Colfe’s School is seeking an enthusiastic and motivated Groundsperson to join our in-house Grounds Team and help maintain one of South-East London’s leading independent school sporting environments.

Set across three nearby sites totalling almost 40 acres, the School’s grounds include a wide range of sports pitches, training areas and landscaped spaces used extensively throughout the year by pupils, staff, leisure centre members, alumni sporting associations and visiting teams. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who takes pride in their work and enjoys working outdoors in a varied and active role.

The successful candidate will play a key role in preparing and maintaining rugby, football and cricket pitches, and wider landscaped areas to a high standard, helping to support a busy and well-used sporting environment. The role offers varied, hands-on work throughout the seasons, alongside opportunities to develop practical skills and industry knowledge within a professional school environment.

 We are keen to support career development and training. Candidates who do not already hold a Level 3 Advanced Sports Turf Technician qualification may have the opportunity to undertake apprenticeship training through North Kent College while working at the School.

 This position would suit someone who is reliable, proactive and keen to contribute to maintaining excellent sporting facilities for pupils, members and the wider School community.

Key Responsibilities:

•           Preparing and maintaining various multi-use sports pitches including rugby, football, cricket, athletics plus MUGA’s

•           Setting up and removal of various sports and games related events, including manual handling of heavy equipment

•           Grass cutting

•           Verti drain

•           Application of pesticides

•           Seeding

•           Earthquaking

•           Line Marking

•           Pruning, strimming, weeding etc

•           Leaf collection

•           Litter picking

•          Working closely with School Keeping and Maintenance staff and other colleagues within the Operations department on any areas of overlapping responsibility

•           Any other task within capability as reasonably requested by the Headmaster, Bursar or Director of Operations & Estates

Personal Specification:

The ideal candidate has the following skills and attributes:

•            Able to work diligently and without supervision (essential)

•            Able to work with others in a small team (essential)

•            Proactive with a good eye for detail (essential)

•            Self-driven (essential)

•            Full driving licence valid for the UK, with fewer than 7 penalty points and no endorsements for serious convictions (essential)

•            Have a keen desire to improve standards (essential)

•            A keen interest in sport (essential)

•            Sufficient fitness to carry out the manual handling aspects of the role

•            Gardening and landscaping experience (desirable)

•            Cricket, football and rugby pitch preparation/repairs (desirable)

•            Experience in the use of various types of grounds machinery and equipment (desirable)

•            Experience in the preparation of good quality sports pitches and general grounds maintenance (desirable)

Qualifications:

•        GCSE English & Maths Grade 4 (essential)

•        L2 Award in Safe Use of Pesticides (PA1) with PA2 Boom Sprayer and PA6 Handheld Applicators (desirable)

Application procedure:

The recruitment process will require all applicants to complete an application form, accompanied by a letter of application, current CV and details of two referees, who will be contacted prior to interview, in accordance with the School’s Safer Recruitment procedures.  

The application should be submitted electronically to: recruitment@colfes.com or by post to: Mrs A Ross, Human Resources, Colfe’s School, Horn Park Lane, London SE12 8AW 

Applications should be sent as soon as possible. Colfe’s reserves the right to appoint to this post before the closing date if necessary.

Colfe’s School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure & Barring Service.