Admin Officer - General at The Forum Centre

Dorset Council UK; Wimborne Minster; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

The Forum Centre is seeking an organised administrator to join the Woodlands site team in Wimborne. Based in the main school office, you will greet visitors, answer calls, issue passes and manage DBS checks, and coordinate pupil review meetings across three sites.

You will also handle room bookings, support the Engage Team, and cover other admin duties as required, contributing to smooth front‑office operations.

Qualifications

• Based in the main school office, greet visitors, parents and pupils warmly.
• Answer and transfer telephone calls and relay messages.
• Follow safeguarding procedures including issuing passes and DBS checks.
• Coordinate pupil review processes across three sites and liaise with staff and families.
• Oversee room bookings and provide admin support to the Engage Team.
• Cover wider admin duties and support front office at other sites when required.
• Typing letters and other secretarial tasks as needed.

Responsibilities

• Be based in the main school office to welcome visitors, parents and pupils.
• Manage telephone calls and messages for staff.
• Support safeguarding procedures and DBS checks as required.
• Coordinate pupil reviews across three sites with schools and families.

Skills

Telephone etiquette

Customer service

Safeguarding

Admin support

Front desk

MS Office

Tools

MS Office

Job description

About The Forum Centre

The Forum Centre is a maintained Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) serving pupils across Dorset who have been permanently excluded, are at risk of exclusion, are medically unable to attend mainstream school or have an EHCP (primarily SEMH).

Currently, we work with up to 100 pupils across KS2-4 from a wide catchment area and teach in small, supportive class groups across two sites (main site in Blandford Forum and a satellite in Lytchett Minster).

We are excited to announce that in the New Year we are opening a third school site in Colehill, Wimborne, called Woodlands. Woodlands will be the base for our Primary and KS3 pupils. The successful candidate will be part of the new school office team and be able to welcome our parents and pupils on their first day. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the team that shapes the admin services at Woodlands. The school office team are key to the school's success and will be the welcoming face of the school.

Main duties will include

• To be based in the main school office, extending a warm and friendly welcome to visitors, parents and pupils.
• Answering the telephone, transferring calls and passing on messages to relevant staff as required.
• To follow safeguarding procedures by issuing passes and lanyards to visitors, ensuring that visitors are signed into the school and checking DBS information.
• Co-ordinating the pupil review processes for all three sites. This includes monitoring and arranging 6 weekly reviews with dual registered schools, parents and professionals.
• Overseeing external requests for Forest School and room bookings.
• Admin support for the Engage Team.
• Providing cover for the wider admin team (This will require supporting the front office function at other sites if required).
• Undertaking administrative duties as required to other areas of the school, including typing of letters and other secretarial duties.

Hours & Pay

• Full time, term time role for 37 hours per week and 39 weeks per year.
• Competitive hourly rate, aligned with Dorset Council’s Grade 6 pay scale. Actual Salary £22,455 to £23,548 per annum (Grade 6, SCP 6-9)

Our vision is: "Striving to ensure every pupil achieves success and contributes positively to society, by providing them with imaginative, nurturing and motivating learning opportunities."

Our values of Kindness & Respect and Ambition & Determination guide everything we do.

We follow the OFSTED framework and are committed to safeguarding, inclusion, strong pastoral care and partnership, working with families and external agencies to support reintegration and long-term success.