School Receptionist/ Administrative Assistant

Community Academies Trust (CAT); Shrewsbury; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

Community Academies Trust invites applications for a welcoming, professional School Reception & Administrative Assistant to support pupils, parents, staff and visitors. You will manage front-desk duties, handle communications, and assist with pupil and admissions administration in a busy school environment.

The role emphasizes safeguarding, accurate data management, and compassionate handling of welfare matters, including basic medication administration with proper parental consent and policy

Responsibilities

• Act as the first point of contact for parents/carers, visitors and external professionals, providing a friendly, professional and welcoming service.
• Answer incoming telephone calls, deal with routine enquiries and direct calls or messages to the appropriate staff.
• Support monitoring the school’s general email inbox and respond to or forward routine enquiries as appropriate.
• Support monitoring Arbor in-app messages throughout the school day, responding to routine enquiries or forwarding messages promptly to the appropriate staff.
• Assist with sending routine communications to parents/carers through Arbor and other school communication systems.
• Welcome visitors to school and ensure signing-in and safeguarding procedures are followed.
• Deal sensitively, professionally and with good humour with parents/carers, including when conversations may be challenging.
• Ensure messages for staff are recorded and communicated promptly.
• Manage interruptions and competing demands calmly, efficiently and with a positive attitude.
• Maintain accurate pupil and parent/carer information on the school’s management information system.
• Support the administration of admissions, pupil transfers and leavers as required.
• Assist with maintaining emergency contact and medical information.
• Assist with routine communications to parents/carers using the school’s communication systems.
• Undertake general administrative duties including photocopying, scanning, filing and printing.
• Receive and distribute incoming post and deliveries.
• Maintain appropriate electronic and paper filing systems.
• Provide administrative support to colleagues across the school when required.
• Multitask effectively in a very busy office while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Undertake other reasonable administrative duties appropriate to the role.
• Provide appropriate assistance to pupils who attend the school office.
• Contact parents/carers regarding illness, injury or other routine matters as required.
• Administer basic medication, such as paracetamol and antihistamines, where appropriate parental consent has been provided and in accordance with school policy.
• Administer other medication, such as prescribed antibiotics, where required and in accordance with parental instructions and school procedures.
• Record medication given to pupils in accordance with school procedures.
• Maintain a calm, caring and reassuring approach when dealing with children.

Job description

Main Purpose of the role:

To provide a welcoming, professional and efficient reception service for pupils, parents/carers, staff, visitors and other members of the school community. The postholder will provide day-to-day administrative support to the school office, helping to ensure that communication, pupil administration and routine office processes are carried out efficiently in a very busy environment

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Act as the first point of contact for parents/carers, visitors and external professionals, providing a friendly, professional and welcoming service.
• Answer incoming telephone calls, deal with routine enquiries and direct calls or messages to the appropriate member of staff.
• Support monitoring the school’s general email inbox and respond to or forward routine enquiries as appropriate.
• Support monitoring Arbor in-app messages throughout the school day, responding to routine enquiries or forwarding messages promptly to the appropriate member of staff.
• Assist with sending routine communications to parents/carers through Arbor and other school communication systems.
• Welcome visitors to school and ensure that signing-in and safeguarding procedures are followed.
• Deal sensitively, professionally and with good humour with parents/carers, including when conversations may be challenging.
• Ensure messages for staff are recorded and communicated promptly.
• Manage interruptions and competing demands calmly, efficiently and with a positive attitude.

Pupil Administration:

• Maintain accurate pupil and parent/carer information on the school’s management information system.
• Support the administration of admissions, pupil transfers and leavers as required.
• Assist with maintaining emergency contact and medical information.
• Assist with routine communications to parents/carers using the school’s communication systems.

General Administration:

• Undertake general administrative duties including photocopying, scanning, filing and printing.
• Receive and distribute incoming post and deliveries.
• Maintain appropriate electronic and paper filing systems.
• Provide administrative support to colleagues across the school when required.
• Multitask effectively in a very busy office while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Undertake other reasonable administrative duties appropriate to the role.

Pupil Welfare and Medication:

• Provide appropriate assistance to pupils who attend the school office.
• Contact parents/carers regarding illness, injury or other routine matters as required.
• Administer basic medication, such as paracetamol and antihistamines, where appropriate parental consent has been provided and in accordance with school policy.
• Administer other medication, such as prescribed antibiotics, where required and in accordance with parental instructions and school procedures.
• Record medication given to pupils in accordance with school procedures.
• Maintain a calm, caring and reassuring approach when dealing with children.

Safeguarding Children:

The trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks, including enhanced DBS checks.

The above responsibilities are subject to the general duties and responsibilities contained in the Statement of Conditions of Employment. The duties of this post may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or level of responsibility entailed.

The person undertaking this role is expected to work within the policies, ethos and aims of the Trust and to carry out such other duties as may reasonably be assigned by the Line Manager. The post holder will be expected to have an agreed flexible working pattern to ensure that all relevant functions are fulfilled through direct dialogue with employees, contractors and community members.

Community Academies Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Community Academies Trust is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offender Act 1974. We expect all staff to share our safeguarding commitments and to undergo appropriate safer recruitment checks, including enhanced DBS checks and a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the standards which flows from Community Academies Trust vision and values.

The Trust Child Protection Policies and Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Statement can be found at: www.communityacademiestrust.org/en-GB/trust-information.

English Duty:

This role is covered under part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 and therefore the ability to speak fluent spoken English is an essential requirement for this role.

Community Academies Trust supports Equal Opportunities Employment.

Community Academies Trust Company Registration No. 0747273-6

We do not hold a license for work sponsorship.