Head of Grounds

International Schools Today; Slough; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks paid holiday

Lunch during term time

Uniform

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Caldicott is seeking an experienced Head of Grounds to lead the grounds team and oversee day-to-day maintenance of the school’s extensive 40-acre site in Buckinghamshire. The role requires hands-on management, early mornings, and occasional weekend work to support fixtures and events.

You will manage grounds operations, prioritise workloads, ensure safety and budgeting compliance, and contribute to maintaining high-quality pitches and landscaped areas across a busy school calendar.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in grounds or sports turf management.
• Experience with preparing sports pitches (cricket, rugby, football, athletics).
• Experience in managing and developing a team.
• Budget control and expenditure management.

Responsibilities

• Lead the grounds team and day-to-day management of the school’s grounds.
• Plan, organise and prioritise workload to meet high standards.
• Ensure health, safety and compliance across all grounds activities.
• Support the school’s sporting programme with pitch and facility readiness.

Skills

Grounds management

Sports turf

Team leadership

Budget management

Health & Safety

IT/Planning systems

Education

Grounds management qualifications

Tools

IT planning tools

Job description

• 5 weeks (25 days) leave, plus Bank Holidays
• Salary range: £35,000 pa to £45,000 pa
• Start date: as soon as possible

Contributory pension scheme and Employee Assistance Programme

Located in Farnham Royal, South Buckinghamshire

Caldicott is one of the country’s leading independent boarding and day preparatory schools for boys. We are a flourishing school of around 250 boys aged 7 to 13, offering a full and varied boarding provision alongside day education. Set in 40 acres of beautiful grounds, the school provides an outstanding environment in which to learn, develop and enjoy a wide range of academic, sporting and extracurricular opportunities.

Sport is a major part of life at Caldicott, with an extensive programme of cricket, rugby, football, athletics and other activities taking place throughout the year. Our grounds include a wide range of sports pitches, playing fields, gardens, landscaped areas, flower beds, trees, hedging, boundaries and other outdoor facilities, all of which require careful preparation and ongoing maintenance to a high standard.

We are now looking for an experienced, knowledgeable and motivated Head of Grounds to lead our grounds team and take responsibility for the day-to-day management, preparation and maintenance of the school’s grounds and outdoor facilities.

The successful candidate will have proven experience in grounds management, ideally within a school, sports, or similar environment, with experience of preparing and maintaining sports pitches for cricket, rugby, football and athletics. You will also have a good practical understanding of the care and maintenance of gardens, flower beds, trees, hedges, fencing, boundaries and other landscaped areas.

You will be responsible for managing and developing the grounds team, organising workloads and ensuring that work is planned and completed efficiently and to the required standard. Good people-management skills, together with the ability to lead, motivate and support a small team, are essential.

You will have:

• Proven experience in grounds or sports turf management, with strong knowledge of sports pitch preparation and maintenance.
• Experience of maintaining gardens, planted areas, hedges, trees, fencing and site boundaries.
• Good organisational and planning skills, with the ability to prioritise both routine and reactive work.
• Experience of managing and motivating a team.
• A strong understanding of Health & Safety requirements and good working practices.
• Experience of managing a departmental budget and controlling expenditure.
• Basic IT skills and the ability to use relevant systems for planning, communication and record keeping.
• Appropriate professional qualifications, ideally including Grounds Management Association or equivalent qualifications.
• A full clean driving licence

This is a full-time, hands-on role and will require early morning working and occasional weekend working, particularly to support the school’s extensive sporting programme and the preparation of grounds and pitches for fixtures and events.

In return, Caldicott offers a friendly and supportive working environment, the opportunity to work across a diverse and attractive 40-acre site, and the chance to play an important role in maintaining and developing the school’s grounds and sporting facilities.

Benefits include 5 weeks’ paid holiday, an Employee Assistance Programme, lunch during term time and uniform.

Caldicott is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check and appropriate safeguarding checks.

Closing Date: 21st October 2026, 1700hrs