Gateways School
Harewood
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS17 9LE

A career at Gateways School

About Gateways School

Gateways is an independent day school for boys and girls aged 2 to 18. Situated on a 16 acre site in the rural village of
Harewood, Gateways is conveniently located on the main artery between Leeds and Harrogate.

Gateways  is  a  small  school,  which  allows  staff  to  know  their  pupils,  recognise  their  strengths  and  weaknesses  and
therefore provide a personal education getting the best out of each and every child who come through the gates.

Aims and Ethos

Gateways is a forward-thinking school built on traditional values.

Our ethos is rooted in three core values which apply to all of our stakeholders, that of Growth, Wellbeing & Success.

At Gateways we:

o Grow our knowledge, skills and confidence, supporting others to do the same;

o Build our resilience and self-awareness in a kind and inclusive environment;

o Achieve our full potential in preparation for the next challenge.

Maintenance Assistant

We are seeking a proactive and skilled Maintenance Assistant to join our Operations
Department from January 2026.

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, motivated, and experienced
individual to play a key role in ensuring our school environment is safe, well-maintained,
and welcoming for all.

As a Maintenance Assistant, you will undertake a variety of internal and external
maintenance tasks, supporting the smooth day-to-day running of the school. Your work
will help keep our premises and grounds in excellent condition and fit for purpose.

The role includes participation in on-call rotas for urgent maintenance issues and may
involve minibus driving or car park supervision when required.

There may also be some liaison with the school’s cleaning team, which will be confirmed
during the appointment process.

Key conditions

❖ Full time, 40 hours a week

Candidates seeking fewer hours may also be considered
Please indicate your preferred working pattern in your application form or cover letter
Flexibility will be required around school events, such as parents evening, productions and Prize Giving

❖ Annual salary of £28,000 - £33,000 depending on experience

❖ 28 days holiday, including bank holidays

This post also benefits from additional leave during the Christmas Shut Down

❖ Permanent position

❖ Six-month probationary period

Staff benefits* include

*subject to eligibility

❖ Free lunch during term time

❖ CPD packages

❖ Fee remission for eligible

children

❖ Enhanced 5% employer pension

contribution, including
4 x death in service benefit

❖ Cycle to work and electric car scheme

❖ Access to a staff wellbeing room and
an employee assistance programme

Job Description

Main duties and responsibilities include but are not limited too

Maintenance
• Carry out general repairs and maintenance across the school site.
• Respond promptly to maintenance requests and ensure timely resolution.
• Conduct regular observations of buildings, fixtures, and fittings to identify issues.
• Maintain the integrity of outdoor areas including pathways, signage, fencing, and playground

equipment.

• Assist with setting up furniture and equipment for school events and activities.
• Monitor and maintain heating, lighting and ventilation systems.
• Ensure tools and equipment are used safely and stored securely.

Health & Safety
• Follow all school health and safety procedures and report hazards.
• Support fire safety checks and emergency evacuation procedures.
• Assist with snow/ice clearance and gritting during winter months.

Additional Responsibilities
• To take responsibility for the unlocking of the school site at the start of the day and / or the

locking up of the school site at the end of the school day to fit in with the agreed working hours.

• Liaise with external contractors when required and monitor their work on site.
• Support the Operations Manager with stock control and ordering of maintenance supplies.
• Assist the Grounds team as and when required.
• Subject to confirmation: Act as the liaison between school and the cleaning team, ensuring

standards are maintained and tasks are completed.

On-Call Expectations
• Participate in an on-call rota to respond to urgent maintenance issues outside of regular working

hours.

• Ensure prompt and effective resolution of issues during on-call periods, in line with school

procedures.

• Be available to step in to cover staff absence for car park supervision / minibus driving when

necessary.

• Occasional weekend and evening work required depending on the needs of the school.

Reporting to: Operations Manager

General responsibilities including personal and professional conduct

• Be responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

• Follow all School policies and procedures.

• Attend meetings, staff briefings and CPD sessions.

• Attend all training and development days.

• Demonstrate a commitment to continuous development, identify opportunities for
professional development and undertake training opportunities where appropriate.

• Maintain confidentiality inside and outside the School, following all GDPR and Data

Protection legislation.

• Manage and prioritise your own workload in line with the requirements of the

department and School.

• Establish effective working relationships with professional colleagues.

• Be a role model for students through personal presentation and professional conduct.

• Present a positive personal image, contributing to a welcoming School environment.

• Contribute to the ethos of the School, ensuring the School’s values are displayed.

• Support School events.

• Carry out any other duties required by the Head.

Please note, this job description is not a definitive list of the responsibilities
of the role. Responsibilities will be varied to meet the changing demands of
the department and the School. Job descriptions are reviewed as part of
the appraisal process.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Skills

•

•

•

•

•

(D) Qualification in Maintenance, Building Services, Facilities Management or similar.

(D) Basic electrical or plumbing certification.

(D) Basic Health & Safety Training.

(D) First Aid Training.

(D) Full UK driving licence.

•

•
•
•
•

(E) Practical skills in a range of trades (e.g. plumbing, joinery, decorating and minor
electrical work).
(E) Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
(E) Good communication and interpersonal skills.
(E) Reliable, punctual, and proactive.
(D) Basic IT skills (e.g. email, reporting systems).

Experience

•
•
•

(E) Proven experience in a maintenance or facilities role.
(D) Working in school or similar environment.
(D) Supervisory experience.

Knowledge

•

(E) Awareness of health and safety regulations.

Personal Qualities

•

•

(E) Physically fit and able to carry out manual tasks.

(E) Willingness to participate in on-call and cover rotas.

Safeguarding

•

•

•

(E) Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people.

(E) Understanding of the importance of safeguarding and child protection.

(E) Ability to maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with children
      and young people.

Key

•

•

(E) – Essential

(D) – Desirable

Methods of assessment include certificates, professional references,
application form, interviews, observations and in tray tasks.

Further information

How to Apply

Click here to visit our website and download an application form

Please send your completed application form and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role to jobs@gatewaysschool.co.uk

Application Deadline:  Friday 21st November 2025 at 8am.

Enquiries

Please contact Rhiannon Morris, PA to the Head

E-mail: jobs@gatewaysschool.co.uk

Tel: 0113 824 2770

Policies

Click here to visit our website and view our policies, including our Safeguarding policy.

Click here to visit our jobs page and view our Safer Recruitment policy.

Gateways School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its students and expect all staff and volunteers to share this
commitment. Appointments will be subject to an enhanced DBS with barred list check as well as a prohibition list check (where applicable).