Personal Assistant to the Headteacher

Old Buckenham High School; Attleborough; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Old Buckenham High School is seeking a highly organised Personal Assistant to the Headteacher. You will provide high‑level administrative and secretarial support to the leadership team, ensuring smooth daily operations.

Based at the school, the role covers coordinating staff cover, managing key processes, and acting as a main point of contact for staff, parents and external agencies. Term time plus 1 week, 37 hours.

Qualifications

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level admin and secretarial support to the Headteacher.
• Coordinate daily staff cover and key administrative processes.
• Act as main point of contact for staff, parents and external agencies.

Job description

Part of the Sapientia Education Trust

• Salary - Support Staff SCP18-22, £28,028 - £30,470 actual pa (£32,578 – £34,811 FTE)
• Permanent
• Full Time
• 37 hours per week
• Term Time plus 1 week
• Required January 2027

Old Buckenham High School is a small yet vibrant school situated in the heart of the beautiful Norfolk countryside. With an idyllic rural location, we are less than 30 minutes’ drive from Norwich, offering the perfect balance of peaceful surroundings and easy access to the city.

Currently, we have around 500 students aged between 11 and 16 years. Our vision is to provide an inspiring, challenging, and inclusive learning environment, driven by high-quality, evidence-based teaching. We hold traditional values and are incredibly proud of our excellent pastoral care, guidance, and support, ensuring all students feel valued and nurtured.

At Old Buckenham High School, we are passionate about creating a strong, positive community ethos, where mutual respect and high standards are at the core of everything we do. We aim to develop brilliant young people who are hardworking, respectful, and committed to contributing to the community around them. As a school on an exciting journey of improvement, we are building on our previous successes. Our most recent inspection praised us with a ‘Good’ rating across all aspects, and we are determined to continue building on this strong foundation.

THE ROLE

We are seeking a highly organised, proactive and professional individual to join our school as Personal Assistant to the Headteacher. This is a varied and influential role that combines high-level administrative and secretarial support.

The successful candidate will provide exceptional support to the Headteacher, helping to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the school. They will coordinate daily staff cover arrangements, oversee key administrative processes, and act as a key point of contact for staff, parents/carers, the Trust and external agencies.

The role requires outstanding organisational and communication skills, absolute discretion, strong attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced school environment. This is an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated individual who enjoys taking ownership, working collaboratively and making a significant contribution to the life of a successful and supportive school community.

Closing date:9 November 2026

Interview date:w/c16 November 2026

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, therefore all applicants must be prepared to undergo a number of checks to confirm their suitability to work with children and young people. The Trust welcomes applications from all sectors of the community. In accordance with the Department of Education’s “Keeping Children Safe in Education”, references will be sought on all short-listed candidates before interview.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and you will be required to undergo an Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced DBS check with barred list. If you have information to declare it may be protected under the Exceptions Orders and you may not be required to declare it. You will be asked to make a criminal conviction declaration if you are shortlisted for the post. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website.