Job Description

Candidate Information

School Secretary (52 week post)


June 2025

The Role

An additional secretary is required to work part-time alongside the current School


Secretary to assist and provide support throughout the year to ensure the


effectiveness of the School's administrative systems and communications, in


particular to assist in the effective provision of registration, typing, reception, post


and reprographic services on behalf of the School.





Salary is 25,400 per annum for this post, with an annual leave entitlement of five


weeks in addition to Public Holidays. The hours of work are 9.00am - 6.00pm for


four days a week (days to be confirmed once a successful applicant has been


employed). This is a 52 weeks a year post, not term time only.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

Provide secretarial support functions, in particular for the Deputy Heads,
Assistant Heads, Headmaster's PA, Housemasters/Housemistresses, SENCO


and other members of staff as required;
Assist with the maintenance of the pupil registration database on a daily
basis and pupil correspondence and contact information;
Ensure all pupils are registered with the correct codes in iSAMS twice a day
(morning and afternoon) and follow up absences as required;
Assist in providing a responsive and helpful reception service to all visitors
to the School and to pupils and staff of the School who visit the office


reception area;
Assist in answering the telephone, taking messages, accurately recording
them and either actioning them or passing them on to the appropriate


person(s) in a timely manner;
Deputise for the Personal Assistant to the Headmaster if required; Reply to emails in a timely fashion and action/forward on when required; Ensure colleagues, visitors and telephone callers are treated with courtesy
and provide a welcoming environment;


Support the School's safeguarding procedures and policies by pro-actively ensuring visitors are signed in and issued with appropriate identification;


Assist in the opening and distribution of incoming mail; Assist with the maintenance and filing of pupil and staff records; Update documentation in a proactive manner as and when required, in particular at the end of an academic year;


Assist in the typing of Word and Excel documents, understanding the
standards and requirements of the School's brand, grammar and


punctuation principles;
Assist in the administration of School Policies, School Photographs, Speech
Day, Rewards Systems, Parents' Evenings and Discipline Systems as well as


other documents and events;
Provide support for inputting and retrieving information from iSAMS; Comply with the School's policies with regard to health and safety
undertaking risk assessments as appropriate;


To work on your own initiative in a competent and discreet manner at all times.

Person Specification

We seek a committed colleague who has appropriate educational and secretarial


qualifications. A knowledge of up-to-date ICT and office software and


administration is essential, with experience of working in a school or with children


being an advantage. Experience of dealing directly with members of the public or


previous employers' clients would be helpful.





The role requires the person to be a good communicator with an excellent


knowledge of the English language and an experience of educational terminology


would be an advantage. Good, fast, accurate typing and organisational skills are


needed with an ability to use initiative and deal with the multifaceted nature of


the job, coping well with pressure of work at busy times. There is a need to


demonstrate a sympathetic attitude toward and understanding of children, their


parents and teaching and support staff in the School. A secure understanding of


the necessity of confidentiality in the setting is vital.





This person will have high standards and be open, friendly, welcoming and lively,


will use their initiative and have a sympathetic approach with a sense of humour.


Patience, care, common sense and an ability to be flexible in the working day are


necessary.

The School

Sutton Valence School consists of Sutton Valence School (SVS) and Sutton Valence


Preparatory School (SVPS).


Whilst not fiercely selective on entry, its value added statistics are impressive. For


those subjects Sutton Valence offers at A Level, the School aims to be in the top


10% nationally for adding value, managing to bring out the academic potential in


every pupil. Equally impressive is the breadth of education on offer, which at GCSE


is tailored to each pupil's strengths, recognising that academic achievement is only


one measure of success.


The Senior School's roll is currently 560 of which 113 are boarders. Class sizes are


small and the overall pupil-staff ratio of 9:1 enables Sutton Valence pupils to


benefit from the close guidance and individual attention of teachers. The academic


staff are all highly-qualified subject specialists.


Contained within the 100 acre site, there are dedicated games pitches, an all-

weather playing surface, a sports centre, which contains a fitness suite, an all-

weather athletics track and field sports arena and an indoor six-lane swimming


pool. Sutton Valence Preparatory School occupies its own site in the neighbouring


village of Chart Sutton and currently has 208 pupils between the ages of 2 and 11.

Vision, Mission and Ethos

Vision

Through our community values, broad curriculum, and extensive enrichment


opportunities, we believe that all young people at Sutton Valence School will be


inspired and supported to fulfil and exceed their potential. We want our


students to be open-minded individuals who possess a love of learning, are


confident not arrogant, and have a strong set of values reflecting our principles


as a Christian Foundation.

Our Mission is to have a School where one will find:

Care

A caring, safe, supportive and kind community for the education of children


aged 2 to 18, in a day and boarding environment

Challenge

A challenging, relevant and broad curriculum encouraging curiosity, delivered in


ways that allow all to achieve

Choice

An outstanding range of creative, cultural, social and physical activities so that


all can develop skills such as self-discipline, commitment, leadership and


teamwork

Culture

A culture of curiosity and celebration of diversity which promotes excellence,


independence and high standards, whilst providing support to all who need it

Community

A grounding in moral and spiritual understanding which promotes respect for


others, along with self-respect, enabling all to contribute positively to their


School community and the world beyond it

Ethos

A community where each cares for all and individuality is cherished.

Application Process

Applications will only be accepted from candidates completing the application


form in full. CVs will not be accepted in substitution for completed application


forms.





Covering letters of application should state particular skills and attributes you can


bring to Sutton Valence School and a brief details of how you fit the position,


including specific details of skills, experience and achievements.





Do not meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and


people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single


qualification. At SVS we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive


workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience does not


align perfectly with every qualification or experience in the information provided,


we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this


or other roles.





Further information about Sutton Valence School can be found on our website. To


apply please complete the application and monitoring form and email it with a


covering letter to hradmin@svs.org.uk or post it for the attention of the Assistant


Bursar, Sutton Valence School, North Street, Sutton Valence, Kent ME17 3HL.

Closing date: 12th May 2025

Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to


the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring


Service (DBS), and a declaration of medical fitness. It is an offence to apply for this


role if the applicant is barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to


children.





The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children


and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.


A copy of the School's Child Protection policy may be found on the School's


website, which all applicants are expected to read prior to interview.





Sutton Valence School is an equal opportunities employer.



Please note: we reserve the right to appoint prior to the closing date.

Free Parking

Both the Senior and Preparatory School sites have free, ample parking available for


staff. The Senior site has five EV charging points, and both sites have allocated


accessible bays.


Benefits to Working at SVS

Pension

Academic staff are offered membership to the TPS or to the APTIS DC Scheme. The


teacher's gross salary will be dependent on the pension scheme and contribution


level chosen.


Support Staff are offered the opportunity to join a defined contribution (DC)


scheme TPT, and currently offer two levels of contribution. With Option One, the


employee contributes 5% of their salary, and the School contributes 3%. With


Option Two, the employee contributes 7% and the School contributes 14%.

Fee Remission

All staff with a contract for at least one full term and have children who attend


either the Senior or Preparatory School will be eligible to receive a discount in


respect of School fees (excluding the Nursery). The current rate of discount is 50%


for full-time staff, and for part-time staff the relevant percentage will be calculated


on a pro rata basis. Support Staff working less that 52 weeks are deemed part time.

School Meals

Lunches during term time are provided at no cost by our excellent caterers.


Complimentary tea, coffee and other refreshments are available throughout the day.

Electric Vehicle Scheme

All staff are offered the opportunity to purchase an Electric Vehicle (EV) as part of


an HMRC approved Salary Sacrifice scheme; Octopus Electric Vehicle. Basically, this


is much like a cycle-to-work, but for electric vehicles. You give up some of your


gross monthly pay for a new EV, and can save up to 40% on the monthly cost


thanks to saving on National Insurance and Income Tax.

Benenden Healthcare Membership

All staff are welcome to join the Benenden Healthcare Scheme. The cost of joining


Benenden is currently 11.90 per month; the School pays up to 80% of contributions,


based upon length of service. Further information is available from the Bursary.

Fitness Facilities

All staff may use the Senior School's fitness facilities at designated times. These


facilities include an indoor, heated, six-lane swimming pool, a fully equipped air

conditioned Strength and Conditioning Suite, and a Cardiovascular Suite, as
well as a large sports hall available for a multitude of sports. The Prep School


has both an outdoor swimming pool and play equipment available for staff to


use.

Community and Environment

We are very proud of the positive and supportive community we have and staff


often comment on this being one of the best aspects of working at SVS. This,


coupled with a beautiful physical environment both at School and in the immediate


vicinity, make it a highly desirable place to work. Classrooms are well resourced. All


teaching staff have their own devices, and our ICT facilities are regularly upgraded


to support the latest teaching initiatives. Excellent discipline, support and pastoral


systems help ensure successful teaching and learning.

Press Reader

The School has a subscription to Press Reader which allows anyone on the SVS


networks access to over 7,000 news publications from across the world in different


languages.

Eye Tests

If you need to use a computer for a significant amount of time a day for your job,


you may be eligible for a free eye test.

Staff Social Events

The School holds social events such as an end of year BBQ, staff drinks and canapes


with the Headmaster at the start of the year, regular staff drinks at SVPS and the


Support Staff Christmas Lunch.

Staff Development

The School has a strong commitment to professional development with a


substantial budget for whole School training and individual courses, support


towards degrees, teaching qualifications and apprenticeships.

Sutton Valence School

North Street


Sutton Valence


Kent ME17 3HL


www.svs.org.uk


01622 845200