Great Walstead is a dynamic Independent Day School nestled in the glorious Sussex countryside
on a site of 250 acres, surrounded by fields and woodland. The School seeks to nurture academic
ability, kind character and a spirit of adventure in our pupils whose ages range from 2 ½ to 13
years old. The School believes that children are born creative, curious and imaginative.
We are looking for a
Maintenance Assistant
to start as soon as possible
Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, All Year Round,
with a salary of £27,920.97 per annum
There is also an extensive benefits package including a generous pension contribution, dealth in
service, use of extensive grounds out of working hours, free meals during term time, uniform, free
staff parking and an employee assistance programme.
The successful applicant will:
* have previous experience in a similar role
* have knowledge of health an safety and manual handling at work
* have good communication and interpersonal skills
* be a team player who is friendly and professional with the ability to relate well to children
and adults
Duties will include:
* General repairs to include basic carpentry, plumbing, minor electrical works and
redecoration
* Setting up for school events etc
* Ensuring that the premises are safe and welcoming
* Assisting with parking
Further details and an application form can be obtained at the School's website
Closing date for applications: Noon, Friday 10th October 2025
Applications will be considered as they are received and the school reserves the right to
appoint at any point during the application process.
The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all of our staff to share this commitment.
The successful candidate will be required to undertake an enhanced disclosure via the DBS and to register with the update service
Great Walstead is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
Data Handling – please refer to Great Walstead's Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notice which can be found on the School's
website
Registered Charity No 307002
Maintenance Assistant September 2025
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Job Description
Job Title: Maintenance Assistant
Responsible to: Head of Premises
Main Purpose of role
To maintain the educational facilities of the school in a good general state of repair. Ensuring that
grounds and premises are clean, safe and welcoming. This includes a wide range of duties connected
with the fabric and grounds of the school.
The role will involve flexible working in order to provide cover for the premises, particularly during
colleague absence or illness.
Key Responsibilities
General Repairs
* To include carpentry, plumbing, minor electrical works and redecoration
* Maintenance of the school grounds
* Maintain cleanliness and tidiness of all educational areas
Deliveries/Post
* Take deliveries of post, stores, materials and other goods as required
* Delivery of goods, materials, stock etc., to the respective areas of the school once the goods
(delivery notes) have been checked
Porterage
* Setting up rooms for meetings, chapels, assemblies, events as required
* Assist with moving such items of school furniture/equipment as required
* Preparation of rooms for redecoration, relocations etc.
Internal Maintenance
* Maintain a regular check and control of litter around the school
* Carry our minor works in order to improve the site as required by the Premises Manager.
* Redecoration of any area, agreed as reasonable on instruction (ie classroom, stores etc.)
* Monitor and maintain the correct water balance of the school swimming pool
* Routinely maintain the flooring surfaces of the Sports Hall, Dining Room and Swimming Pool
* Monitor the performance of various mechanical or electrical equipment and reporting any
concerns of mechanical defects to the Head of Maintenance promptly
* Inspect all areas for dangerous materials and remove, including emergency cleaning of
spillages, in the absence of housekeeping staff.
* Regular collection and removal of recycling materials to the correct storage receptacles.
Maintenance Assistant September 2025
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External Maintenance
* Maintain cleanliness and general tidiness of all external hard areas to a high standard
* Inspect all outside areas for dangerous materials and make safe, including emergency cleaning
of spillages from accident, sickness, vandalism and fire.
* Clear leaves, snow, ice, moss and detritus as appropriate including treatment of surfaces with
salt, and ensure sufficient materials are available when the conditions demand.
* Clean and clear all drains and gullies to ensure effective and healthy operation
* Maintain the general appearance of the site
* Remove/obscure any graffiti on the exterior of the school/site, and identify damage, vandalism
and normal wear and tear
Security
* Monitor the performance of the electronic locks reporting any malfunction of doors or physical
interference with the security measures in place to the Estates Manager
* Challenge any unknown persons seen on site
* Monitor visitors/contractors working on site
* Open up the school ready for business Monday to Friday.
* Assist to manage traffic flow and parking during peak periods, including school events
Health and Safety
* To ensure sound Health and Safety practices are being adhered to
* In the event of an emergency evacuation to sweep the designated area of the building to
ensure all personnel have evacuated.
* On activation of the alarm systems, during the sweep of the building identifying the cause of the
activation or likely cause in order that the Fire & Rescue Services can be accurately briefed on
arrival.
* Test and record regular monitoring of the Fire detection systems and other fire protection
measures provided
* Test and record the controls put in place to monitor the risks of Legionella in the water systems
* Assist maintaining a healthy environment for staff and pupils, clearing spillages etc. when
necessary.
Other Duties
* Participate in the cover arrangements for out of hours activities, in agreement with the
Premises Manager as required.
* Provide cover for school minibus journeys, particularly due to planned or unplanned absences.
The above activities are an indication of the nature of the work routine and is not an exhaustive list of
expectations
Maintenance Assistant September 2025
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Person Specification
Selection
Criteria
Essential Desirable Assessment
Qualifications
Valid licence to drive in the UK
STA Level 2 Swimming Pool Water
Testing or commitment to complete this
during the first 3 months
D1 driving entitlement
Relevant Trade
qualification
Application
form/certificates
Experience
Previous employment in a general
maintenance role
Experience of working
in a school or
educational
environment.
Experience of providing
Home to School
services as a driver
Application
form/interview/
references
Knowledge
Health and Safety at work and manual
handling
A sound working knowledge in general
maintenance
Understand safe
working practices and
health and safety
legislation
Application
form/ interview/
references/In
tray
exercise/testing
Skills
Good interpersonal and communication
and customer service skills.
Professional manner and approach.
Sound organisational, prioritising and
time management skills.
Ability to work on your own initiative
Electrical
Plumbing
Carpentry
General Building
Interview/
references/In
tray exercise
Personal
Qualities
Must be physically fit and be able to
work outside in all weather conditions.
Excellent attendance and punctuality.
Positive and enthusiastic
Team player
Flexible, confident and polite attitude
Commitment to the values and ethos of
the School.
Willingness to undertake training
Understanding of the personal & shared
responsibility to safeguard children
Interview/
references
Special
Conditions
Uniform will be provided
PPE provided and must be worn
Some Weekend work will be required
Maintenance Assistant September 2025
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Terms and Conditions
Whilst every effort has been made to explain the main duties and accountabilities of the post, each
individual task undertaken may not be identified.
Employees will be expected to comply with any reasonable request from the Headmaster or Estate
Manager to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified in this job description.
This job description is current at the date shown but following consultation with you, may be changed
by the Estate Manager/HR to reflect or anticipate changes in the job which are commensurate with the
salary and job title.
Safeguarding responsibilities:
* This role will involve daily contact with pupils and you will be engaging in regulated activity
relevant to children
* All staff and volunteers have a responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of
children and young persons for who you are responsible and with whom you come into contact.