Job change

[incharlottesweb]

I’m not happy in my current job, I’ve only been there for 7 weeks and regretting the decision to take it on. I’m now reconsidering my options and would like to consider working in a school office, mainly for term time hours. Is there anyone here who does this job who could give me a breakdown of their role please? Also what sort of qualifications would I be expected to have and how do I go about gaining these? I’ve had a quick look online at those jobs being advertised and they all want knowledge of SIMS if anyone could explain that? I have no experience of working in an office so I’m not sure if I’d be considered even if I did some training? Thank you!

”Working in a school office” can be anything from an admin assistant for which you’ll just need admin experience to a Business Manager or Bursar for which, depending on the size of the school and the role remit, you may need to be an accountant or have a relevant business administration qualification. SIMS is an information management system designed for schools, it’s not difficult to pick up but many job specs will use it as shorthand for wanting somebody who’s worked in a similar school role before rather than this being their first job in one.

What is your current job? What skills and qualifications do you currently have? You aren’t going to get far if your only motivation is wanting term time hours, it’ll be obvious at interview.

Thank you for the information, I’m currently a carer with limited experience in anything. I only meant term time in the sense of not a typical office but a school environment, as I know many require you to attend in school holidays and inset days. I will look into admin assistant roles, thank you.

If you don’t have any admin experience then you’ll struggle to walk straight into a school office job: term time only jobs are gold dust and sought after by people who want them for exactly the same reason you do. Something like the School Administration Foundation Certificate would be a good starting point as a training course.

Thank you I’ll look into it

You need to gain some admin experience, perhaps through temping or office work for your carer organisation. Agree school office work can be multifaceted from secretarial, financial to reception. Good IT skills, knowledge of Safeguarding, GDPR etc are all desirable . Jobs tend to be competitive and often go to those who have previously volunteered or worked in a school environment.

I’m a school governor. The “secretary” at my school does all the finance, manages contracts and liaison for building maintenance, website content and a million other things. It’s more than admin assistants in my FT role.

We also have a governing clerk which seems like a good flexible job that can largely be remote now, although will be evenings. That is minute taking of meetings, putting agendas together, organising digital filing systems, coordinating training and other statutory paperwork. Also needs a certificate I think if not relevant experience. There’s currently a shortage.

Schools I know are pretty desperate to get people happy to work in the school office ... the pay is worse than that of teaching assistants and you get to deal with unreasonable parents, too, not just their children.