School Business Assistant (Receptionist)

Derbyshire County Council; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

New Mills School is seeking an excellent Receptionist to join our administrative team. This busy, visible role sits at the heart of the school and involves daily contact with students, parents, staff, visitors and the wider community.

The successful candidate will be warm, approachable and capable of upholding school expectations consistently while directing, registering late arrivals and handling a busy switchboard. The role includes admin tasks and post handling as part of routine duties.

Qualifications

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to build positive professional relationships with students, parents and staff
• Confident, approachable and able to uphold school expectations consistently
• Experience in front-facing reception or admin roles is desirable

Responsibilities

• Greet students, parents and visitors and manage the main switchboard
• Register late students and direct them to appropriate areas
• Check uniform and reinforce punctuality and readiness to learn
• Provide day-to-day reception cover and basic administrative duties
• Manage incoming and outgoing post and assist with admin tasks as needed

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Teamwork

Job description

Closing date: 02 October 2026

New Mills School is a small and ambitious 11-16 secondary school in the High Peak, close to the stunning Peak District National Park, yet within easy reach of Stockport, Cheshire and Manchester.

New Mills School is a warm and welcoming place with high expectations, a strong sense of community and a genuine commitment to ensuring that every student can succeed and belong. Our values - Think Big, Do the Right Thing and Team Spirit - underpin everything we do, alongside our simple message to students: Be here, learn well, belong.

We are looking for an excellent Receptionist to join our administrative team. This is a busy, varied and highly visible role at the heart of the school, with significant daily contact with our students as well as parents, staff, visitors and members of the wider community. Enjoying working with young people and being able to build positive, professional relationships with them is therefore an essential part of the role.

As well as being the welcoming face of New Mills School, our receptionist plays an important part in supporting the smooth running of each school day and reinforcing our expectations for students. This includes welcoming students who arrive late to school, ensuring that they are registered and directed appropriately, checking uniform and supporting our expectations around punctuality and readiness to learn. The successful candidate will need to combine warmth and approachability with the confidence to uphold school expectations consistently and positively.

The postholder will also take responsibility for the day-to-day management of the reception area, including welcoming and managing visitors to the site, operating the main switchboard, communicating with parents and other stakeholders, managing incoming and outgoing post, and undertaking a range of administrative duties.

New Mills School is committed to creating a diverse workforce. We will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, religion, belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy, maternity, age, disability, marriage or civil partnership.

New Mills School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

The successful applicant's appointment will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment clearances including references and a Disclosure and Barring check.