Job Description

Job Summary

The Unicorn School is seeking to appoint an enthusiastic, friendly Administrative Assistant to support the office team. The successful applicant will be engaged with a variety of responsibilities which include general reception and administrative duties, assisting with organising pupil transportation and school events, supporting the Head Teacher and Bursar/HR Department as required and acting as a first aider.

Start Date:

16th February 2026

Contract:

1 year fixed term (subject to maternity cover clauses)

Hours:

8.00am to 4.00pm with an hour for lunch (9.00am to 3.00pm during school holidays)

Holiday Allowance:

30 days, to be taken during Unicorn School holidays

Salary:

22,000 - 25,000 depending on experience

The ideal candidate will have had some relevant experience and have strong inter-personal skills. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

an excellent telephone manner and experience working in reception

the ability to work in a busy office environment and willingness to adapt to change

good administrative and IT skills and a willingness to embrace new technologies

experience of working with a Management Information Systems (MIS)

Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office Excel, Word & Teams

The ability to work both independently and as part of a team

First Aid certification (or willing to attend a course)

An awareness and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare of children and a clear commitment to delivering best practice in safeguarding

Please note, we have a therapy dog in the school.

Key Responsibilities:

Receiving and directing incoming calls via telephone switchboard, answering routine enquiries, forwarding on queries & taking messages

Monitoring the office email account, answering general queries and redirecting where necessary

Meeting, greeting, and signing in visitors.

Making tea and coffee for visitors, preparing for meeting lunches as required

Receiving and signing for deliveries, opening & directing incoming post - processing outgoing post

Ordering of goods & services for admin & academic staff and key events, purchasing weekly staff refreshments (eg Tesco delivery)

Scanning, printing & copying documents

Keeping the office stationery cupboard stocked and tidy, ensuring sufficient paper & replacement toner cartridges in stock.

Assisting the HR department with staff induction and training records

Ensuring reception is kept tidy.

Supporting with set up of current parent open/coffee mornings

Arranging repairs for office equipment (photocopiers etc)

Assisting in the management of the school MIS ensuring the school MIS is kept updated with parent/child information and relevant documents uploaded/support parents with user access passwords/queries

Liaising between parents & staff regarding child absences & ensuring the MIS am/pm register completed accurately by staff in a timely manner to be able to create the fire list & provide attendance reporting to Head, SMT, parents and local authorities

Ensuring the Microsoft shared calendar is kept updated with key events

Updating staff/parents regarding breakfast/after school club attendance

Support staff regarding school trips & events e.g. coach booking, communications, using Microsoft Forms to gather parent information for a trip

Supporting the Unicorn minibus driver with any queries relating to children to be transported & handling parent queries/communications relating to The Unicorn minibus service

Liaising with and supporting generally the am/pm Joint Bus Service escorts and pm taxi escorts to update on pupil absences/queries daily - maintaining an up-to-date pupil list.

Acting as first aider to pupils, staff and visitors where required, liaising with staff & parents when a child is unwell

Fire warden duties (training provided)

Ad hoc tasks as directed by the Office Manager or Head

Assist with school events as required

The postholder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role, as directed by the headteacher or line manager

To apply please visit the vacancies page on our website and download an application pack:

www.unicornoxford.co.uk

PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT ACCEPT APPLICATIONS VIA INDEED

Deadline for applications:

Monday 5th January 2026

Interviews:

w/c Monday 12th January 2026

Commitment to Safeguarding and Welfare

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

At all times the Office Assistant will:

Help to safeguard the children's wellbeing and maintain public trust in the teaching profession.

Help to provide a safe environment in which the children can learn.

Help to identify children who may need extra support or who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.

Promptly raise any concerns to the School's Designated Safeguarding Lead and work with other services as needed.

Attend the relevant child safeguarding training and other mandatory induction

Job Types: Full-time, Temporary, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months

Pay: 22,000.00-25,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Company pension On-site parking
Work Location: In person