Groundsperson

The Pioneer Academy; Sandgate; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

None

Job summary

The Pioneer Academy in Sandgate, England, seeks two Grounds persons to support the Head of Estates in maintaining grounds across our primary schools. You will drive works vehicles between sites, perform landscaping and routine maintenance, operate hand-held and powered machinery, and ensure safety standards.

A full clean driving license is essential, and travel between schools is provided; working hours 7am-3:30pm with seasonal flexibility.

Qualifications

• Full clean driving licence is essential.
• Experience in grounds maintenance and landscaping is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Drive works vehicles between sites as required.
• Maintain and landscape grounds across all schools in the Trust.
• Work as part of a team under the direction of the Head of Estates and Assistant Head of Estates.
• Perform maintenance tasks to keep school grounds well-presented and well-kept.
• Operate hand-held and powered machinery.
• Understand basic health and safety requirements.

Skills

Driving

Grounds maintenance

Landscaping

Teamwork

Health and safety

Machinery operation

Tools

Hand-held machinery

Powered machinery

Job description

The Pioneer Academy is seeking to employ two additional Grounds person's to support the Head of Estates and Assistant Head of Estates in the ground’s maintenance across the Trust, ensuring that each school site is maintained to an excellent standard.

Key aspects of the role are

• Driving works vehicles as required to multiple sites.
• Being responsible for the ground’s maintenance and landscaping across all our schools.
• Working as part of a team, and under direction of the Head of Estates and Assistant Head of Estates.
• Completing a variety of maintenance tasks to ensure our schools’ grounds are well-presented and well-kept.
• Operating both hand-held and powered machinery.
• Understanding basic health and safety requirements.

The successful candidate must be able to travel to Belvedere Junior School each day which is where the working day starts and finishes. A full clean driving license is essential, and transportation between schools is provided. The working hours are 7am - 3:30pm, but are flexible subject to the requirements of the season.

The Pioneer Academy is a primary multi academy trust with schools across London and South East England. All our schools, ranging from small infant schools to large primary schools, work collaboratively, sharing resources and expertise. Together we will continue to grow and embed an inclusive culture of high aspirations where a commitment to putting children first is the norm. At The Pioneer Academy, we put children first, pioneering excellence and championing each and every child. All our schools, ranging from small infant schools to large primary schools, work collaboratively, sharing resources and expertise.

At The Pioneer Academy, we take the wellbeing and mental health of our staff seriously which is why we are committed to regular reviews of staff well-being and reducing staff workload. We create bespoke career pathways for every member of staff, identifying and growing talent, with outstanding professional development opportunities at every stage of your career. We also have an Employee Assistance Programme with a range of resources to support wellbeing which is available to all employees and their immediate family members 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

What we offer you

• A friendly, dedicated staff team who believe in teamwork and building positive relationships across the school, the Trust and in the local community.
• A supportive and collaborative working ethos, including support from the Trust’s Central Executive Team and a range of experts, such as specialists in EYFS, SEND and Phonics.
• A Trust wide curriculum with shared planning and resources, including adaptive teaching tools, to significantly reduce workload for teachers and subject leaders.
• High quality development programme with induction programmes for all new staff.
• Excellent CPD opportunities, including outstanding ECT training and support, subject specific training for all, and access to NPQs.
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme including free counselling, integrated GP and nurse services, and access to a range of other wellbeing services such as private physiotherapy, mindfulness and yoga sessions, bereavement support, menopause support, men's health support.
• Access to discounted wrap around childcare for staff.
• Free academy-wide social events throughout the year.

Shortlisted candidates will be required to complete a criminal disclosures and declarations form prior to interview. References will be requested for those shortlisted only and prior to interview. In line with Keeping children safe in education 2026 online searches will be completed as part of the due diligence on shortlisted candidates, searching online content that is publicly available for inappropriate online content that may suggest that a shortlisted candidate may not be suitable to work with children, or that may harm the reputation of the school. If any issues of concern come up in online searches, shortlisted candidates will have an opportunity to address these at interview. An Enhanced DBS certificate will be required on provisional offer, including a check of the Children’s Barred List. Further vetting checks, in line with the requirements of Keeping children safe in education 2026 will be completed following a provisional offer of appointment. Where applicable, if an applicant with a provisional offer of employment has lived and/or worked outside the UK, they will be required to obtain a Certificate of Good Conduct or other overseas police check. Candidates will be required to arrange this themselves if they do not already have the necessary certificate. We recommend that those applicants who have lived and worked abroad read the Gov.uk information ahead of interview to familiarise themselves with the vetting checks that will be required: Criminal Records Checks for applicants who have lived overseas - further information

The Pioneer Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Offers of employment are subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS disclosure and other employment checks. Our Academy Safeguarding Policy is attached for your reference.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CLOSE THIS ADVERT EARLY AND SUITABLE CANDIDATES MAY BE INTERVIEWED BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE.