Academy Caretaker (SEND Academy)

About Us

Aqua Robson Academy is a specialist educational provision supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Our learners have a wide range of complex needs including autism, sensory processing differences, anxiety, and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. The physical environment we provide is critical — it must be safe, predictable, calm, accessible, and well-ordered, because it directly affects how well our young people feel secure, regulate their emotions, and engage with learning.

We follow strict statutory guidance including the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Equality Act 2010, and Keeping Children Safe in Education. Our work is rooted in empathy, consistency, inclusion and our motto: Building strong connections and fostering social skills. As Caretaker, you will play a vital part in making our academy a place where every learner can thrive.

The Role

As Academy Caretaker, you are responsible for the overall care, maintenance, security, cleanliness, and safe running of our buildings, grounds, fixtures, fittings, and equipment. This is not a standard caretaker role: your work directly supports the wellbeing and development of neurodiverse learners. You will ensure noise, lighting, layout, and condition of facilities are always managed to reduce anxiety and support emotional regulation.

You will work closely with the Operations Lead, School Administrator, teaching teams, and external contractors to ensure all premises meet statutory standards, are risk-assessed, and fully suitable for our learners. You will be a visible, reliable member of our team — a positive role model who interacts calmly and respectfully with everyone in our community. Practical, hands-on, and safety-focused, you will take pride in keeping our academy safe, well-maintained, and welcoming.

Key Responsibilities

You will help keep the academy safe, clean, secure, accessible and sensory-friendly by:

• Open, close and secure the premises, act as key holder, respond to alarms or emergencies, and monitor access for visitors and contractors.
• Carry out regular checks of buildings, grounds, boundaries, play areas, facilities, fencing, gates, lighting and external utilities, reporting hazards, damage, faults or repair needs promptly.
• Keep external areas, paths, car parks and play spaces clear, safe and accessible, including seasonal clearance of snow, ice, leaves and debris.

Cleaning, Hygiene and Environment

• Maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene across classrooms, washrooms, kitchens, communal spaces and surfaces, including replenishing supplies and managing waste, recycling and hazardous disposal correctly.
• Use and store cleaning chemicals safely in line with COSHH, supporting infection control, deep cleaning and a calm sensory-friendly environment by reducing noise, odours, lighting issues and visual clutter.

Maintenance, Repairs and Grounds

• Complete routine maintenance, minor repairs and practical handyperson tasks including basic carpentry, painting, plumbing, lock repairs, furniture assembly and fitting.
• Inspect building fabric, roofs, gutters, drains, heating, water, lighting and ventilation, reporting major defects or risks without delay.
• Maintain playground equipment, outdoor structures, gardens, lawns, trees and shrubs to a safe, tidy and attractive standard, including sensory gardens, quiet spaces and outdoor learning areas.
• Set up spaces for events, meetings or activities, keep accurate maintenance records, liaise with contractors and ensure safeguarding, safety and site procedures are followed.
• Ensure tools and machinery are maintained, safe to use and compliant with PUWER regulations.

Health, Safety, Fire and Compliance

• Complete and record fire safety checks, including alarms, emergency lighting, extinguishers, escape routes, fire doors and signage.
• Support fire drills, evacuations, inspections, risk assessments and hazard monitoring, reporting accidents, incidents or near-misses immediately.
• Help ensure compliance with electrical safety, gas safety, water hygiene including Legionella, asbestos management, PPE, safe working practices and Equality Act 2010 accessibility requirements.

Safeguarding and Professional Practice

• Follow safeguarding policies and Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance, reporting any welfare, abuse or distress concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• Interact calmly, respectfully and positively with pupils, staff and visitors, working predictably to minimise disruption or sudden changes that may cause anxiety.
• Communicate clearly and sensitively with people who may have communication or sensory needs, while maintaining confidentiality and representing the academy positively.
• Collaborate with academy teams, complete required training in safeguarding, fire safety, manual handling, COSHH and SEND awareness, and promote sustainability through recycling, waste reduction and responsible energy and water use.

Essential Qualifications/Experience

• Experience in caretaking, maintenance, groundskeeping or a similar practical role, ideally within education, care or public sector settings.
• Confident practical skills across general repairs, basic plumbing/electrical awareness, painting, decorating, cleaning and grounds care.
• Good working knowledge of health and safety, fire safety, COSHH, RRFSO, PUWER, safe chemical handling and waste disposal.
• Able to work independently, use initiative, organise workload, keep accurate records and maintain reliability, punctuality and attention to detail.
• Physically able to lift, move, climb, bend and work outdoors in all weather, with a calm, respectful approach and strong commitment to safeguarding and child welfare.
• Able to work consistently and sensitively in a specialist SEND environment, with willingness to develop knowledge of SEND, accessibility and sensory needs.
• Fully aligned with our motto and values.

Desirable

• Experience in SEND, special education, care or work with vulnerable children and young people.
• Relevant qualifications or training in building maintenance, joinery, plumbing, electrical awareness, horticulture, health and safety, fire safety, manual handling, COSHH, First Aid at Work, contractor management, maintenance records or sensory environments.

Professional Standards

You will work with integrity, professionalism and strict confidentiality, adapting your work to support calm, safety, consistency and accessibility. This role is subject to safer recruitment checks, including an Enhanced DBS check, references and mandatory training.

What We Offer

• A valued role in a supportive, values-driven specialist academy where your work makes a daily difference.
• Training and development in SEND, safety and facilities management.
• A respectful, collaborative team culture and safe, well-resourced working environment.
• Competitive salary reviewed annually, employer pension contribution and generous annual leave entitlement.

How To Apply:

Please send your CV and a short covering letter explaining your relevant experience and how you would support our unique environment and values.

Closing date: 25th July 2026

Safeguarding Commitment:

Aqua Robson Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. An enhanced DBS check and relevant safeguarding clearances will be required for this role, including children’s barred list, identity and right to work checks, and overseas criminal record checks where applicable.