Caretaker at The Forum Centre

Overview

The Forum Centre is seeking a reliable and dedicated School Caretaker/Handyperson to support the Site Manager with the maintenance and smooth running of multiple school sites. This role is essential in ensuring a safe, compliant and well-maintained environment for pupils, staff and visitors.

Key Responsibilities

• Carry out routine and planned building maintenance, minor repairs and general upkeep across school sites.

• Conduct required health & safety compliance checks, including inspections, testing and maintaining accurate records.

• Perform inspection and maintenance tasks within the scope of the role.

• Act as on-site support for contractors, including supervising visits and ensuring work meets required standards.

• Assist with site security, including opening/locking up as required.

• Monitor stock levels of maintenance materials and request replenishment when necessary.

• Support the setting up of school areas for events or activities where required.

• Respond promptly to maintenance requests and prioritise tasks effectively.

• Availability for emergency call-outs outside normal working hours

Person Specification

Essential

• Practical experience in maintenance, caretaking or a related field.

• Physically fit and capable of performing manual tasks.

• Good communication skills and basic IT competence.

• A valid driving licence, access to a suitable vehicle, and appropriate business-use insurance and willingness to travel between sites.

• Ability to work independently and manage time efficiently.

Desirable

• Background in a construction trade is preferable (e.g., carpentry, electrical, plumbing, general building).

• Previous experience of working in schools or public buildings.

• Awareness of safeguarding and working in environments with young people (training will be provided).

Hours & Pay

• Full time, term time role for 37 hours per week and 39 weeks per year.

• Competitive hourly rate, aligned with Dorset Council’s Grade 6 pay scale. Actual Salary £22,455 to £23,548 per annum (Grade 6, SCP 6-9)

• Working hours are flexible and will be agreed during interview based on site needs and candidate availability.

Currently, we work with up to 100 pupils across KS2–4 from a wide catchment area and teach in small, supportive class groups across two sites (main site in Blandford Forum and a satellite in Lytchett Minster).

We are excited to announce that in the New Year we are opening a third school site in Colehill, Wimborne, called Woodlands. Woodlands will be the base for our Primary and KS3 pupils. The successful candidate we be a key part of the premises team and there will be a requirement to travel between all three sites.

If you are ready to lead with passion and innovation in a unique educational setting, apply now to join The Forum Centre and help shape the future for pupils with SEMH needs across Dorset. The Forum Centre is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We will be reviewing applications as they are submitted and reserve the right to close this vacancy early.

Previous candidates need not apply.

The Forum Centre values the diversity of our workforce and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people; this is a commitment which we expect all staff and volunteers to share. The successful candidate will be required to have a Disclosure and Barring Service check in line with the Governments safer recruitment guidelines.

The pro rata salary shown is based on the number of hours and weeks worked and includes appropriate paid annual leave and bank holiday entitlements.

The salary quoted is the annual salary for the position at the time of advert. The salary will be paid in equal monthly instalments and will be adjusted at the start of employment and again if leaving part way through the school year to ensure the correct salary is received for the work completed in an academic year.

This role is UK based and your Right to Work will need to be established as part of the appointment process.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The amendments to the ROA 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975, (2013 and 2020)) provide that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. The MOJ’s guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide.

Keeping Children Safe in Education

The Forum Centre School will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates. This check will be part of a safeguarding check, and the search will purely be based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. All aspects of social media and internet searches will be conducted. As care must be taken to avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination, a person who will not on the appointment panel will conduct the searches and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern.