Administrative Assistant

About Us

We are a 3 form entry primary school from Reception to Year 6, which also includes a Nursery. Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred (HPACH) is a successful academy that was judged outstanding in our March 2025 Ofsted inspection.

We are a sister school to Harris Primary Academy Mayflower and Harris Academy Chafford Hundred, along with the other Academies in the Harris Federation. We work very closely together and share the very best practice and leadership knowledge and capacity to make the education we offer outstanding. Our shared belief is that children thrive when they feel consistently happy and safe at school and our commitment to excellence is encapsulated in our vision statement: "Excellence, Every child, Every day."

Our Core values of: Community, Resilience, Respect, Responsibility and Kindness underpin everything that happens at Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred. They are our foundations and we have a clear expectation that all adults, as well as children and staff, model and respect these values both inside and outside the academy.

Our team are committed to every child, and aim to develop confident and creative learners who leave the academy ready for secondary and the world ahead of them. We proudly celebrate our children's diversity and achievements, from both school and at home.

Whether they are learning English and Maths, Latin or Mandarin, competing in sports, or discussing their dream occupations, we do whatever it takes to ensure our pupils gain the confidence to aspire and flourish in life.

At HPACH, we work tirelessly to make sure that every child comes to recognise their own potential. As a result of the exceptional practice at our academy every single day, our children achieve outstanding outcomes each year and we are incredibly proud of them. Alongside academic achievement, we want our academy to be a safe and caring space for children who are excited and happy to come to school every day to learn, grow and develop.

Summary

Looking to take your first step in education? We are looking for a dedicated and detail-orientated individual to join Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred as Administrative Assistant. Working under the instruction and guidance of senior staff to provide general administrative and financial support to the school, you will either have experience in an administrative role or looking to take your first step in an administrative support role within an educational environment.

Main Areas of Responsibility

Your responsibilities will include:

• Presenting the professional and welcoming face of the Academy to all visitors, staff and students, including telephone callers
• Ensuring all visitors are signed in to the academy in accordance with safeguarding procedures
• Responding to queries from parents/carers and the general public with exemplary professionalism, ensuring that any messages or complaints are immediately dealt with, forwarded to the appropriate member of staff or escalated as required
• Ensuring the overall appearance of the reception area is tidy, professional and presentable at all times
• General administrative duties such as typing, photocopying, filing, collation and distribution of post
• In liaison with appropriate academy staff, contributing to the maintenance of academy information databases and filing systems relating to pupils, ensuring confidentiality is observed at all times and records are accurate and up to date
• Assisting academy staff in all aspects of academy life, including contacting parents and pupils where necessary
• Providing general administrative support to the academy as required, including preparation of documentation, and administrative duties relating to specific areas such as academy calendar maintenance, extra-curricular activities, school trips, school meal arrangements

Qualifications & Experience

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• NVQ2 or equivalent qualification or experience in relevant discipline
• Good numeracy/literacy skills
• Minimum of two years' school office experience
• Experience of general clerical/administrative/financial work
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures for young people
• Experience of Reception duties including dealing with visitors to the Academy

For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.

Professional Development & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance for teachers on MPS/UPS, a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be helpful for you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.