Receptionist

ARK SCHOOLS; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Ark Schools seeks a friendly and professional Receptionist for Ark Charter Academy in Southsea, Portsmouth. The role involves managing front desk services and a variety of administrative tasks in a vibrant school environment, contributing significantly to student and staff experiences. Applicants should possess strong communication skills, attention to detail, and ideally have experience in a school or customer service context.

Benefits

Salaries 2.5% higher than main pay scale

10 inset days for staff wellbeing

Development opportunities for future leaders

Generous pension scheme

Up to £3,000 relocation costs available

Access to Ark rewards for retail savings

Interest-free loans for travel or bicycles

Gym discounts up to 40%

Employee Assistance Programme for support

Qualifications

• Experience in a school, reception, or customer service environment is desirable.
• Calm and professional under pressure.
• Flexible and proactive with a team-first attitude.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality front desk services to students, staff, families, and visitors.
• Deliver a range of administrative tasks to keep the office running smoothly.

Skills

Communication

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Attention to detail

Tools

Microsoft Office

General IT systems

Job description

About The Role
Ark Charter Academy
Receptionist
Location: Southsea, Portsmouth
Salary: Band 5 (£24,790 - £27,711) Pro Rata (£22,781.58 - £25,465.92)
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Term Time Only + 1
Start date: 1st September 2025
Interview date: As soon as suitable candidates apply

Are you an organised, approachable, and confident with strong communication skills? Do you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment? We are looking for a friendly and professional Receptionist to be the first point of contact at our vibrant Academy.

About the role:

As the Academy Receptionist, you will be the welcoming face of the school – supporting students, staff, families, and visitors each day. You will provide high-quality front desk services and deliver a range of key administrative tasks, helping to keep our busy office running smoothly.

This is a fantastic opportunity to play an integral part in the daily life of the academy while ensuring a warm and professional experience for all who engage with us.

Our ideal candidate will be:

• A confident communicator with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Organised and efficient, with strong attention to detail.
• Experience in a school, reception, or customer service environment is desirable.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and general IT systems.
• Calm and professional under pressure.
• Committed to safeguarding, student welfare, and inclusive practices.
• Flexible and proactive with a team-first attitude.

Benefits

• Salaries 2.5% higher than main pay scale.
• 10 inset days (of which at least one is dedicated to staff wellbeing)
• A behaviour policy that ensures disruption-free learning
• Development opportunities for future leaders
• Generous pension scheme.
• Up to £3,000 relocation costs to move to the south coast (dependent on the role)
• Access to Ark rewards – a scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers
• Interest-free loans – up to £5,000 available for season ticket or to buy a bicycle.
• Gym discounts – offering up to 40%.
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme – providing free, confidential counselling, legal advice and a range of different support.

Find out more about the benefits of working for Ark atarkonline.org/careers/why-work-with-us/.

About Us

Ark Charter Academy is a happy and vibrant school located in the heart of Portsmouth. We believe that every young person should feel a sense of belonging to our school community and enjoy their learning.
We inspire and support our students so they can become the very best they can in every single way. With love and care, we develop motivation both inside and outside the classroom, encouraging an appetite for learning in a safe and stimulating Christian environment. We want our students to become the leaders and game-changers of the future.To achieve this we offer an academic curriculum that strives to expose all pupils to the richness of education, allowing them to experience a diversity of subjects during their time with us.

Our teachers and support staff work hard every day to inspire each and every student to develop skills which will help them to achieve their full potential. We pride ourselves in recognising hard work and rewarding it accordingly, providing opportunities for professional and personal growth in school and across the wider Ark network.

Visit charteracademy.org.uk/jobs to learn more about us and see our current vacancies.

Diversity and inclusion:

We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone – staff and students – can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark’s diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on thislink.

Safeguarding statement:

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please click thislink.

Please note we will be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this role may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response. We strongly encourage to submit your application at your earliest convenience.