Job Description

School Admissions Officer - In Year Primary

Permanent Contract

Part time: 15 Hours per week over 2-3 days

Salary: 13,047.60 per annum, 0.4054 FTE (pro-rata from 32,184.09 Cognus Band 2, SCP 29)

Location: Cognus Office, First Floor, Cantium House, Wallington, SM6 0DZ

Cognus Limited is a Local Authority Traded Company, which is commissioned by the London Borough of Sutton to provide education services to early years providers, mainstream schools and specialist education settings in Sutton. Wholly owned by the local authority, we deliver a wide range of high-quality services to deliver excellent practice that improve the lives of children, young people, and families in Sutton and beyond.

Cognus are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and innovative member of staff to support the School Admissions Team. The key focus of the role is to ensure in-year school applications for Sutton primary schools are processed within statutory timeframes, and that children without a school place are tracked into education effectively. The role will also support the wider team as part of main points of entry to school at Reception and Year 7, as well as other general team functions.

The successful candidate will need to be able to communicate effectively, handling telephone and email enquiries, to provide support to those accessing our services. They will also have a good IT literacy, using Microsoft Office products, and maintain accurate information in our pupil database. They will contribute to problem-solving when there are complicating factors involved and track residents in to education.

You will give us great commitment and in return we offer an excellent package including:

Salary of 13,047.60 per annum (Cognus Band 2) Workplace pension scheme 4% to 8% matched contributions 28 days annual leave pro rata (plus Bank Holidays) Regular manager support and supervision Hybrid and flexible working Staff benefits package, currently including Employee Assistance Programme, Perkbox and (upon completion of probation) Sovereign Healthcare Cashback plans i) Cognus reserves the right to adjust these additional discretionary benefits to improve quality of their services provided, maintain affordability for the Company and to ensure benefits remain fit for purpose with staff needs.*
Staff EDI group and Mental Health First Aiders to support wellbeing and inclusion Cognus Coaching Programmes An ambitious culture with friendly and supportive colleagues

The role is part-time, and the nature of the role means that we would want someone to work over 2-3 days.

If you are interested and would like to be considered for this role, please apply to recruitment@cognus.org.uk with the completed application form, downloaded from

https://www.cognus.org.uk/work-with-us/current-vacancies/cognus-application-form/

, outlining your suitability. The deadline for receipt is

midnight on Sunday, 16th November 2025.

Candidates are requested to be available for interview on

Friday, 28th November 2025.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Ann Potter, School Admissions Coordinator on 020 8323 0437 or at ann.potter@cognus.org.uk.

All offers of employment are subject to successful completion of recruitment formalities which includes an enhanced DBS check. These checks must have been completed before the commencement of employment. We expect our staff to have due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to follow the child protection procedures adopted by the Company and Sutton's Local Safeguarding Partnership.

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION: School Admissions Officer - In Year Primary

DIVISION: School Admissions

REPORTS TO: School Admissions Coordinator

GRADE/PAY:

13,047.60 per annum, Band 2 SCP 29

JOB SUMMARY

1. To process applications for In Year primary admission for Sutton schools in accordance with Sutton's scheme and protocols.

2. To monitor the vacancy position in Sutton schools and neighbouring local authorities.

3. To maintain waiting lists for Sutton community schools.

4. To issue outcome letters/emails in relation to In Year admission applications.

5. Ensuring access to education for all children, monitoring and tracking applicants into education.

6. To be familiar with the principles of safeguarding and data protection.

7. To provide administrative support for the School Admissions Team, with application processing and dealing with calls and emails from applicants and schools.

8. To maintain effective working relationships with Headteachers and school staff.

9. Collate data and prepare/maintain summary reports.

10. Assist with the maintenance of accurate website information.

11. To investigate any misleading or fraudulent information on applications and to take appropriate action as necessary.

12. To provide administrative support to senior officers in the Admissions Team.

13. To work effectively and flexibly as part of a team.

14. The post holder is a role model of the professional behaviours outlined in the Company Code of Conduct and Leadership Capability documents.

15. A proven ability of managing and prioritising a caseload and of working under pressure to meet statutory deadlines.

16. To show understanding in difficult and complex situations.

17. Effective written, verbal communication and interpersonal skills that have been honed to deal with a diverse range of customers and partners.

18. Problem solving skills and ability to undertake process or practice improvement.

PRINCIPLE ACCOUNTABILITIES:

a) To gain a good understanding of the School Admissions Code (statutory guidance), the underpinning admissions regulations, non-statutory guidance, London protocols and local guidance. Maintaining an up to date knowledge of these when updated

b) Understanding of additional needs and rights that some children have, such as Special Educational Needs (including SEND), exclusions from school, safeguarding, Looked After Children (CLA), parental rights and residence of children

c) To administer school admission applications in accordance with the above.

d) Respond to a wide range of admissions related enquiries from parents/carers and schools by telephone or email in accordance with our Customer Care Standards and providing advice and guidance in accordance with policies and admissions law as above.

e) Liaise with other local authority admissions teams to maintain accurate cross borough school application information.

f) To input, check, access and accurately maintain school admission applications and related data on a pupil database.

g) To provide support and guidance to team members, schools and carers with complex applications

h) Assess applications according to published school admissions criteria (Children Looked After status, sibling priority, assessment of social or medical needs, home to school distance)

i) Maintain waiting lists for Sutton community schools, determining the correct rank order, and offering places where vacancies occur.

j) Determine suitable offers of places in other Sutton schools for unplaced children where alternative vacancies exist.

k) To issue outcome letters/emails in relation to In Year admission applications, providing accurate outcome information and statutory appeal rights.

l) To monitor children with no school place to track them into education, working with other team members to referring through the borough's Fair Access Protocol where necessary.

m) Making Children Missing Education referrals for families who do not take up offers of education or who fail to complete admissions processes, both through Sutton protocols or with other resident local authorities.

n) Log safeguarding concerns through company policies, taking advice as necessary.

o) Provide support to schools with enquiries on procedure, admissions guidance and law, and use of admissions IT systems, in order to ensure that statutory processes are followed, and appropriate placement is secured for all pupils.

p) Maintain good working relationships with school staff and headteachers, to enable the effective and timely processing of school applications, and that schools follow admissions law, national and local guidance, challenging their decisions where necessary.

q) Provide support to collection of key performance indicator data, and quality assurance activity.

r) To support the maintenance of service delivery plans and updates from service leads.

s) To deliver core tasks under the direction of a more senior member of staff to ensure services run efficiently and accurately following defined standard operating procedures.

t) To provide support and cover for other team members during absences and during transitions phase (main round) processes.

u) To deal with routine issues/problems to ensure customer issues are resolved effectively, escalating to the relevant team manager when necessary.

v) To update and maintain database systems and create/maintain spreadsheets and documents.

w) To support other Cognus teams with admissions related enquiries, and advising on admissions law and processes.

x) Supporting staff and partner agencies in the identification and school location of pupils.

y) To ensure attendance and constructive participation in supervisions, appraisals and team meetings in line with the Company's standards.

GENERIC OBJECTIVES:

Contribute to Cognus Limited's business objectives at the appropriate level by ensuring every child matters and has access to education and learning opportunities, including:

a) Health and safety

b) Safeguarding and protection of children

c) Equal opportunities and management of diversity

d) Data protection

e) Outstanding Customer care

GENERAL:

SAFER RECRUITMENT:

Cognus is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that it works with. An offer of employment is subject to safer recruitment practices which include an enhanced DBS check, two professional references acceptable to Cognus Limited, proof of qualifications, proof of right to work in the UK, proof of personal address and employment history covering 5 years and, fitness to work with children (occupational health assessment). These checks must have been completed prior to commencement of employment. We have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practices across the organisation.

PROCESSING OF DATA:

a) You ("the employee") consent to the holding and processing of personal data provided by you to the Company ("the Company") for all purposes relating to your employment, but not limited to administering and maintaining personnel records, paying and reviewing salary and other remuneration and benefits, undertaking performance appraisals and reviews, the compulsory Disclosure and Baring Services check (DBS) details in line with its statutory responsibility to safeguard and protect children and vulnerable service users; maintaining sickness and other absence records and taking decisions as to your fitness for work.

b) You hereby acknowledge and agree that the Company may, in the course of its general and statutory duties as an employer be required to disclose personal data relating to you for legislative purposes during or after the end of your employment. This does not affect your statutory rights under the General Data Protection Regulation 2018.

CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT

:

a) During the course of your employment, you will have access to and knowledge of Company confidential information and trade secrets.

b) Disclosure of any of this confidential information and/or trade secrets could have serious financial consequences and/or create serious competitive disadvantages for the Company. There may be material damage, financial or otherwise, deliberate or otherwise, to the Company's legitimate business interest.

c) Under the terms of this confidentiality agreement, you agree to keep secret and shall not at any time, either during employment or post-employment, use, communicate or reveal to any person any trade secret or confidential information relating to the Company or any Associated Company.

d) You are aware of the Company's policies in relation to compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation and undertake to act in accordance with these at all times. Any breach of these policies will be dealt with under the Company's disciplinary procedure and action taken can include dismissal without notice.

This job description and person specification outlines the summary of key accountabilities and is not an exhaustive list of duties and, is subject to periodical review and changes in line with the business needs.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

CRITERIA

(E) - essential (D) - desirable (I) - Evaluated at Interview (S) - short listing criteria

a) Experience in delivering customer care through oral and written communications to a high standard

(E, S, I)

b) Experience of using a wide range of IT packages in a business environment, and to use these to deliver a cost-effective and customer-focused service

(E, S, I)

c) Excellent Communication skills and the ability to communicate complex matters clearly and concisely

(E, S, I)

d) Ability to work in a detailed task-oriented environment, delivering high accuracy results to excellent standards

(E, S, I)

e) Ability to manage time effectively, to work on own initiative to manage and prioritise own workload, setting appropriate objectives and deadlines and good attention to detail

(E, S, I)

f) Ability to analyse information, and consider alternative solutions, adapting to new ways of working where necessary

(E, I)

g) Ability to provide a customer-focused approach to service delivery and participate in identifying and implementing opportunities for improving the service

(E, I)

h) To have a good understanding of the school admissions process

(E, I)

i) A basic understanding of the principals of safeguarding

(E, I)

j) Willingness to undertake ongoing learning, training and development

(E)

k) Honours and upholds the Company's Equal Opportunity Policy, Dignity at Work Policy, Safeguarding and Protection of Children, Health and Safety and Data Protection Policy at all times. Understanding of confidentially, GDPR and information governance issues and how these are observed and maintained

(E)

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent

Pay: 13,047.60 per year

Benefits:

Company pension
Work Location: In person