Receptionist / Cover Administrator

Silverwood; Broxmore Park; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Silverwood School is seeking an organized, customer‑focussed administrator to join the school office. You will manage a busy reception, handle safeguarding procedures, and provide high‑quality support using SIMS, ParentPay and SchoolComms. You will also maintain pupil records, attendance data and coordinate supply staff as required.

The role requires discretion, strong communication skills, and a proactive approach to administrative duties within a school setting.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in school reception or admin.
• Familiar with SIMS and school portals.
• Strong data protection and confidentiality.
• Excellent telephone and email communication.

Responsibilities

• Operate the school's reception, ensuring safeguarding and security procedures are followed.
• Provide high-quality administrative support including word processing, reports and publications.
• Answer calls promptly and direct enquiries appropriately.
• Respond to emails and general correspondence in a timely manner.
• Record daily pupil attendance and maintain confidential records.
• Keep data in SIMS and other records up to date and backed up.
• Arrange supply cover and organise meetings with staff as needed.
• Coordinate supply staff and communicate timetables and safeguarding guidance.

Skills

Reception duties

SIMS data entry

Data protection

Customer service

Tools

SIMS

ParentPay & SchoolComms

Job description

• Welcome all visitors, parents, professionals and contractors in a friendly and professional manner in accordance with school procedures.
• Operate the school's reception are ensuring all safeguarding and security procedures are followed.
• Provide a professional and high-quality administrative support to the school including word processing of correspondence, reports, publications, and other documents as required. Us the school's information management system (SIMS) as well as the school's parent/school communication portal (ParentPay & SchoolComms)
• Answer telephone calls promptly and professionally, directing enquiries appropriately
• Respond to email enquiries and general correspondence in a timely manner.
• Record daily pupil attendance and follow the attendance procedures to ensure records are accurate and confidential.
• Ensure that all data on SIMS and other school records and files remain up-to-date and all information retained meets the Data Protection legislative requirements. To ensure back-up systems for all electronic data and information systems are maintained.
• Undertake the necessary administration associated with the School's intake of new pupils and pupils leaving the school, ensuring records are forwarded appropriately. Maintain pupil records appropriately ensuring confidentiality with such records
• To be responsible for the maintenance of electronic and manual records including completion of returns, reports and statistics as required by the LEA and/or other third parties. To maintain at all times the utmost confidentiality with regards to such records.
• Organise and maintain the School diary, arranging appointments, and liaising with the Head Of Learning regularly to follow up on external and internal communication. Arrange meetings.Collate information from staff regarding absences and arrange for supply teaching/ teaching assistant cover in accordance with the School's needs, including the necessary arrangements for employment checks, payment and maintaining records.
• Contact, book and coordinate suitable supply staff to provide cover for staff absences, ensuring continuity of provision across the school.
• Manage the daily organisation and deployment of supply staff, allocating staff to classes and roles according to operational needs.
• Liaise with teaching and leadership staff to identify appropriate cover arrangements and respond to short-notice staffing changes.
• Maintain accurate records of staff absences, supply bookings and cover arrangements in line with school procedures.
• Ensure supply staff receive relevant information, timetables and safeguarding guidance to enable them to work effectively within the school.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with supply agencies and regular cover staff to support efficient recruitment and deployment of temporary staff.

The post holder may be required to carry out duties other than those given in the job description, as requested by the school. The role is within Silverwood School and therefore can be undertaken at any site. The particular duties and responsibilities of the post may vary without changing its general character or level of responsibility. Such variations would not in themselves justify a re-evaluation of the post.

Creativity and Innovation (i.e. Problem Solving)

The jobholder contributes to the development of new operational policies regarding administration methods, office security practices etc; compiles reports, and provides holding responses to callers/visitors to the school in the absence of the Head of Learning/member of the school management team.

Key Contacts and Relationship

• Head of People and Pupil Services, Head of Learning, Other members of the school management team, office staff - Routine information relating to telephone messages received, meetings arranged, appointments made , incoming/outgoing mail, visitors arriving etc.
• New and Existing reception/admin staff joining the school - Explanations relating to receptionist and administrative duties and responsibilities.
• Head of People and Pupil Services, Head of Learning, Other members of the school management team - Providing updates to itineraries, updates on lettings, arrangements, messages received, holding responses provided, urgent message.
• Head of Learning, members of the school management team, teachers - Providing information relating to the administration of timetables, registers and absences, school meals administration, school events and outings.
• Other staff, visitors to the school, callers, parents - Dealing with sensitive staff issues, complaints etc. raised by parents, visitors, Governors or other school contacts.

Decision Making

The jobholder decides on the organisation of the work of the office, devising programmes of work to cover current and future workload. The jobholder may make recommendations in the form of draft letters on behalf of the Head of Learning /members of the school management team.

Resources

The jobholder is expected to use school resources appropriately and with care, but is not personally accountable for their overall security.

Working Environment

The jobholder will encounter regular interruptions to their activities, but these would normally be within the same identifiable area of work and would relate to their usual duties and responsibilities.

Knowledge and Skills

The jobholder needs a good standard of practical knowledge and skills in secretarial support and the control of a range of office processes.

Disclosure and barring

The nature of the work requires that the post-holder has undergone checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service and has enhanced level of Disclosure.

Equal opportunities

The post holder has a responsibility to understand and abide by the obligations laid down in the school's equal opportunities policies.

Health and safety

The post holder has a responsibility for his/her own health and safety, and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions. In addition, Supervisors have responsibility to ensure that, on a day-to-day basis, work is conducted within the framework of all local guidelines and policy. Managers are responsible for implementing the school's Health, Safety and Welfare Policy within their area of control.