Grounds Maintenance Operative

Blade Recruitment; Salisbury; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

Blade Recruitment is seeking a proactive Facilities and Grounds Maintenance Assistant to support school maintenance and grounds across Salisbury. Based near Salisbury Railway Station, this role involves gardening, vehicle support, and safety on site.

Applicants with education-sector experience are desirable; heavy lifting and operation of mowing equipment are required. A DBS check will be completed during onboarding.

Qualifications

• Experience in an educational environment is desirable.
• Able to carry out heavy lifting.
• Confident using horticultural machinery (hedge cutters, strimmers, and mowers).
• Full clean driving licence desirable.
• Enhanced DBS check is part of onboarding.

Responsibilities

• Support general maintenance tasks, repairs, and moving materials under supervision.
• Direct school traffic during peak times to ensure safety.
• Assist with transport of pupils and basic vehicle checks.
• Maintain borders, hedges, lawns, and garden beds to high standards.
• Operate and clean horticultural equipment safely.
• Support events and activities such as Sports Days.
• Follow health and safety protocols at all times.

Skills

Heavy lifting

Machinery operation

Safety awareness

Education

Enhanced DBS

Tools

Hedge cutters

Strimmers

Lawn mowers

Chainsaw CS30/CS31

Pesticides PA1/PA2/PA6

Job description

Posted On 04/08/2026

Job Information

25,396

Job Opening ID Z14308

Schools & Universitys

City Salisbury

Province Wiltshire

Postal Code SP1

Job Description

Are you passionate about creating a safe, beautiful, and well-maintained environment for students and staff? Do you enjoy hands-on work and working outdoors?

We are seeking a proactive and versatile Facilities and Grounds Maintenance Assistant to support Maintenance and Grounds teams across both school sites.

Job Duties

• Support Maintenance Activities: Assist with general repairs, moving materials and furniture, and other tasks as directed by the Maintenance Supervisor, ensuring all work is within your competency.
• Traffic Management: Direct school traffic during peak times to ensure safety and smooth flow.
• Transport Assistance: Support the transportation of pupils via the school minibus fleet, including pre- and post-journey checks and basic vehicle maintenance under supervision.
• Minibus Fleet Maintenance: Assist in maintaining the school’s fleet of minibuses, following guidance from Maintenance Supervisors.
• Security Support: Contribute to school security measures as directed, including monitoring entry points and ensuring safety protocols are followed.
• Horticultural Operations: Undertake a variety of gardening and landscaping tasks such as greenhouse care, weeding, digging, edging, seed sowing, planting, bed preparation, pruning, and maintaining trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Use initiative to carry out these activities efficiently.
• Grounds Maintenance: Maintain borders, ponds, hedges, fences, walls, pathways, roadways, and woodland areas to high standards.
• Lawn and Turf Care: Use pedestrian and ride-on equipment to scarify, aerate, top-dress, over seed, lift and lay turf, feed, irrigate, and mow lawns.
• Cleaning and Winter Duties: Keep drives and pathways clear of debris and litter, clear snow, and apply grit salt as needed to ensure safety during winter months.
• Equipment Operation: Safely operate, maintain, and clean horticultural and grounds keeping equipment including hand tools, strimmers, hedge cutters, mowers, scarifiers, aerators, tractors, and other machinery.
• Health & Safety: Maintain a tidy, safe working environment, adhering to safety protocols always.
• Additional Tasks: Support the school in various activities such as setting up sports pitches and courts, stewarding in the car park, transporting luggage, and assisting with school events like Speech Day.

Job Requirements

• Pesticides application PA1, PA2 and PA6 Desirable
• Chainsaw CS30 and CS31 Desirable
• Previous experience in an educational environment is Desirable .
• A strong commitment to delivering excellence and ensuring quality service in all interactions.
• Able to carry out heavy lifting Essential
• Confident using machinery e.g. hedge cutters, strimmers and lawn mowers Essential
• Full clean driving licence Desirable
• Enhanced DBS - (It will be part of the onboarding process)

Job Location

Facilities and Grounds Maintenance Assistant will be based near Salisbury Railway Station SP2 7RS - would still require a 23 min walk to the school, from the station.