Location: High Wycombe
Overview
We are looking to recruit an exceptional Receptionist who will be our school’s first point of contact for members of the public and our whole school community including parents and prospective students.
You will be an excellent communicator approaching a demanding and busy workload with a positive outlook and good attention to detail, maintaining a high level of diplomacy, tact and confidentiality. With strong administrative skills you should have a good standard of numeracy and literacy along with knowledge of Google Suite and Microsoft Office packages.
Salary: Bucks Pay Range 2, currently £25,625 to £27,770 FTE (actual salary for 22.5 hours per week, 39 weeks p.a. is in the range £13,215 to £14,322).
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Part time. From 8.00am to 12.30pm. 22.5 hours per week (5 days per week), term time only, plus staff INSET days (39 weeks per year) to include one day in August (A-level or GCSE results day)
Closing date: Sunday 19th October 2025
About us
John Hampden Grammar School is an outstanding school with exceptional academic success and sporting achievement. However, we appreciate that in a changing world our young men will need more including character, spirit and resilience. They will need to lead and take responsibility, collaborate and create. This is what we mean by #BeMore at John Hampden. Exceptional standards, breadth, balance and self-confidence typify our students and we support every individual to build these qualities necessary for happy, successful and fulfilled lives.
About the role
Main Responsibilties:
1. Answering the switchboard, transferring calls and taking messages.
2. Ensuring all communications, systems and processes comply with Data Protection and Keeping Children Safe in Education Regulations.
3. Ensuring ‘office’ emails are swiftly and efficiently transferred to the relevant person.
4. Receiving visitors and notifying the appropriate staff of their arrival.
5. Ensuring visitors are signed in and out of the digital system (Inventry) and made aware of safeguarding guidelines, including cover teachers and contractors. Giving them the appropriate lanyard or visitor sticker.
6. Organising room bookings.
7. Assisting office staff with general clerical duties, including word processing (Google Docs/Gmail/Microsoft Word), attaching data to our MIS system (Arbor), collating and stapling, issuing of paperwork, etc.
8. Distributing incoming post and franking outgoing post; logging arrival and arranging collection of parcels.
9. Dealing with students’ and parents’ enquiries.
10. Informing students and their parents of named lost property.
11. Ensuring Sixth Formers attend their Reception duties.
12. Maintaining the Lower school signing in/out books and ensure all late arrivals have signed or tapped in.
13. Liaison with Second Hand School Uniform Shop Organisers
14. Organising and maintaining records of school minibus and mobile phone bookings, liaising with PE Admin re minibus bookings.
15. Monitoring CCTV camera on school gates and entrance barrier and enabling access.
16. Assisting with sorting and processing lost property when required.
17. Be available during the holidays, by negotiation, to help process examination results, etc.
General:
18. Maintain and update knowledge of relevant software, e.g. Google suite, Microsoft Office and Arbor computer systems as required
19. To be aware of and to execute effectively the postholder’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of young people with whom he/she is likely to come into contact
20. To take responsibility for personal Health & Safety ensuring that all accidents and near misses are reported to the School’s Health & Safety Officer
21. To ensure the development and progression of equality within the sphere of responsibility of this post and the fair and equal treatment of all colleagues and clients
About you
Essential Skills and Qualifications:
22. A minimum of English Language ‘O’ level or GCSE (grade C/ 5 or above) or equivalent certificate
23. Strong administration and organisation skill
24. Proficiency in all aspects of ICT (Google suite, Microsoft Office etc.)
25. Proven experience dealing with confidential information and sensitive situations
26. Ability to prioritise workload and show initiative in dealing with day-to-day situations
27. Problem solving skills including the ability to apply diplomacy and tact when appropriate
28. The ability to remain calm and composed under pressure
29. Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with students, parents, staff and the wider School community
30. Patient with a good sense of humour
31. Willingness to learn new skills and undertake training as required
32. Adaptable, flexible, and able to work with minimum supervision
33. Reliable team player who is willing to make a full contribution to the department
34. Smart personal appearance
35. Understands and is willing to uphold the values of John Hampden Grammar School