JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE
Caretaker
LINE MANAGER
Maintenance Manager
JOB PURPOSE
In conjunction with other members of the Estates Department, to ensure the wellbeing, safety and
security of the School pupils, staff and premises of Downe House. To live in School accommodation
and with other members of the caretaking team to provide round the clock cover to the School. To
assist with a wide range of maintenance tasks.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As Caretaker:
a) To carry out any minor works jobs as directed either by your line manager or as logged on
Merlin.
b) In the absence of merlin job sheets, to complete weekly tasks as directed by your line
manager
c) To act as the out-of-hours security and emergency maintenance operative.
d) To open and close the School as operationally required.
e) During the course of the School ‘lock up’, to liaise with duty house staff to discuss/ resolve
maintenance issues in the boarding house.
f) To ensure house maintenance day books are up to date.
g) To carry out event set ups whilst on duty in anticipation of the following days’ events.
h) To carry out the operational testing of the swimming pool on a daily basis.
i) To respond to emergency out-of-hours calls. Ensuring pupil safety at all times, rectify or
make safe the problem as necessary.
j) To act as a School fire officer, attend and assume the lead in fire evacuations when
appropriate.
k) To carry out site security inspections out-of-hours, to include perimeter walks, locking of all
windows and doors and the drawing of blinds.
l) To monitor the School’s CCTV system and to act in the best interests of the school as
necessary.
m) To monitor the School’s electronic door system and action any operational anomalies
n) To ensure a smooth and professional handover between shifts, ensuring that all paperwork,
including job sheets are completed in a timely manner.
o) To work flexibly and provide holiday/sickness cover for caretaker colleagues as required.
Caretaker
July 2015
Weekend variations:
a) To open and close the School as per the working week.
b) To work for two 12 hr shift patterns throughout the weekend and to deal with emergencies
as necessary. These shifts can be based at home and do not require the caretaker to be “in
school” when not working.
c) To act as the fire officer for the School.
d) To carry out the setting up of events as operationally required
As a general Estates Operative:
a) To assist in the moving of furniture for moves and event set ups (both on and off-site) as
directed by the Maintenance Manager. (MM)
b) To assist with parking control for events as directed by the MM.
c) To assist in trunking for pupils at the beginning and end of terms as directed by the MM.
d) To be available in the event of an emergency to assist with the operation of the School.
e) To drive company vehicles as directed by the MM.
f) To attend Health and Safety and First Aid training as directed by the MM.
g) To assist with any other operational duties as directed by MM, to include but not limited to:
 Changing of clocks
 Gritting when bad weather
 Rubbish collection
CHILD PROTECTION
Downe House is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young
people and expects all staff to share this commitment and adhere to, and comply with, the
School's Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children policy and procedures at all times.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
All staff at Downe House are required to remain vigilant, observe all relevant Health and Safety
policies and procedures, take reasonable care of their own and others’ Health and Safety, report all
accidents and incidents, raise concerns through their line managers, and address minor physical
problems by reporting them as maintenance requests through the School’s internal IT reporting
system (MERLIN).
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
Staff at Downe House are expected to promote equality of opportunity for all girls and staff, both current
and prospective, and to support an environment that values diversity.
Caretaker
July 2015
DATA PROTECTION
All staff at Downe House have a responsibility to ensure that data they are responsible for is
accurate and appropriate to the needs of the School, and that they are responsible for ensuring
any personal data processed for any purpose or purposes in connection with their role at the
School, shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or those purposes in
accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
Note: This job description is not a comprehensive definition of the post. It will be reviewed as part of
the cycle of appraisal, and it may be subject to modification or amendment at any time after
consultation with the holder of the post. Further guidance on the duties and responsibilities of
members of staff is found in the Staff Handbook and on Merlin.
Caretaker
July 2015