Gardener

Worth School; Worth Abbey; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 20,000; Part time

Job summary

A co-educational boarding school is seeking an experienced Gardener to maintain its Abbey gardens. The role includes daily care, advice on gardening practices, and physical tasks such as lifting and working outdoors. Qualifications include a full UK driving license and NVQ level 2 in Horticulture. The position offers a generous salary and benefits such as meal provisions and pension contributions. The school encourages applicants to apply promptly as they may close the vacancy early if suitable candidates are found.

Benefits

Employee assistance programme

Meal provision

Enhanced pension contribution

Free parking and social events

Qualifications

• Full UK driving license is essential.
• Experience as a Gardener in any setting is essential.
• Must be reasonable fit for physically demanding tasks, including lifting and outdoor work.

Responsibilities

• Day to day care and maintenance of gardens.
• Provide advice on gardening practices.
• Carry out maintenance work to agreed standards.
• Inspect and repair garden structures.
• Clearance and minor landscaping tasks.

Skills

Gardening expertise

Knowledge of pruning and feeding

Physical fitness for outdoor work

Education

NVQ level 2 in Horticulture or equivalent

Tools

Gardening tools

Job description

Contract and Start Date

Contract: 20 hours per week / 52 weeks per year Start date: As soon as possible. We are currently recruiting an experienced Gardener to join the team of six working on the Abbey gardens and hope to appoint someone to start as soon as possible. The successful applicant will complete work on the grounds as directed by the Foreman Gardener.

Responsibilities

• Day to day care and maintenance of gardens.
• To provide knowledge input and advice relating to all aspects of the garden including pruning, staking, feeding and spraying.
• To carry out an agreed annual programme of maintenance work to maintain the garden to the agreed standard.
• Regularly inspect any garden structures and undertake minor repairs or advise Line Manager.
• Ensure general clearance as well as minor soft and hard landscaping projects.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Full UK driving license (essential)
• Experience working as a Gardener in any setting is essential including experience of regularly performing the key duties listed (essential)
• NVQ level 2 in Horticultural or equivalent qualifications (essential)
• Previous experience in an educational setting (desirable)
• A PA1/PA6 spraying certificate (desirable)
• This is a physical role so you must be reasonably fit to cope with the demands of the role, which include lifting, carrying and working outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Due to the remote location of the school, candidates are required to have access to reliable transportation.

Benefits

The School offers its own generous salary scale and an enhanced benefits scheme including an employee assistance programme, meal provision and enhanced pension contribution. Employees have access to our facilities and benefit from free parking, social events and discounted school fees.

About the School

Worth is a highly successful co‑educational, Catholic, Benedictine, 11‑18 HMC boarding and day school of circa 600 pupils. It offers a broad curriculum, including the International Baccalaureate and A levels in the Sixth Form.

How to Apply

Applicants are required to apply online by using the Quick Apply button. Alternatively, an application form and job details are available from the HR Department. Please ensure that you give a comprehensive outline of your experience for all positions held to date. The Worth School Application is attached and needs to be completed, thereby ensuring that your application is considered. If there are any questions please let me know. The quality of the applications that we are receiving is appalling in general as most of the information requested in the Tes application is not being completed in full.

Email: [e-mail] Telephone: [phone] Closing date for applications: 12 January 2026

We reserve the right to invite candidates for interview prior to the closing date and to close vacancies early if we have sufficient suitable applications. Therefore, we encourage interested applicants to apply as soon as possible.

Eligibility and Safeguarding

You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy; Worth School is not able to offer visa sponsorship. We are committed to the safeguarding of children, all employees must have the ability to understand and adhere to Child Protection and Safeguarding legislation. The role holder's safeguarding responsibilities are set out in the job description. References may be taken prior to interview and DBS and other vetting checks will be conducted on the successful applicant. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. The amendments to the ROA 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975, (2013 and 2020)) provide that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain spent convictions and cautions are 'protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. The MOJ's guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975 provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 Section 7(1)(a) states that it is an offence to apply for the role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.