School Administrator (Finance and IT)

We are a specialist school with an outstanding residential provision, supporting pupils aged 4-19 with autism and communication and interaction needs, alongside learning needs.

We place the child firmly at the centre of everything we do. Through strong relationships with pupils, families and professionals, we create a safe, nurturing environment where pupils feel respected, understood and able to thrive.

A significant proportion of our curriculum is dedicated to Communication, Language & Literature, underpinned by a Total Communication approach. Communication is central to wellbeing - supporting pupils' health & happiness, enabling them to connect, express themselves, and participate fully in their community.

The Role:

This is an exciting opportunity to join Orchard Manor School as a School Administrator (Finance and IT), providing essential support across our busy and welcoming school community. This varied role is ideal for someone who enjoys working at the heart of school life, combining front-of-house responsibilities with finance, IT and general administrative support to help the school run smoothly and effectively.

Working closely with the Office Manager and wider school team, you will provide high-quality administrative support across a range of areas including reception, finance processes, IT coordination and school systems. You will be a key point of contact for families, staff, visitors and external professionals, helping to ensure a professional, efficient and responsive service at all times. The role requires excellent organisation, attention to detail, discretion and the ability to remain calm and flexible in a fast-paced environment., Providing reception cover and welcoming visitors, families and professionals while following safeguarding procedures

· Managing calls, emails, messages and appointments in a professional and timely manner

· Supporting school finance tasks including payments, purchase requisitions, invoice processing and record keeping

· Coordinating IT-related administration, including logging issues, arranging repairs and issuing equipment

· Providing administrative support for school systems, events, inspections and day-to-day office functions

· Working flexibly as part of the wider administration team to support the needs of the school, The Special Partnership Trust recognises the importance of developing a properly implemented People Strategy to underpin the overall strategic aims of the Trust.

Our People Strategy is designed to help us attract prospective high calibre candidates, as well as drive engagement, productivity and retention of our high performing and high potential employees. It reflects our belief in putting our people first. This does not mean putting our learners second. It is based on the philosophy that if we create a positive and rewarding work environment, if our staff feel motivated, well managed and well supported, they in turn will provide the best possible outcome for our learners., Orchard Manor School would like all candidates to answer specific questions for the personal statement section. For reference, here is a preview of the questions/headings:
1. This important part of your application will be used to decide if you meet the criteria and should be shortlisted for interview. Refer to the role information supplied and tell us how your skills and experience match. Use examples where possible and provide the situation or task, your action(s) and the result. If you are applying for your first job, provide examples of other relevant experience that will help us decide your suitability, e.g. gained through education, the community etc.
2. We are committed to safeguarding children and young people. From your training and/or experience, please give examples which demonstrate your knowledge and commitment to safeguarding and how you would ensure these vulnerable groups remain in a safe environment. Word Limit: 200 words

· A confident communicator with strong written and verbal communication skills

· Well organised, proactive and able to prioritise a varied workload effectively

· Experienced in administration, with strong IT skills and excellent attention to detail

· Able to handle sensitive information with confidentiality, discretion and integrity

· A flexible and resilient team player who remains calm under pressure

· Committed to safeguarding, equality and supporting the positive ethos of the school

At Orchard Manor School, we are proud to be a truly inclusive community where every pupil is known, valued and supported to belong. Our work is grounded in our core values of respect, relationships, kindness, community, and health & happiness, which are lived through daily interactions across our school.

We recognise that our total reward offer, has got to consist of more than just money. We seek to provide our staff with a diverse range of benefits that support their day to day needs both at work and outside of work. These include generous leave entitlements and pension scheme as well as access to health/wellbeing tools, training & development, career pathways and opportunities to ensure they feel valued.