Receptionist

The Mercian Trust; Sandwell; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free car parking on site

UK Healthcare benefits

Vivup Employee Assistance Programme

Progressive CPD programme

Job summary

The Mercian Trust seeks an efficient Reception/Admin Assistant for Q3 Academy Great Barr. You will greet visitors, verify IDs for safeguarding, provide hospitality, and handle general admin tasks using Word, Excel, SIMS, Bromcom and ClassCharts.

Join a dynamic Academy with strong CPD opportunities, a supportive team, and a culture of professional growth within a digitally transforming Trust.

Qualifications

• Greeting and ID verification for visitors (safeguarding).
• Hospitality to visitors as required.
• General administration duties.
• Be First Aider and part of a First Aid rota.

Responsibilities

• Greeting and ensuring visitors to the Academy are correctly ID'd and safeguarded.
• Hospitality to visitors when required.
• General administration duties.
• Be First Aider and be part of the First Aid rota as required.
• Use Word processing, Excel, SIMS, Bromcom and ClassCharts.
• Manage post and emails daily.
• Book rooms and set up Conference Room as required.
• Maintain reception area to a high standard of presentation.
• Respond to AWOL emails and telephone calls via radio communications.
• Assist with lost property and reception coverage during holidays.

Skills

Reception duties

Safeguarding compliance

Microsoft Office

SIMS/Bromcom/ClassCharts

First Aid

Tools

SIMS

Bromcom

ClassCharts

Job description

• Greeting and ensuring that all appropriate visitors to the Academy are correctly ID'd (Safeguarding), including Supply Staff, and clearances are submitted accordingly.
• Hospitality to visitors if required.
• General administration duties.
• Be First Aider trained and be part of a First Aid Rota as required.
• General word processing, Excel spreadsheets, use of SIMS/Bromcom and ClassCharts.
• Duplicating and distributing information.
• Dealing with emergencies that are reported to Reception.
• Dealing with alarm activations.
• Monitor and maintain relevant stock levels.
• Booking of rooms and setting up of the Conference Room as and when required.
• Print out InVentry report for fire evacuations.
• Respond to AWOL emails and telephone calls using radio communications.
• Carry out photocopying and reprographics duties as and when required.
• Ensure the Reception area is maintained to a high standard of presentation.
• Daily incoming and outgoing post and emails.
• Managing the Parent Helpdesk.
• Ensuring franking machine updates, credits, consumables are maintained.
• Ability to work as a team to ensure Reception is fully covered during holiday times when appropriate.
• Demonstrate both enthusiasm and high standards of professionalism to all Academy stakeholders.
• Assisting with lost property. As a mixed comprehensive Academy with a dynamic Sixth Form, Q3 Academy Great Barr serves a vibrant and culturally diverse community of nearly 1,200 students.

Our fantastic buildings are surrounded by open, picturesque fields and woodlands, and the Academy offers a stimulating setting for teaching and learning. Our facilities are designed to inspire, with state‑of‑the‑art classrooms and resources that support a rigorous, knowledge‑rich curriculum. This curriculum is carefully crafted to challenge students, develop critical thinkers, and prepare them for successful futures. Professional growth is embedded in our culture, and Q3 Academy Great Barr presents unparalleled opportunities for students and staff. If you are an individual passionate about shaping the future generation, you will be joining a community where education is valued, diversity is celebrated, and personal development is prioritised. This is a place where your talents will be valued, and your career can flourish. We are proud to be part of The Mercian Trust, which provides us with access to wider resources, professional development, and a network of educators focused on pioneering teaching and learning methods, including digital transformation. Join us for an opportunity to be at the forefront of a transformative educational approach that champions collaboration, innovation, and excellence in teaching and learning.

At the heart of our Academy lies a clear and compelling mission: to be the most inclusive, best-performing school in our local area. This ambition is not just a statement-it is a daily commitment that shapes our culture, our curriculum, and our relationships. We live this mission through our core values of CARE: Community - We are stronger together. We foster a sense of belonging where every voice is heard and every individual is respected Ambition - We set high expectations for ourselves and our students, striving for excellence in all that we do Respect - We treat one another with dignity and kindness, creating a culture of mutual trust and understanding Excellence - We pursue the highest standards in teaching, learning, and leadership, always seeking to improve and innovate.

Why The Mercian Trust? As one Trust we share a common purpose. We call it our social mobility and social justice mission to change our communities through the very best equitable education. When we get this right, it enables our children and young people to fulfil their potential, thrive in the world of work, and make a positive contribution to the local, national and international community. Our recent achievements include: Sustainable Growth - becoming one of the largest and most diverse trusts in the region Social Mobility & Social Justice - National recognition for the Trust's two selective grammar schools who the most successful on the number of local disadvantaged students passing the entrance and joining the schools Increasing Opportunities - Opening brand‑new purpose‑built campus in Walsall Town Centre including an alternative provision for students at risk at permanent exclusion from mainstream schools alongside a Digital Skills Hub to provide professionals and employers Pioneering Spirit - National recognition for pioneering work around youth mental health, including establishing an in‑house multi‑disciplinary team of clinicians and allied health professionals delivering interventions and providing support to vulnerable students Outward Looking - Organising and hosting the region's first Youth Suicide Conference (2023) and Youth Violence Conference (2024) at Villa Park Innovation and Improvement - A multi‑million‑pound investment in the digital infrastructure of Trust schools and our Digital Skills Hub underpinning the ongoing transformation of how staff teach, students learn, leaders lead and the whole Trust operates in readiness for the AI‑supercharged careers and workplaces of the future.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults, and all appointments are subject to enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks and satisfactory references.

• Work with our amazing students in a positive learning environment supported by a centralised behaviour system.
• Manageable marking.
• Supportive feedback culture with no high‑stakes observations.
• Rich culture of professional learning, with a high‑quality CPD programme.
• Fully resourced curriculum.
• Three‑week Christmas break.
• A visible and supportive SLT.
• Modern laptops for staff and visualisers in every classroom.
• Connect and unwind with regular social activities.
• Access to UK Healthcare benefits, supporting your optical and dental care needs and including a free annual flu vaccination.
• Free car parking on site.
• Enjoy exclusive discounts and benefits through the Vivup Employee Assistance Programme.

For further benefits, including education sector leading CPD: The Mercian Trust - What we can offer you