HOLY CROSS PREPARATORY SCHOOL KINGSTON

THE ROLE OF ADMIN ASSISTANT

Job description & person specification

The school admin assistant will assist the school office manager and bursar in providing whole school
administrative support services to ensure the effective and efficient running of the main school office and
associated functions.

Reporting To:  School Office Manager
Bursar

Main Responsibilities

Communication and administrative services

•  Deal proactively with all incoming and outgoing correspondence to and from the school office, including
drafting  letters  and  emails,  to  ensure  that  an  appropriate  and  timely  response  is  made  to  all
communications.

•  Receive visitors, incoming telephone calls, emails and other messages and respond to routine enquiries,
passing on messages to appropriate members of staff, and ensuring that all callers receive an appropriate
response within required timescales; ensure that confidential and sensitive issues are dealt with in an
appropriate manner.

•  Ensure that all visitors (going beyond reception) sign in and out and are provided with security passes

that meet the requirements of security and health and safety.

•  Assist with the maintenance of the attendance/absence register to ensure that absences are accurately

recorded and appropriately followed up.

•  Administer the emergency evacuation checklists, including pupil absence reports and distribute them in

an emergency or drill.

•  Prepare and process documents, reports and presentation materials using appropriate software packages
and ensuring that the quality of work produced is accurate and appropriate for its purpose and produced
within required timescales.

•  Maintain complete confidentiality of all reports and any other information concerning the Trustees,  staff,

parents and pupils that may be known or acquired in the course of your work.

•  Plan  and  organise  internal  and  external  meetings/interviews  as  required,  ensuring  that  appropriate
information, facilities and refreshments are provided, and making travel arrangements if necessary.
•  Maintain records and databases as required, ensuring that information is up to date, readily accessible,
managed in accordance with data protection requirements, and that changes are notified to third parties
as required.

•  Prepare agenda for meetings, take notes at, and prepare and distribute minutes of meeting is required.
•  As a part of the administrative team, contribute to the smooth running of the school, and provide general

administrative assistance to the Head, Bursar and school staff.
•  Liaise with the afternoon admin assistant to ensure continuity.

Marketing and external links, including public occasions

•

In  liaison  with  the  school  office  manager,  ensure  an  efficient  and  positive  response  to  admissions
enquiries and follow up visits, including the organisation of all paperwork concerning entry to the school.
•  Deal with routine enquiries for factual information about the school and send out school information

packs and other marketing materials as required.

•  Ensure that the reception area reflects a professional image at all times; maintain marketing displays and

other information in the reception area to ensure that materials are appropriate and up to date.

•  Assist with the organisation of events, such as Open Days, Prizegiving, Parents Evenings etc to ensure

that they run smoothly and efficiently. Support the school by attending such events as agreed.

•  Ensure  that  visitors  and  callers  to  the  Head’s  and  Bursar’s  offices  receive  an  efficient,  professional,

approachable and welcoming service, in line with the ethos of the school.

•  Contribute to the positive promotion and marketing of the school in the local and wider community.

Management of Resources

•  Ensure that the office/reception area is a welcoming, efficient, tidy environment, which facilitates the

•

smooth effective day to day business of the school.
If  required,  monitor  and  control  an  allocate  budget  to  ensure  the  efficient  and  effective  use  of  all
resources e.g. stationery.

Pastoral Care

•  Provide a supportive and sympathetic point of contact for pupils and parents.
•  Undertake appropriate first aid training and administer first aid to staff and pupils when qualified.
•  Assist with the maintenance of the attendance/absence register to ensure that absences are recorded

and appropriately followed up.

Training and development of self and others

•  Regularly  review  own  practice,  set  personal  development  targets  and  take  responsibility  for  own

continuous professional development.

•  Participate positively in performance management and monitoring procedures.
•  Attend any in-service training appropriate to your role.

Other Responsibilities

•  To contribute to the spiritual and social life of the School and actively promote and support the Christian

ideals of a Roman Catholic school.

•  Promote good relationships at all levels and treat with sensitivity and professionalism any confidential

information concerning individuals gained in the course of a working day.

•  Maintain  high  professional  standards  of  attendance,  punctuality,  appearance,  conduct  and  positive,

courteous relations with pupils, parents and colleagues.

•  Work within the school’s health and safety policy to ensure a safe working environment for staff, pupils

and visitors.

•  Uphold the staff behaviour policy and all school policies and procedures.
•  Support school events and functions organised by the Friends of Holy Cross.
•  Undertake any other specific duties which the Headteacher or Bursar may reasonably direct from time

to time.

This list provides a general summary but it is expected that the post holder will undertake any other duties commensurate
with the level of responsibility of the post, as directed by the head teacher. This job description should be seen as enabling
rather than restrictive and is subject to annual review.

Person Specification

Admin Asst – Sept 2025

Qualifications

GSCE pass (or equivalent) in English Language
Recognised admin or secretarial qualification at level 3 or above, or the equivalent gained
through experience

Essential
Essential

Experience

Experience of working in a complex, busy, service driven environment
Experience of working in a school office or reception

Skills/ Knowledge

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to relate well to
people at all levels with sensitivity, tact and diplomacy
First class organisational and administrative skills, with the ability to remain calm under
pressure and work to tight deadlines; systematic approach to tasks, with attention to
detail
Evidence of pro-active approach to planning and prioritising work, with the ability to use
initiative appropriately
Able to maintain a high work rate and to juggle a range of tasks and competing priorities
Excellent ICT skills; confident and adept in the use of Microsoft applications eg Word,
Excel, Outlook and database input and able to produce quality presentation materials
Familiar and able to use school specific IT software eg SIMS, Clarion Call, Inventry
Good telephone manner and ability to deal with callers and visitors in a calm and
courteous way
Knowledge of safeguarding relevant to the role
Paediatric first aid trained or willing to train to achieve this
Able to produce accurate work and possess a keen eye for detail
Aware of data protection regulations and able to maintain confidentiality

Personal Attributes

Sympathetic to the Christian ethos of the school
High level of personal integrity, with proven experience of handling sensitive situations
with tact and diplomacy and with complete respect for confidentiality
Honesty, energetic, adaptable and enthusiastic
Willing to give generously of time to support school events and activities
Resilient and able to work well under pressure
A commitment to promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children within the school
and support of the school’s policies and procedures
Professional, approachable demeanour when relating to all members of the school
community including suppliers etc.
Well-groomed, with dress standards and appearance appropriate to the role
Be willing to “roll up sleeves” in an emergency

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Admin Asst – Sept 2025