School Receptionist & Administrative Assistant

Location: Barking

School Type: Secondary School & Sixth Form (Co-educational)

Contract: Full-Time, Term-Time Only (37 hours/week)

A welcoming, dynamic secondary school in the heart of Barking is seeking a poised, customer-focused, and highly organized School Receptionist & Administrative Assistant to join their vital operational support team. As the primary face and voice of the school, you will deliver an outstanding first impression to parents, visitors, students, and staff while keeping day-to-day front-office operations running seamlessly.

About the Role

In this dual-focused position, you will serve as the school’s central ambassador and administrative hub. Managing the lively front-of-house desk, coordinating visitor protocols, managing incoming communications, and delivering robust clerical support across school departments, you will play an essential role in maintaining a safe, efficient, and professional school environment.

• Start Date: Immediate or upcoming term

• Environment: A supportive, forward-looking secondary school committed to high operational standards and a strong community spirit

• Culture: A collaborative, fast-paced operational setting supported by an experienced office manager, dedicated administrative colleagues, and an approachable school leadership team

Key Responsibilities

• Front-of-House Excellence: Serve as the primary point of contact for all visitors, parents, contractors, and agency staff; execute rigorous safeguarding checks and sign-in procedures.

• Communication Management: Filter and route incoming calls, manage general school inbox enquiries professionally, and distribute messages and postal deliveries efficiently.

• Student & Attendance Support: Assist with pupil front-desk enquiries, log late arrivals or early departures on the Management Information System (MIS), and liaison with pastoral teams.

• Operational & Clerical Services: Provide high-quality administrative support across school faculties, including word processing, data entry, reprographics, filing, and mailings.

• Visitor & Event Support: Coordinate meeting room bookings, prepare welcoming hospitality setups for external guests, and assist with administrative prep for school events and open evenings.

Requirements

• Proven experience in a busy front-of-house, customer service, or administrative support role (experience within an educational, public sector, or corporate environment is highly desirable).

• Strong working knowledge of standard office software (Microsoft Office suite, Google Workspace); familiarity with school MIS software (e.g., SIMS, Bromcom, Arbor) is an advantage.

• Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with a welcoming, confident, and professional telephone manner.

• High organizational dexterity, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize tasks calmly under pressure in a bustling environment.

• Understanding of safeguarding principles and strict adherence to data protection (GDPR) and confidentiality standards.

Salary & Benefits

• Pay Scale: Outer London Support Staff Scale (Grade 3/4 depending on experience, pro-rata for term-time only).

• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), structured on-the-job training, professional development opportunities, and access to employee wellbeing programs.

How to Apply

If you are an organized, personable, and proactive professional looking to make a positive impact in a vibrant Barking secondary school, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your application as soon as possible for consideration.