Grounds & Gardens Operative

The Grammar School at Leeds; Leeds; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious educational institution is looking for a dedicated Grounds and Gardens Operative in Leeds. The ideal candidate will maintain the 130-acre site, fostering a vibrant outdoor environment. Responsibilities include caring for sports pitches and gardens. Applicants should have experience in grounds maintenance, preferably with horticultural knowledge. This full-time position offers numerous benefits, including substantial annual leave and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Significant discount on school fees

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Access to subsidised childcare

Onsite gym and swimming pool

Free car parking

Training and CPD opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in grounds or garden maintenance is ideal.
• Knowledge of horticulture and sports turf care is essential.
• Proactive attitude in varying weather conditions is required.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and enhance the beautiful 130-acre GSAL site.
• Support the upkeep of artificial surfaces like the 3G pitch.
• Assist in gardening and horticulture tasks across the site.

Skills

Experience in grounds or garden maintenance

Practical knowledge of sports turf care

Horticultural knowledge

Proactive and flexible attitude

Education

Horticultural qualification (advantage)

Tractor driving qualification (or willingness to obtain)

Job description

• Grounds and gardens operative

• Contract: Permanent, all year round

• Hours: Full time, 37 hours per week Mon-Fri, plus rota for Saturdays 1 in every 4 weeks as overtime

• Salary: GS3/4 GSAL point 18: £27,265 - point 20: £28,474

Do you take pride in keeping grounds green, vibrant, and thriving? Do you enjoy the outdoors and want your work to make a visible difference every day?

At The Grammar School at Leeds, we are seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Grounds and Gardening Operative to join our friendly Estates team.

In this hands‑on role, you'll help us maintain and enhance the beautiful 130‑acre GSAL site, from our immaculate sports pitches to peaceful garden spaces and woodland areas. Whether you're line‑marking rugby fields, mowing lawns, planting seasonal displays, or supporting the upkeep of artificial surfaces like our 3G pitch, your work will help create a safe, inviting and inspiring outdoor environment for our pupils, colleagues and visitors.

You’ll also play a key part in gardening and horticulture across the site, from raised beds and planters to composting and caring for flower borders. No two days are the same, and you’ll be part of a supportive team that takes pride in every stripe, bloom, and boundary line.

To thrive in this role, you’ll ideally have experience in grounds or garden maintenance, with practical knowledge of sports turf care and horticulture. A horticultural qualification and a tractor driving qualification (or a willingness to work towards one) would be an advantage. We’re looking for someone with a proactive and flexible attitude, who is happy to roll their sleeves up in all weathers and work collaboratively to keep our grounds looking their best.

The grounds department is a small and friendly team. They do tend to work together on the larger projects but normally work alone but can call on colleagues for assistance as required. The estate sits in a rural area of North Leeds in quite surroundings away from busy roads and the general hustle and bustle of schools based near the city centre.

Why GSAL?

The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) is one of the leading schools in the north and traces its history back to 1552.

GSAL was awarded North Independent School of the Year 2024 and Independent Secondary School of the Decade in 2021 and continues to be a friendly, fun and supportive environment with high investment in pupil and colleague wellbeing, while insisting upon and maintaining high expectations.

Benefits

We value our GSAL community and offer a wide range of benefits including:

• Significant discount on school fees

• 25 days annual leave per year plus eight statutory bank holidays (pro rata for part‑time roles)

• School closure days in the Christmas holidays in addition to annual leave entitlement (usually an extra 3 days annual leave)

• Option to purchase up to 10 additional days of annual leave

• Subsidised childcare provided for colleagues’ children during school INSET days (from the age of 3 up to age 11)

• Personal pension plan with Aviva up to 5% employee contribution and 10% employer (with the facility to pay higher or lower employee contributions)

• Training and CPD available including inset days

• Colleague lunches: three courses for £2.40 available during school lunchtimes plus free tea, coffee and hot chocolate

• Access to free private GP appointments via Health Hero

• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme well‑being app, Vivup, offering telephone counselling, financial and legal advice plus 6‑8 face‑to‑face counselling sessions

• Beautiful lunch time walking routes around our 130 acre site

• Onsite gym and swimming pool available for staff use within set times as well as staff classes such as Pilates, meditation, kettlebells, spinning and bootcamps

• Salary sacrifice schemes for cycle to work

• Free car parking available on site

• Use of the school’s extensive library facility

• Generous leave of absence scheme to support our employees when they need it

• Colleague discounts through multiple providers, including Vivup, blue light card, discounts for teachers and Extras

• Opportunity to be involved in co‑curricular activities such as the staff pantomime, well‑being committee or volunteer for community events

At GSAL, we are committed to promoting equity and diversity, safeguarding the welfare of children and young people, and providing a safe, supportive environment for learning and development. If you share these values, we would love for you to apply.

How to apply

Please complete the online GSAL application form found on our website. For any enquiries about the role please contact

Further details about the role and its responsibilities can be found in the candidate information pack, available in the ‘documents’ section of our advert on the school website. Please be prepared to provide copies of any qualifications mentioned in your application. Please note we cannot offer tours or visits due to the high volume of interest. A tour is provided as part of the interviewing process.

Please note, applications will be reviewed as they are received, and as such the vacancy may close before the listed application closing date. If you are interested in the role, please submit your application as soon as possible.

The closing date for applications is: 23:59 15 February 2026

Interview date: To be confirmed