifications and Experience

• Previous experience in caretaking or property maintenance in a school setting is preferred.
• Skills and experience in building maintenance and managing security systems, including alarms.
• Strong understanding of health and safety legislation relevant to school environments.
• Basic do-it-yourself (DIY) skills.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, especially in dealing with contractors and visitors.
• Good literacy and numeracy abilities.
• Experience or ability to work with children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.
• Possession of a full UK driving license and access to a personal vehicle.

Additional Information

• The position offers a basic salary of £26,402 annually.
• Benefits include 30 days of annual leave increasing to 35 days with long service, bank holidays off, company pension, life assurance, employee discount scheme, and medical cash plan.
• The successful candidate must undergo an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, sponsored by the employer.
• Polaris Education is an equal opportunities employer committed to safeguarding the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.