School Administrative Assistant & Receptionist

Location: Waltham Forest, East London

School Type: Primary School & Early Years (Co-educational)

Contract: Full-Time or Part-Time (Term-Time Only)

Start Date: Immediate / ASAP or January Start

A warm, welcoming, and community-minded primary school in the heart of Waltham Forest is seeking a friendly, efficient, and proactive School Administrative Assistant to join their front-office operations team. This is a rewarding support role for an organized administrative professional, customer service specialist, or experienced school receptionist who thrives on delivering smooth office administration, welcoming young families, and providing vital clerical support in a vibrant educational setting.

About the Role

As the Administrative Assistant, you will serve as a central point of contact for parents, visitors, pupils, and teaching staff. Working closely with the Office Manager and Senior Leadership Team, you will handle daily front-of-house reception duties, manage parent communications, update pupil databases, process incoming inquiries, and ensure the administrative operations of the school run smoothly every day.

• Environment: A nurturing East London primary school celebrated for its inclusive culture, supportive staff network, and strong community spirit

• Culture: A collaborative, fast-paced school office environment where warm hospitality, clear communication, organization, and a child-first approach are highly valued

Key Responsibilities

• Front of House & Reception: Welcome visitors, parents, contractors, and agency staff, managing visitor sign-in procedures, security passes, and safeguarding checks at the front desk.

• Communications & Parent Queries: Answer incoming phone calls, respond to email inquiries, and send digital parent notices and newsletters via the school’s communication portals (e.g., ParentMail, Arbor, or SIMS).

• Pupil Data & Register Management: Input daily attendance data, process pupil admissions and transfers, and maintain accurate pupil records on the school's MIS database.

• Clerical & Financial Support: Assist with routine office tasks including filing, photocopying, post distribution, ordering stock, and logging trip or dinner payments via online platforms (e.g., ParentPay or SchoolGateway).

• Medical & Welfare Assistance: Provide basic first aid or support to unwell pupils when needed, contacting parents/carers in line with school welfare protocols.

Requirements

• Demonstrable administrative or front-of-house reception experience, ideally in a primary school, nursery, healthcare, or customer-facing environment.

• High proficiency in IT and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), with previous experience using school Management Information Systems (e.g., Arbor, SIMS, Bromcom) being highly desirable.

• Outstanding interpersonal and verbal/written communication skills, with a patient, welcoming, and professional phone manner.

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to prioritize tasks effectively in a busy, multi-tasking office environment.

• Knowledge of statutory school safeguarding guidelines (KCSIE) and GDPR data protection practices.

Salary & Benefits

• Pay Scale: Outer London Support Staff Scale (commensurate with experience and qualifications).

• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), structured continuous professional development (CPD) and first aid training, term-time-only work schedules, and access to staff health and wellbeing schemes.

How to Apply

If you are an organized, personable administrative professional looking to support young learners and families at a friendly primary school in Waltham Forest, we encourage you to apply. Please submit your application and CV as soon as possible for consideration.