Caretaker/Handyman at Dorchester Learning Centre

Caretaker Handyman - 15 hours per week, term-time only 

Our brilliant team is expanding and we're looking for a caretaker/handyman to join our site team at our school based on Monkton Park, Dorchester. You'll be a key member of staff as you assist the site manager in the day to day security, safety and maintenance of our school. We’re looking for someone who enjoys DIY and small decorating jobs, to ensure that our school always looks as clean and tidy as it possibly can!  You should also enjoy gardening as we continue to improve our outside areas. (No major grounds maintenance is required).

You will have daily contact with your colleagues, contractors and our wonderful pupils and it is therefore important that you are friendly and understanding of the modern-day challenges that young people face. No two days will be the same! We anticipate that the hours of work will be 2.30 – 5.30 pm daily, as this will enable DIY jobs to be carried out without interruption, after the pupils have finished for the day.

Dorchester Learning centre educates pupils aged between 5 - 16, who can't access mainstream education for a variety reasons. This might be for medical reasons or an SEMH need or dual registered placements with a mainstream school. We are the only school in Dorset with the Trauma Informed School accreditation. We are a learning community that is child centred, putting the needs of our pupils first. 

We passionately believe that happy, highly respected employees are vital for the smooth running of our school. We therefore take the wellbeing of our staff very seriously and ensure that they all maintain a healthy work-life balance. Successful candidates will be prepared to work hard and respond to the daily challenges of school life but won’t have any unreasonable demands placed upon them.

Visits to our school our highly recommended during the school day so that you can see the daily activities of a busy site, so please don't hesitate to contact Debbie Guyler to arrange an appointment on 01305 261213 or email [email protected].

Please fully complete the online application form as we’re unable to accept CVs.

Dorchester Learning 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

Dorchester Learning Centre 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.