APPLICANT INFORMATION PACK
CONTENTS
Welcome to Brambletye School 3
A Brambletye Education 4
The Role at Brambletye 5
Key Duties & Responsibilities
Person Specification 8
A Brambletye Workplace 9
Safeguarding, Equality & Diversity 10
Your Application 11
WELCOME TO BRAMBLETYE SCHOOL
…. a very warm welcome and thank you so much for your interest in working at Brambletye School.
My name is Will Brooks, and it is my privilege to have been the Headmaster here at Brambletye since 2015. Founded in 1919, Brambletye was originally a small boys’ boarding school in Kent before moving to its present location in 1933. Today we are a thriving independent co-ed prep school for pupils aged 2 to 13 years, located in a large country house set in stunning and tranquil grounds overlooking the Ashdown Forest and the Weir Wood Reservoir.
At Brambletye our staff and pupils aspire to three core values - Work Hard, Play Hard and Be Kind, and I am incredibly proud of my staff, they are the school’s greatest asset. From our Prep, Pre-Prep and Nursery staff and teaching assistants, our boarding team and our specialist teachers of sport, music, and drama through to our Bursary, Admin, Estates and Housekeeping departments, Brambletye pupils and their families benefit from a staff who are dedicated, accomplished and talented. Above all, we are immensely passionate about what we do and proud of where we work…it is a real team effort.
I believe Brambletye offers a fantastic working environment, with a culture of openness, supportiveness and a strong emphasis placed on staff wellbeing and morale.
I hope that you find this Applicant Information Pack useful and informative, and I look forward to welcoming you to Brambletye soon.
Will Brooks Headmaster
A BRAMBLETYE EDUCATION
We are a school with a strong sense of family - we share experiences and support each other. Our pupils learn to celebrate other pupils’ success as well as their own, and to be kind to those around them.
A Brambletye education is focused on the individual. We encourage every pupil to find the area or subject in which they can excel, building their confidence and self-esteem. A love of learning is fostered from an early age, and our pupils are taught to be generous of spirit and curious about the world around them. Most importantly, they are encouraged to recognise their advantages and develop into responsible citizens with an understanding of how they can make a difference in society.
Pupils are taught a broad curriculum, leading to the Common Entrance or academic scholarship examinations at 13+; they are mostly class taught by a single teacher to the end of Year 4, and by specialist subject teachers thereafter.
Great emphasis is also placed on the extra-curricular side of school life. Sport, music, art, and drama, as well as a wide variety of clubs and activities, play a prominent part in our pupils’ timetable.
Everyone at Brambletye, from the teachers and boarding staff through to our bursary and estates staff, is involved in the pastoral care of each pupil. Their wellbeing is at the very core of our school, and it is our strong belief that true academic success can only be achieved when built on a foundation of happiness and confidence. Brambletye operates a multi-tiered pastoral system involving form tutors, personal tutors, House staff and boarding staff.
There are currently 300 pupils at the school from Nursery to Year 8. Brambletye has a healthy blend of day pupils and boarders with many of our pupils opting to board ‘part time’ as day boarders.
From Brambletye, our pupils go on to a wide variety of senior schools, these include Tonbridge, Benenden, King’s Canterbury, Charterhouse, Sevenoaks, Eton, Brighton, Eastbourne, Ardingly, Hurst, Uppingham, Marlborough and Oundle.
LAUNDRY ASSISTANT
OVERVIEW OF ROLE
Working as part of a small and friendly Housekeeping team, the Laundry Assistant will be responsible for the efficient collection, cleaning, care, and return of a variety of laundry items including school uniforms, bedding, and towels.
With excellent organisational skills, a strong work ethic, and a proactive approach to maintaining high standards of cleanliness and presentation. The Laundry Assistant will be dependable, detail-orientated, and will enjoy working in hands-on role, in a school environment and understand the importance of reliability, discretion, and teamwork in supporting the wider school community.
HOURS OF WORK
Term-Time
Saturdays, exact hours to be discussed at interview to fit your needs and the school’s
ADDITIONAL HOURS
School Inset Days
There is the requirement to attend mandatory Inset sessions which will be communicated through the Head of Housekeeping. These will be (but not limited to) whole school staff meetings, safeguarding training, health and safety training, fire training etc. These will be paid at the postholder’s standard hourly rate as overtime.
KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
| Responsible to: | Head of Housekeeping |
| Responsible for: | N/A |
MAIN DUTIES
Sort laundry including uniforms, bedding, towels and other items by type, colour, and material.
Operate commercial washing, drying, and ironing equipment safely and effectively.
Identify and remove stains using approved cleaning methods and products.
Perform minor sewing and mending as required (e.g. buttons, small tears).
Fold and store clean laundry to a high standard of presentation.
Ensure accurate tracking and return of items to the correct individuals or locations.
Collect soiled laundry from various areas such as changing rooms, boarding houses, or medical centre.
Use a school golf cart to transport clean and dirty laundry as needed.
Maintain cleanliness and hygiene of the laundry room and all associated equipment.
Monitor stock levels of detergents and other supplies, reporting when restocking is needed.
Comply with the school’s health and safety and safeguarding policies at all times.
On occasion, support the Housekeeper’s with their cleaning duties.
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Support and foster the aims of the School.
Be professional and a good role model to the pupils at all times.
Attend all staff meetings (if required), Inset days and any other relevant training when appropriate.
Be familiar with the school’s health and safety guidance and be responsible for personal health and safety and that of the pupils.
Perform reasonable additional duties as required by the School, commensurate with the post.
SAFEGUARDING
Complete an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check (DBS) and any other safeguarding checks.
Ensure familiarisation with key safeguarding policies and documents e.g. Child Protection (Safeguarding) Policy, KCSIE, Prevent Policy, Anti-Bullying Policy, IT: E-Safety Policy, Staff Code of Conduct etc.
Commit to regular training regarding safeguarding e.g. Child Protection, Prevent etc.
Be fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all pupils at Brambletye School.
The postholder may be reasonably required to perform duties other than those given in the job description for the post. The particular duties and responsibilities attached to the post may vary from time to time without changing the character of the duties or the level of the responsibility entailed.
If during the course of time the duties and responsibilities detailed should change significantly and for a sustained period of time, the job description will be reviewed and amended in consultation with the postholder.
It is the shared responsibility of the postholder and their line manager to ensure that job descriptions are kept up to date.
| Job Description Written/Updated: | July 2026 |
| By: | Head of Housekeeping/Bursar |
PERSON SPECIFICATION
The selection of applicants for shortlisting will be based on this specification, therefore applicants should bear this in mind when preparing and completing their application form.
QUALIFICATIONS
A full UK driving licence and aged 21 or over (for insurance purposes when operating school vehicles).
SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
Ability to lift up to 15 kg unaided and stand for long periods.
Good working knowledge of using commercial or industrial laundry equipment (desirable).
Basic sewing or mending skills (desirable).
Strong organisational and time management abilities.
Experience in a similar role such as in a school, hotel, care home, or healthcare setting (desirable).
Ability to follow hygiene and health & safety procedures accurately.
PERSONAL QUALITIES
Reliable, punctual, and trustworthy.
High attention to detail and pride in maintaining high standards.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Flexible and adaptable to meet the changing needs of the school.
Positive attitude and willingness to take initiative.
Discreet and respectful of the school environment and the needs of pupils and staff.
Presentable, smart in appearance and professional in conduct.
Possess an efficient working manner and good time management skills.
Able to work in an organised and methodical manner.
Calm, with the ability to work under pressure.
Comfortable with and able to meet the physical demands of the role.
Willingness to participate in training offered by the school.
A BRAMBLETYE WORKPLACE
SALARY
The hourly rate is £12.91.
PROBATION PERIOD
There is a 6-month probationary period for this role.
PENSION
You will be automatically enrolled into the school pension scheme if you meet the eligibility criteria.
INDUCTION
As a new member of staff, you will have a thorough and supportive induction process. This will include:
A comprehensive tour of the school and facilities
Meeting key members of staff
Child protection and safeguarding training
Health and Safety induction
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & APPRAISALS
All members of staff are encouraged to participate in Continuous Professional Development and the school holds regular appraisals with staff.
WELLBEING & THE BRAMBLETYE COMMUNITY
Great emphasis is placed on staff well-being and morale where a culture of mutual support for colleagues is encouraged and fostered. There is a highly active Brambletye community with staff social events take place throughout the year.
LEISURE FACILITIES
Complimentary use of our excellent leisure facilities when available, which include a sports hall, squash courts, tennis courts and all-weather pitch.
SAFEGUARDING, EQUALITY & DIVERSITY
SAFEGUARDING AT BRAMBLETYE
Brambletye School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff, Governors, and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including reference checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.
All positions at Brambletye School are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, therefore ALL convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings (including those which would normally be considered 'spent' under the Act) MUST be declared, subject to the DBS filtering rules. All information given will be treated as confidential and each case will be taken on its merits. Failure to disclose this information may result in the withdrawal of an offer of employment or immediate termination of employment.
Brambletye School is committed to providing outstanding safeguarding of the children in our care. You will be required to adhere to the School’s safeguarding policy and guidelines and ensure that the safeguarding of children underpins everything that you do. EVERY member of staff at Brambletye School has the responsibility to safeguard the children in our care.
Brambletye School’s Child Protection (Safeguarding) Policy can be found at here.
EQUALITY & DIVERSITY
Brambletye School values Equality and Diversity in everything we do. All applicants will be treated with respect, dignity and provided with the support they require to complete their recruitment journey with the School.
YOUR APPLICATION
HOW TO APPLY
An application form can be downloaded from the Brambletye School website. Please complete the application form and send it to Nick Hollamby (Bursar) via nhollamby@brambletye.com.
If you have any queries about the recruitment process and/or the completion of the application form, please get in touch with Nick who would be happy to help.
SHORTLISTING
Applications will be assessed against the information provided in this document. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview held at Brambletye School.
ONLINE CHECKS
All shortlisted applicants will be subject to an online background check as part of the School’s due diligence and commitment to safeguarding.
REFERENCES
Please note that references will be taken prior to interview unless indicated otherwise.
OVERSEAS POLICE CHECK
Applicants who have lived outside of the UK for more than 3 months in the past 10 years will be required to provide a police check from their country/countries of residence.
SUPPORTING RECRUITMENT DOCUMENTS & POLICIES
Applicants should familiarise themselves with the School’s supporting recruitment documents and policies, these are available on vacancies page of the School’s website here.
TERM DATES
Information about the School’s term dates can be accessed here.
KEY DATES
Please note that we will be interviewing as applications are received, therefore early application is strongly advised.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy when a suitable appointment has been made.