School Receptionist & Front of House Administrator

Location: Havering, East/Outer London

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

Contract: Full-Time, Term-Time Only (36 hours per week)

Start Date: Immediate / ASAP Start

A vibrant secondary school and Sixth Form in the London Borough of Havering is seeking an articulate, welcoming, and highly organized School Receptionist & Front of House Administrator to serve as the face of the school starting ASAP. This is a pivotal administrative post for an approachable, efficient, and professional communicator who excels at managing a busy front desk, handling visitor relations, and delivering seamless administrative support in a fast-paced educational setting.

About the Role

As the School Receptionist, you will set the tone for the entire school community, delivering a warm, professional, and secure welcome to parents, guests, contractors, and students alike. Starting immediately, you will manage main switchboard communications, coordinate daily visitor sign-in procedures, and support the central administrative hub with essential school data and correspondence.

• Start Date: Immediate / ASAP

• Environment: A supportive, modern Outer London secondary school with a strong community ethos and a high-performing administrative team

• Culture: A collaborative, fast-paced, and student-centered workplace where clear communication, warm customer care, and robust safeguarding are highly valued

Key Responsibilities

• Front of House & Visitor Management: Greet all visitors, parents, and contractors warmly, managing visitor badges, sign-in logs, and safeguarding verification routines efficiently.

• Switchboard & Communications: Handle high-volume incoming phone calls, address general inquiries with discretion and clarity, and direct messages to the appropriate teaching or support staff.

• Student Services & Welfare Support: Act as a helpful point of contact for pupils visiting reception, coordinating lost property, pupil sign-outs for appointments, and first-aid escalation where required.

• Administrative & Data Support: Assist the central administrative office with pupil attendance data entry (using SIMS/Arbor/iSAMS), parent communications, sorting incoming mail, and preparing general correspondence.

• Safeguarding & Site Security: Maintain strict access control at the main entrance, ensuring all site entry protocols align with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) standards.

Requirements

• Prior experience in a receptionist, front-of-house, or administrative support role, ideally within an educational environment, customer-facing role, or busy office.

• Proficiency with standard office software (Microsoft Office/Google Workspace) and familiarity with school management information systems (e.g., SIMS, Arbor, Bromcom) is highly advantageous.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, exceptional telephone etiquette, and a polished, professional presentation.

• Outstanding organizational abilities, multi-tasking skills, and the capacity to stay calm and composure under pressure in a bustling environment.

• Strong commitment to child safeguarding, confidentiality, and data protection (GDPR).

Salary & Benefits

• Pay Scale: Outer London Support Staff Scale (commensurate with administrative experience, pro-rata for term-time only).

• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), generous pro-rata holiday entitlement, structured onboarding for a swift start, funded professional development, and access to staff health and wellbeing programs.

How to Apply

If you are an articulate, customer-focused administrative professional ready to step into a vibrant front-of-house role at a secondary school in Havering starting ASAP, we invite you to apply. Please submit your application as soon as possible for immediate consideration.