ADMISSIONS ASSISTANT
JOB DESCRIPTION
GENERAL INFORMATION
The School
The Perse School, which was founded in 1615, is a charitable company and one of
the country’s leading independent day schools.
The Perse School Foundation is fully co-educational, educating boys and girls from
3-18 on three sites: the Pelican (ages 3-7) in Glebe Road; the Prep (ages 7-11) in
Trumpington Road; and the Upper (ages 11-18) in Hills Road. Children thus
progress through three different schools, but have all the benefits of being part of one
larger institution with an integrated curriculum and pastoral care system.
There are currently approximately 1010 pupils in the Upper School; 270 pupils in the
Prep; and 150 pupils in The Pelican. In the past 5 years pupil numbers in the Upper
and Prep have grown by c. 40% and 50% respectively. The permanent staff of the
School is around 275, approximately 140 of whom are academic members of staff,
and in addition there are about 50 peripatetic music, sports coaching and other
specialist staff.
The School has undertaken an almost continuous programme of building works over
the past decade. Five years ago a new Library, Art and Technology department and
classroom building at the Prep and the Richardson Hall at the Pelican were
completed. At the Upper School an extension to the Sports Centre providing a sports
studio and further changing rooms, and a major new building providing 21
classrooms, a new library, a new ICT department and various support services were
completed in 2010. Further buildings were added in 2011 and 2012, including a sixth
form study centre and an outdoor pursuits centre at the Upper, and a full sized all
weather pitch at the Prep. More tennis and netball courts were completed for January
2013, and at Easter 2013 construction started on a new Upper School classroom
building (seventeen classrooms; seven meeting / interview rooms; departmental and
pastoral offices; and a large multipurpose space) for occupation in September 2014.
Further works are currently in the design stage.
More details about the School can be found on www.perse.co.uk
The Bursary
The Bursary, which is situated at the Upper School, is responsible for the financial,
HR, communications, legal, H&S, administrative, estates and facilities management
work of the School.
The Bursary also provides (through the Bursar and Clerk to Governors) a
governance resource and is the secretariat to the Governing Board.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Reporting to
As a member of the support staff, the Admissions Assistant’s ultimate line manager
will be the Bursar, although day to day responsibility will be to the Admissions
Manager, and through the Admissions Manager to the Director of Communications.
Job Purpose
The post holder will support the admissions process from initial enquiry to registration
and admission, including paperwork associated with events, interviews, entrance
tests and references.
Key Responsibilities
Enquiries
 Responding to admissions enquiries (telephone, email, in person, via the
website) providing advice to prospective pupils, parents and feeder schools.
 Gathering data on all enquirers and inputting this into the admissions
database.
 Ensuring all enquirers are sent the prospectus pack with a personalised
covering letter within 24 hours of making an enquiry/request.
 Organising parent tours and supporting the Admissions Manager in leading
tours where appropriate.
 Liaison with prefects about parent tours, including providing them with briefing
and gathering data from them about parental areas of interest and questions.
 Ensuring key marketing material is always available in reception, the Head’s
office and Head’s waiting area.
 Ensuring all admissions information, forms and standard letters are up-todate, making changes as directed by the Admissions Manager.
 Managing waiting lists.
Registrations
 Processing registration forms promptly. This includes inputting details to the
admissions database, acknowledging in writing receipt of the registration
form, logging applications for scholarships or bursaries, processing subject
choice forms and creating a prospective pupil file.
 Requesting references from the child’s current school and ensuring they are
received before entrance tests are taken.
 Preparing files for prospective pupil interviews.
 Sending out invitations to Entrance Test Day.
 Contacting early applicants (i.e. those who applied more than two years in
advance) to see if they are still interested.
 For overseas students, obtaining a copy of their passport and visa details to
comply with UKBA regulations.
 Keeping prospective pupil files up-to-date, both the hard files and on the
admissions database.
Admissions database
 Creating and maintaining prospective pupil files on the admissions database this includes changes to contact details, status and scholarship/bursary
outcomes.
 Managing lists of prospective parents and providing these lists to the
Marketing and Communications Officer for targeting.
 Running admissions reports.

Updating feeder school data – contact details, key admissions dates, fees,
processes etc.
Entrance tests
 Preparing prospective files for consideration by the Head and other decisionmakers (including test results and interview feedback), as directed by the
Admissions Manager.
 Preparing and distributing offer/decline letters (including scholarship letters),
offer packs and acceptance packs.
 Liaising with the school accountant regarding bursary applications.
 On behalf of the Head, writing to all feeder school Heads with results
 Supporting the Admissions Manager in providing feedback to parents of those
pupils not offered a place.
 Supporting the Admissions Manager in organising out-of-season testing.
Handover to registration
 Liaison with prospective students and their parents over their GCSE results,
including inputting results for those who do not have internet access.
 Ensuring the Deputy Bursar, Deputy Head (Curriculum) and Section Heads
are aware of all new pupils joining the school.
 Sending welcome letters to pupils who have accepted places.
 Informing relevant staff of any leavers notified to Admissions.
Events
 Attending and assisting with the organisation and evaluation of:
o Open events, taster days and entrance testing
o Primary school visits
 Inviting all relevant enquirers and registered pupils to open events and taster
days.
 Helping to promote open events and managing bookings, waiting lists etc.
 Assembling packs/bags.
 Gathering and collating feedback from parents and staff following events.
400th anniversary
 The School will celebrate its 400th anniversary in 2015-16. The postholder will
assist with planning and delivering associated activity, in particular events.
General administration
 As part of the Bursary staff, the postholder will be expected to be flexible and
to take on other administrative duties to support other Bursary functions as
necessary.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Experience, Skills and Abilities
 Customer services experience
 A strong and confident communicator with an excellent telephone manner
 Well organised and systematic
 Thoroughness with an eye for detail
 Experience of data entry to a high standard
 Confident with mail merge and excel spreadsheets
 Initiative and ability to work without direct supervision

A team player who is adaptable and flexible
OUTLINE TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Working Hours, Holidays, Salary and Other Matters
This post is full-time for 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Working hours are
9am to 5pm, including a half hour, unpaid, break for lunch each day. The post holder
will also be expected to be available for occasional evening and weekend work to
attend key admissions events.
Paid holiday entitlement is six weeks plus bank holidays per annum, one week to be
taken at Easter, one week to be taken at Christmas and four weeks to be taken as
agreed with the Director of Communications (normally during school holidays).
The starting salary will be Scale Point 13 of the Perse School Support Staff Salary
Scale - £19,672.
The School operates a defined contribution pension scheme which all non-teaching
members of staff are eligible to join once they have completed three months’ service
and to which the School and the member of staff both contribute. Contributions are
currently 13.75% and 6.25% respectively.
The School’s Sports Centre is available for use by staff at various times during the
week.
Lunch is provided free of charge for all staff whose working hours encompass the
time of School lunch.
The School is keen to help develop the skills of its staff and looks to provide
appropriate training as necessary.
Safer Recruitment
The Perse School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to
the post, including references from previous employers, and a Criminal Bureau
Records check at the enhanced level and compliance with Sections 15-25 of the
Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 (eligibility to work in the UK).
Interviews will be conducted in person, and they will explore candidates’ suitability to
work with children.
Other Information
In order to facilitate your application the following information is included with this Job
Description:
a) Support Staff Application for Employment Form
b) Policy statement on the recruitment of ex-offenders
APPLICATION PROCESS
An Application for Employment Form should be completed and returned to:
Director of HR
The Perse School
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 8QF
Tel No: 01223 403800
Email: hrdirector@perse.co.uk