Receptionist and Clerical Assistant

Job description

Downland School is a co-educational maintained community special school for pupils aged between 10 and 16 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Our pupils have varying aptitudes and abilities; we are extremely proud of all their achievements and progress. Our pupils have a range of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) including: Autism (ASC); attachment disorders and Social, Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties. We seek to ensure that, by the time they leave us, our pupils emerge as self-confident individuals able to manage their own learning; equipped with the skills and competencies to successfully take the next steps in their lives.

We are a friendly, happy and caring school, providing a positive, inclusive and enriching educational experience for our young people. We view each of our pupils as unique and shape our provision to meet their individual needs and accelerate their progress in a variety of areas e.g. Personal, social, academic and well-being. Our commitment to supporting the whole child and their development is underpinned by our strong pastoral systems and our committed and trained staff. At Downland we promote inclusion and equality and celebrate diversity.

Our mission statement isAspire, Achieve and Thrive.

All about the role:

We are now looking for a Receptionist & Clerical Assistant to join our busy team. Your role will primarily include:

• Welcome visitors to the school, ensuring all relevant procedures are followed.
• Receiving and prioritising incoming telephone calls, dealing with them appropriately. Liaise with staff, Governors, pupils, parents and outside agencies as directed.
• Placing orders and processing invoices.
• Dealing with incoming and outgoing post, ensuring incoming deliveries reach the appropriate colleague.
• Undertake general word processing and other IT functions in support of the office, including (but not exclusively) letters, school documentation and school website.
• Organising school transport for pupils
• Assist the Office Manager and the Bursar with uniform and school lunch recording and associated payments

To succeed in this role, you should be able to demonstrate:

• A good telephone manner, polite and professional at all times
• Ability to communicate effectively with all stakeholders
• ICT/word processing experience
• An eye for detail and accuracy
• Good interpersonal skills
• Experience of working on your own initiative

Communication is key to this role, therefore your skills in this area will be exceptional.

Extra information

Status

Open

Education Level

Secondary School

Location

Hartmoor

Type of Contract

Full-time jobs

Published at

11-05-2026

Profession type

Admin / Secretarial

Full UK/EU driving license preferred

No

Car Preferred

No

Must be eligible to work in the EU

No

Cover Letter Required

No

Languages

English