Administration Lead & PA to the Headteacher

Role Purpose

1. To act as personal assistant to the Headteacher including managing the admissions process for new children and young people from initial visit to placement offer
2. To co-ordinate and oversee school administrative processes
3. To complete statutory whole school administrative priorities at key points in the school calendar for example, the DfE school census
4. To provide administration support to the SLT and Governors
5. To lead and manage the administration team

1. To act as Personal Assistant to the Headteacher

• To respond in a timely manner to all new pupil enquiries ensuring as far as possible enquiries result in acceptance of a placement offer
• In liaison with the Headteacher and SLT co-ordinate new pupil assessments and visits, devise and issue new pupil information packs and induction information
• To maintain the Headteacher’ s diary and assist with arrangements for visitor events
• To maintain a ‘bring-forward’ file, ensuring that the Headteacher is prepared with the necessary paperwork for any event sufficiently in advance
• Deal with incoming correspondence, post, email, text and telephone calls and distribute as necessary
• Deal with concerns about children and young people, which can be of a complex and sensitive nature
• Receive and welcome visitors to the school on behalf of the Headteacher, in a courteous, pleasant and welcoming manner
• Provide administrative support for Headteacher reports to governors and Trust Board
• To manage the School’s enquiries and admissions email accounts
• To maintain records of staff absences in the administrative team

2. School administrative processes and outcomes

• Produce an annual calendar of key School activities in liaison with the Headteacher and SLT
• Co-ordinate and oversee the administration of key activities in the School’s annual calendar
• To provide support for the Deputy Headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead in maintaining the School’s Single central Record (SCR) including visitor protocols and processes
• To organise, gather information for, circulate agendas, take and distribute minutes, organise interpreters (where appropriate)  for meetings as requested by the Headteacher
• Organise pupil files to ensure information including placement plans and LA Agreements are filed accurately, up to date and available to legitimate users. 
• Organise the safe storage of archives and arrangements for the disposal of confidential documents/media
• Liaise with the SLT to ensure all policies are up to date and available to staff
• Manage the School’s pupil and staff management information systems ensuring data is accurate, fit for purpose and appropriate permissions are in place
• In liaison with the Headteacher, Governors and IT support, ensure the School’s website is up to date, legally compliant, informative for those who wish to use it and attractive to prospective parents and placing authorities
• Provide a wide range of detailed and sometimes complex or specialist documents to high standards of accuracy within tight timescales ensuring the needs of governors and board members are met
• To maintain the School’s intranet with support from the School’s designated IT support service
• To ensure new pupils and staff have appropriate permissions to use and access the School’s intranet; to maintain accurate email groups for School users
• To coordinate with the Headteacher and other appropriate staff, effective home-school information and messaging

3.  To complete statutory whole school administrative priorities at key points in the school calendar for example, the DfE school census

4..  To provide administration support to the SLT, Governing Body

5..  To lead and manage the administration team

Person Specification

Education/training/qualifications

A good standard of general education ideally to Level 4 or above or, able to demonstrate work and experience at an equivalent level

English and Mathematics at L3 or above or equivalent experience of using maths and English at these levels

IT at Level 2 or above or able to demonstrate competence at this level

A Level English

Level 3 IT practitioner

British Sign Language L2 or above or willing to start working towards Level 2 as soon as practicable after appointment

Experience

Demonstrable administrative and organisational skills gained through previous experience

Experience of using a range of off the shelf office software including Word, Excel, Publisher, PowerPoint

Experience of managing competing deadlines

Experience of front line management

Experience of Arbor or a similar school management information system

Knowledge

Knowledge of LA/Ofsted/DfE expectations policies, procedures and systems relevant to role

A basic knowledge of school governance matters

Knowledge of a range of management information systems applicable to schools

Skills & Attributes

Excellent organisational and interpersonal skills

Able to put good and best practice first line people management skills into practice

Able to work independently and under pressure to meet deadlines

Attentive to detail and the capacity to work accurately under pressure

Able to actively promote and maintain confidentiality

Able to work with flexibility including occasional evening work

Able to take concise minutes and notes which are factually accurate and meaningful to participants and fit for external scrutiny

The ability and willingness to manage own CPD needs and those of a small administration team

The ability to be a creative solution finder to new and existing problems

Physical and Mental Health

The ability to perform all duties and tasks with reasonable adjustment, where appropriate, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010

Own physical and mental health does not constitute any risk to the health, safety or well-being of others or jeopardise the continuity of support the role provides to them