Caretaker (Primary)

Ark Orchard Head Primary School; Pontefract; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous employer pension (LGPS)

Employee wellbeing programme

Staff development and CPD

Job summary

Ark Orchard Head Primary School is looking for a committed Caretaker to help maintain a safe, secure and clean environment for the school community. The role involves routine checks, supervising cleaners and contributing to a well‑run, welcoming school site.

It is a 36 hours per week, all year round, permanent contract with split shifts. Contact [e-mail] for visits or queries.

Qualifications

• Experience providing day-to-day supervision to a team of cleaners.
• Ability to maintain a safe and clean school environment and assist in maintenance tasks.
• Knowledge of basic health, safety and security protocols.

Responsibilities

• Manage reactive maintenance tasks and ensure timely completion.
• Undertake compliance tasks and record evidence where required.
• Supervise cleaners and ensure duties are performed to high standards.
• Maintain site security, unlock/lock buildings and operate security systems.

Skills

Supervision

Health & safety

Security management

Tools

Computerised system

Job description

Make a difference every day - join our fantastic team at Orchard Head!

We are seeking to appoint a committed Caretaker at Orchard Head Primary School. The successful candidate will be responsible for assisting in providing a well maintained, safe, secure, and clean working environment for the school. They will undertake activities to maintain a safe and clean internal and external environment, and undertake routine checks as required.

Key responsibilities:

1. The management and delivery of reactive maintenance tasks
2. Undertaking compliance tasks as required and record evidence on a computerised system
3. Providing day to day supervision to a team of cleaners, ensuring duties are carried out to the highest of standards.
4. Maintaining site security through locking and unlocking the school’s buildings, setting the security alarm and other security systems where applicable

Contract details:

This is a 36 hours per week, all year round, permanent contract.

The successful candidate will be on a daily split shift pattern:

Monday to Thursday: 06:30 am - 10:00 am, 14:00 pm - 18:00 pm

Friday: 06:30 am - 09:30 am, 14:30 pm - 17:30 pm

About Orchard Primary School

Orchard Head is a caring and friendly school where children are polite, enthusiastic and lovely to work with. We're proud of our strong academic results, but just as proud of the warm, supportive atmosphere that helps every child grow in confidence and enjoy their time at school.

Our staff often talk about how valued and supported they feel, and how positive and welcoming the school community is. Orchard Head is a place where teamwork really matters and where everyone plays a part in helping children have the best school experience.

If you enjoy working with children and want to join a kind, supportive team, Orchard Head is a fantastic place to be.

School visits and further information

Potential candidates are encouraged and very welcome to visit our school. This is a great opportunity to explore our facilities, meet our dedicated staff, and get a feel for the vibrant community we have built here. We look forward to welcoming you and answering any questions you may have. Please contact us at [e-mail] or call 01977 723495 to arrange this.

What can we offer you?

Be part of a team that values your wellbeing, development and work-life balance. As a member of our school community, you'll benefit from:

1. Exciting career and leadership pathways supported by outstanding CPD opportunities
2. Everyday Development (EDD) Framework: A simple, personal and flexible goal-based approach to continuous learning, career growth and wellbeing
3. For the 2026/27 academic year, we have provided staff with three Everyday Development (EDD) days, the next is on Friday 11th December 2026. These development days will offer you self-directed time away from the workplace to recharge and reflect on your personal and career goals
4. Generous employer pension (West Yorkshire Pension Fund - LGPS)
5. Fantastic family friendly policies with a focus on employee work/life balance
6. Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest- free loans available for travel seasons tickets or a bike, gym discounts and free eye tests
7. Blue Light Card
8. Employee wellbeing programme (including physiotherapy, personal or professional concerns on legal, health, finance, wellbeing, and other matters)
9. Free flu vaccinations.

Click here to find out more about the benefits of working for Ark

About Ark

There are 34,000 students learning in our network of 48 schools across Birmingham, Hastings, London, Pontefract and Portsmouth. We've always believed that, with the right approach, every child has the potential to succeed. We work in the communities where we can make the biggest difference to children's lives, and all our schools are non-selective.

It works: our schools achieve great results - significantly outperforming national averages, especially when it comes to driving progress - the best measure for 'closing the gap'.

We take what we learn in our schools to develop new solutions and approaches that we can share. Over the last two decades, we have developed and incubated more than 20 projects and programmes, supporting them to scale and achieve systemic impact on the life chances of all children. Over 300,000 children currently learn using an Ark curriculum and our Ark Start nurseries are demonstrating a new model for early years education that we hope will become the norm.

Further information

Contact us on 01977 723495 or email [e-mail]