Appointment of

Grounds Person

Required as soon as possible

Information for applicants

Warwick Independent Schools Foundation School Myton Road Warwick CV34 6PP

Grounds Person

Salary £20,240 (rising to a maximum of £22,317) 40 hours per week; full-time - 52 weeks (see further detail in Pack) 5 over 7 days, primarily Monday to Friday 08:00 – 16:00 (Oct-Mar) & 07:00 – 17:00 (Apr-Sep) (Additional hours required from time to time to support school events or project work)

We are seeking to appoint a Grounds Person to join our Grounds Department within our large, friendly team of Estates & Operations professionals.

 You will have proven grounds experience, specialising in sports pitches and be able to offer support to all areas of grounds maintenance and development of a large 60acre estate.  You will continue with a high level of quality and workmanship with improvements continually shown to all areas of the grounds and estate.  You will assist in maintaining the lawns, playing fields, artificial pitches, hedges, shrub beds, trees, gardens & hard court areas to a high standard ensuring they are safe/fit for purpose.  You will assist in marking / setting out pitches for football, rugby, cricket, athletics and associated sports equipment, and other areas as required by your line-manager/Grounds Supervisor(s) in liaison with the Sports Departments  Assist in ensuring all lawns, beds, boarders and hanging baskets are watered regularly depending on the conditions. Undertake digging, planting and weeding of flower beds, boarders hanging baskets pruning shrubs and small trees.

We are seeking to appoint an excellent operative who is a good team-worker with a confident, professional and approachable manner. The successful applicant will have the ability to be flexible and takes a real pride in their work / what they can accomplish.

You will have a solid experience in all areas of grounds upkeep and will enjoy being part of a busy, hard-working team which makes a significant contribution to the life of the Schools.

For further information, please see the Job Details attached. If you would like to discuss this role in more detail, please contact Sam Hanson (Deputy Head of Estates & Operations) on 01926 735455.

Should you wish to apply for this role please complete both parts of the application form on the website shown below and send to [email protected] or contact the HR department on 01926 735413

Closing date for applications : 9th July 2018; 12.00noon Interviews : 17th July 2018 Warwick School

Warwick Independent Schools Foundation Myton Road Warwick CV34 6PP Website: http://www.warwickschool.org/Non-Teaching-Vacancies

The Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to a satisfactory DBS check. Grounds Person – June 2018 The Estates & Operations Department

Estates & Operations is the largest department within the Foundation. A substantial budget is provided to cover condition, compliance, minor & major building projects, maintenance, caretaking, cleaning, grounds and transport for the two schools. The Foundation also has a small number of town centre residential properties which are looked after by the E&O team.

Our team encompasses a wide variety of specialisms, including qualified electricians, heating & plumbing engineer, carpenters, grounds persons, landscape gardeners, caretakers, general maintenance operatives and cleaners as well as management and resources. Our dedicated resources team administer service level agreements, external contractor arrangements, orders, information required for HR and payroll, utilities, our fleet of 8 minibuses and the School Bus Service - which now comprises of 10 routes over a 30-mile radius. We are the largest single department in the Foundation with just under 90 staff in total.

The Estates & Operations Department maintains the high standard of our sites for the benefit of pupils, staff and external hirers through a 10 year rolling condition plan. This is varied work, given the range of ages of buildings, from significant Grade II listed buildings to innovative modern structures; capital projects continue to be carried out regularly to keep our schools fit for the purpose of modern education. Our work involves procuring of service and maintenance contracts a vital part of the management process to ensure the Foundation always benefits from the highest standard of service and best value.

Grounds Team Update

This position will be joining our Grounds team during an exciting period of transition with the ability to bring forward new ideas and share new ways of working.

The applicant will be passionate and committed to delivering the highest standards of grounds maintenance and share the ethos of creating class-leading sports pitches and surfaces for the schools within Warwick Independent Schools Foundation.

Grounds Person – June 2018 The successful candidate will already possess good knowledge and experience of all aspects of grounds maintenance, soft, hard and synthetic pitches as well as maintaining and developing the gardens and grounds of the wider estates.

Experience of working in an educational environment or that of a large and complex organisation would be advantageous, but not essential. The successful candidate would be expected to undertake further professional development with a program of further training available for the right candidate.

The successful applicant will be joining the Foundation at an exciting time with vast development taking place to the buildings and the grounds. Recent investment includes two newly laid artificial pitches for hockey and a planned 3G pitch for Rugby. The schools have a prestigious sporting history with Warwick Boys School recently crowned the Rugby U18 NatWest Schools Cup Winners 2018.

As well as all areas of the grounds the Estates Team oversees the day-to-day upkeep of some 43 buildings (via Estates Helpdesk software) and has a reputation for providing excellent service to our stakeholders (our 4 schools) which can be relied upon. The portfolio of buildings includes Grade II listed, the ‘new-build’ Warwick Hall (completed 2017) and a vast array of historic builds. All members of the team are valued and make contributions to the way we all work. Visit our school websites which will offer further insight to our schools.

Grounds Person – June 2018 Warwick Independent Schools Foundation – General

Warwick Independent Schools Foundation comprises Warwick School (boys aged 7 -18 years), which includes Warwick Junior School (boys aged 7 -11 years) and King’s High School (girls aged 11 – 18 years), which includes Warwick Preparatory School (boys aged 3 – 7 years, girls aged 3 – 11 years). Between them, the schools look after around 2,300 pupils. WISF employs around a total of around 650 staff.

Warwick School, Warwick Junior School and Warwick Prep are based on a large campus between Myton Road and Banbury Road and King’s High School in the town centre within easy walking distance of the campus. We have recently started to build a new school for King’s High on the Myton Road campus in order to allow the schools to work more closely together; this major project is planned for completion by September 2021.

The Schools benefit from a number of shared services provided under the oversight of the Foundation Secretary. These services incorporate all traditional bursarial services, comprising Finance, Human Resources, Estates & Operations, Catering, I.T. and Health & Safety, with each team headed up by a specialist. All offices are located in the Warwick School building on Myton Road except for Health and Safety, which is based at King’s High and HR, which is based at Warwick Prep.

Warwick Independent Schools Foundation is also a Company Limited by Guarantee and a Charity. It is run by a board of 19 Governors and an Executive of three: the Foundation Secretary and the two School Heads.

Warwick Independent Schools Foundation – Staff Benefits

We offer a generous 30 days annual leave (plus 8 days statutory bank holidays). On starting, staff are enrolled in the NEST staff pension scheme which the Foundation also contributes to in line with legislative requirements (staff may opt back out once they have joined).

We also provide free lunches, on-site parking and an Employee Assistance Programme in case staff (or anyone they live with) are struggling with health or significant life issues.

We have an impressive sports and leisure complex including an indoor swimming pool and gymnasium which staff may use out of school hours; this is free within a limited time range (excluding weekends) or at a modest fee for full access.

Grounds Person – June 2018 Living in Warwick

Warwick is the County Town on the banks of the beautiful River Avon. It is famous for its Castle but has much more to offer, combining medieval history and architectural wealth with a modern vibrancy rich in bars, restaurants and culture. The bustling town of is close by, and both Coventry and are a short train journey away. Road and rail links are exceptional. Warwick has two train stations, one within the town and a parkway just outside the town. London is an hour and a half away by train, and Birmingham has its own international airport.

Birmingham offers all the amenities of a major UK city, including fine museums and galleries, and excellent shopping and evening entertainment, and is a major centre for soccer, cricket, athletics and tennis. It boasts a number of major sports and cultural venues including The Symphony Hall, the National Indoor Arena, The National Exhibition Centre, and the Millennium Point Cultural Centre.

For theatre lovers, Stratford-upon-Avon is only eight miles away; a mediaeval town, it offers many attractions besides the theatre including historical buildings, a Picture House Cinema and shopping. In addition, the excellent Warwick Arts Centre on Warwick University campus is just ten miles away and has a range of facilities providing events throughout the year including concerts, comedy, dance, theatre and film. Warwick itself has an annual literary festival.

If you enjoy outdoor pursuits or a more tranquil experience, you will find many rural walks and amenities within easy reach of Warwick, including the north Cotswolds just beyond Stratford- upon-Avon.

Warwick, Leamington Spa and the surrounding areas also has an excellent choice of schools, both private and maintained.

Grounds Person – June 2018 JOB DESCRIPTION – Grounds Person

Post Title Grounds Person

Grade/Working Point 16 £20,240 to point 19 £ 22,317 per annum Pattern Location Warwick Independent Schools Foundation (WISF) comprises two schools, each with its own junior school. Warwick School, Warwick Junior School and Warwick Prep (which is overseen by the King’s High Head Master) are based on a large campus between Myton Road and Banbury Road and King’s High School is close by in Warwick town centre. This role falls within one of the shared services, the Estates and Operations Department, and is based at the department’s offices at Warwick School, Myton Road, Warwick. The post-holder will be required to work at the other school sites within Warwick. Date: April 2018 Purpose of this Job Description:

The role as Grounds Person will be a motivated individual who is seeking to improve their skillset whilst providing a valuable hands on role within our Grounds Team. The role will carry out the maintenance and preparation of sports surfaces, landscaping and other duties relating to the upkeep of a large Estate.

The Warwick Schools Campus currently consists of 10 Rugby Pitches, 3 Synthetic Surfaces, Tennis Courts and a proposed 3G Pitch all of which have various usages throughout the year to accommodate the schools’ diverse sports profile.

This document provides a “snapshot” of the job and the tasks listed are not exhaustive. It aims to provide a clear guide at the time of writing about the requirements of the job. It will also be used to communicate expectations about performance and will be used to monitor effective performance.

Reporting Lines: Reporting to: Grounds Manager (Direct line manager) Also accountable to; Grounds Supervisor(s) Key relationships: Academic Sports Staff, Estates & Operations Support Teams Hours: 40 hours per week, all year round primarily depending on the weather and seasons;

08:00 – 16:00 – October to March 07:00 – 17:00 – April to September

5 over 7 days, but hours may vary depending on the needs of the schools. Additional hours from time to time will be required to support schools and outside events which will be at the Grounds Manager’s discretion to whether this it is taken as time off in lieu or paid. Some weekend working will be required. Benefits: 30 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays) NEST pension scheme Lunch meal provided weekdays all year round Use of sports leisure facilities out of school hours

Grounds Person – June 2018 Employee assistance programme Free parking PPE & work clothing Key tasks & accountabilities:

1. To work closely with and support the Grounds Manager\ Grounds Supervisor(s) in the provision of a 52 week Grounds service to the schools. 2. To work closely with the Estates and Operations Support Team and Academic Sports Staff where applicable.

Grounds 1. To assist the Grounds Manager\Grounds Supervisor(s) in the maintenance, development and upkeep of the grounds, all grass and hard\artificial pitches. 2. Maintain the lawns, playing fields, artificial pitches, hedges, shrub beds, trees, gardens and hard court areas to a high standard ensuring they are safe and fit for purpose. 3. To mark and set out pitches for football, rugby, cricket and athletics and associated sports equipment and others areas as required by the Grounds Manager\Grounds Supervisor(s)in liaison with the Sports Departments. 4. To ensure all grounds plant and machinery are checked before use, reporting any defects to the Grounds Manager\Grounds Supervisors(s). 5. Undertake cleaning duties, as appropriately directed by the Grounds Manager\ Grounds Supervisor(s) 6. To assist with the supervision of contractors, suppliers or any other staff working in the grounds team. 7. To help maintain the irrigation and land drainage systems and ditch maintenance. 8. To undertake grounds work requests through the internal Quadpo Estates software that are allocated by the Grounds Manager\Grounds Supervisor(s). 9. Undertake painting, removing rubbish and carrying out general duties as directed by the Grounds Manager\Grounds Supervisors(s). 10. Ability to operate and drive various machinery equipment such as hedge cutters, strimmer’s and ride-on mowers, pesticide spraying equipment, tractors and hand tools etc. 11. Dealing with weed control through preventative measures (such as regular spraying, use of weed brushes etc.) 12. Keeping the sports fields free of litter at all times. 13. Maintaining high levels of presentation of all grounds and the gardens with particular focus on areas that are on regular public view. 14. Sweeping of the Estates grounds and use of leaf and debris collection machinery. 15. Undertake painting, removing rubbish and carrying out general duties related to the Grounds & Estate. 16. Under take any other duties as and when required.

Landscape\Estates Duties;

17. To ensure all lawns, beds, boarders and hanging baskets are watered regularly depending on the conditions. 18. To undertake digging, planting and weeding of flower beds, boarders hanging baskets pruning shrubs and small trees. 19. Ensure all lawns are mowed and trimmed to the highest standard across the estate as and when required. 20. To assist with the planning of Landscaping Projects when required. 21. To install, repair and maintain all fences across the Estates as well as undertake repairs to boarders. Grounds Person – June 2018 22. Undertake gritting and snow clearing of the entire estate when required. 23. Assisting with car parking duties and other key schools events as required.

Particular H&S issues for this post are:

1. To comply with the employer’s Health and Safety policies and procedures 2. To assist with the supervision of children crossing roads where necessary and to ensure that vehicles on site are driven in a safe and appropriate manner and report where necessary. 3. Awareness of legionella, asbestos, PAT and COSSH regulations (training provided) 4. Chemicals should at all times be kept in a locked cupboard and all staff should be made aware of the COSHH precautions of use for each product. 5. Participate in the schools response procedures for all fire drills. 6. Ability and willingness to work outside in all weathers 7. Working at height and manual handling with training provided. The role involves physical effort and a great deal of walking across a large school site. The post holder will need to be and remain physically fit and able to cope with the demands of the role.

Safeguarding and Protection of Children and Young Persons In accordance with the Children’s Act 1989, on appointment post holders will be required to commit to their responsibilities with regards to safeguarding. In addition offers of appointment will be subject to an Enhanced criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

These checks will highlight cautions, reprimands and final warnings as well as any convictions. The postholder must not have any spent or unspent convictions that would prevent working with children.

Health and Safety: As an employee you are expected to: 1. To take reasonable care of your own health and safety 2. To take reasonable care not to put other people - fellow employees and members of the public and students - at risk by what you do or don't do in the course of your work 3. To co-operate with your employer, making sure you get proper training and you understand and follow the company's health and safety policies 4. Not to interfere with or misuse anything that's been provided for your health, safety or welfare 5. To report any injuries, strains or illnesses you suffer as a result of doing your job 6. To tell your employer if something happens that might affect your ability to work (e.g. becoming pregnant or suffering an injury) 7. If you drive or operate machinery, to tell your employer if you take medication that makes you drowsy or hinders your own or others safety.

Grounds Person – June 2018 PERSON SPECIFICATION

Person Specification Essential Criteria Desirable Criteria Qualification Completed a broad education NPTC level 1 & 2 in felling and including GCSE grade C and above in processing trees English Language and Maths (or equivalent) NPTC Pesticides PA2 Spraying License

NVQ Level 1 Horticulture & Sports Registered member with IOG Turf qualification (or equivalent) Certificates, qualification or training in NPTC Pesticides PA1 & 6 Spraying relevant areas of Health and Safety, in Licenses particular COSHH but also general risk assessment, manual handling and first Good standard of Spoken and aid would be advantageous written English

Experience/ Health and safety and fire safety Working at Height Regulations, Knowledge procedures. Legionella Awareness

Basic understanding of COSHH Experience of working within an independent school environment Previous experience in similar or skill transferable roles. Skills/Abilities Demonstrate high levels of time Experience of multi sports pitch management using own initiative to marking. manage a heavy workload and at times conflicting priorities as well as Experience of plant\tree knowledge. tracking progress on a wide range of tasks

Experience of grounds and sports turf knowledge.

Ability and willingness to work outside in all weathers

Good knowledge of all types of ground \ sports turf machinery

Ability to drive work vehicles.

Basic IT skills via PC and Mobile use (emails, photos, Word etc.) Aptitude Naturally demonstrates a ‘can do’ Willingness to undertake first aid helpful attitude always considering training the needs of the schools.

Confident to act on own initiative and be self-motivated

Grounds Person – June 2018 Good oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage, inform and negotiate with colleagues and contractors at all levels.

Ability and willingness to undergo further training specific to the needs of role. Circumstances Able to work flexible hours when Clean driving licence to drive school required. vehicles (not more than 6 penalty points either on licence or pending) Annual leave will be restricted at certain times of the year as workload is high and full team complement is needed. Safeguarding Understands their role in the Children, context of safeguarding children, Young People young people and vulnerable adults and Vulnerable Ability to form and maintain Adults appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with children and young people Equal Understanding of the requirements Opportunities of Equality and Diversity

Please demonstrate how you meet all of the essential criteria provided on the Person Specification and, where appropriate, the desirable criteria, when completing your application form. When short-listing applications for interview, the panel will consider the requirements on the person specification above. You are, therefore, advised to ensure that your application form responds to these requirements. All criteria will be assessed initially through your application form, where appropriate.

Grounds Person – June 2018