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Original poster

School Administrator Jobs

103 replies

Needanewadventure2021 · 06/01/2022 12:50

Hi

I have 18 years of admin experience across different sectors at a senior level, just never in a school setting.
I am extremely unhappy in my current job and want a complete change. I feel working in a school will fit well around my child and feel I have plenty of admin experience to be able to undertake the position in a school well but was wondering how I would go about this without gaining any experience in a school setting? Also I only have A levels and no NVQ's however I am happy to undertake additional training.

Are there any school administrators out there? Any advice? Is there any possibility to progress in the future?

TIA x

OP posts:
EATmum · 07/02/2022 12:20

Congratulations! There is something very positive about working in a school community, that gives you intrinsic satisfaction. Or it does to me anyway.
I really hope you enjoy the new job.
And as an HR Director in education, to anyone else thinking about applying for jobs in schools, you really don't usually need significant experience or knowledge of the sector to be successful. As someone else said upthread, we recruit for attitude most of all - everything else can be taught, but if you don't have the commitment, flexibility, caring and warmth, it's a non-starter.
Adventure - congratulations and enjoy your new role. Smile

Sparkle275 · 07/02/2022 14:35

I work in a primary school office, it can be very busy at times but I love it. The pay is not great but the hours and holidays are perfect to fit around my children. It sounds like you have a strong admin background which is essential for working in a school. Before working in the school I had no previous experience of working in a school but had an admin background.

I would definitely apply for any relevant posts and also make sure you show knowledge of data protection, safeguarding and also have a look at SIMS which is a common database used in schools. Good luck.

Sparkle275 · 07/02/2022 14:38

Sorry just re-read over the post after posting my response. Congratulations, well done. Good luck with everything.

Original poster
Needanewadventure2021 · 07/02/2022 15:35

I currently don't earn a good wage. In fact I earn abit less working all year round than I am going to be working term time, so that's good enough for me. It's definitely more about job satisfaction. I want to feel like I am contributing to more than a companies sales.

I'm really looking forward to it. Im just wondering when I am likely to start now. All my checks have gone through just awaiting my DBS. I was hoping start of March, but I have to work a notice, and then April is the Easter holidays. It just seems so far away

OP posts:
Cweibo · 10/02/2022 14:03

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Childhoodendswithablinkofaneye · 23/02/2022 17:51

Congrats on securing the job.
Was interesting to read all the threads

Childhoodendswithablinkofaneye · 23/02/2022 17:55

Can anyone guide me. I’m trying to get a Sch admin job. No admin exp as such. Exp of teaching at kumon. Looking into guidance of what courses to do? Support work level 2 in schools? Admin courses or IT. And to volunteer anywhere is just impossible to get these days.
Any guidance would be appreciative
Thanks

Henrieta2 · 01/03/2022 23:27

Congrats on the role
Can you please tell me more Information about what the task was I can prepare efor my interview

Same boat 17 years admin looking to work in a School love admin love kids want to have a rewarding Job and enjoy working with kids

I would like to know more about the task
I have no sage sims experience but have uses databases and crm at work and outlook etc
I have good computer skills with excel
And word but could probably do with brushing them up . Any help would be appreciated ! What questions did they ask x

Thank you so much

Original poster
Needanewadventure2021 · 02/03/2022 07:21

@27Henrieta2 it was using excel to extract data, create tables and email the information to the head for a report. It was easy enough just know how to sort information alphabetically/lowest to highest etc. The most daunting thing I found was I had 20 minutes and forgot to check the clock when I started.
When I looked at the task I thought there is no way this will be completed in 20 minutes but you'll be fine. And keep an eye on spelling.

They asked about time management, what are the duties of a school Administrator, Safeguarding, how would you treat private and confidential information, what would you do if an angry parent was demanding to see the head. I must admit the panel were wonderful. I immediately felt relaxed so it just flowed.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on

OP posts:
Henrieta2 · 02/03/2022 08:59

What about mail merge ? I have never used it and I am panicking lol if they want me to do a practical for that I need to brush up

We send bulk emails from a crm at work
And our outlook doesn’t have the mail merge option ughhh

Original poster
Needanewadventure2021 · 02/03/2022 09:54

The mail merge worried me but that wasn't my task fortunately. Last time I did mail merge nearly 20 years ago.

I think also, well for me, it didn't matter my background, it felt mutual that I would fit in and that I wanted to get stuck in and help make a difference. The whole interview felt so calm. How you come across is important. You can teach people but you need to be able to work well with people, communicate well and work under pressure.

Good luck

OP posts:
Original poster
Needanewadventure2021 · 02/03/2022 16:35

@Henrieta2 how did it go?

OP posts:
Courtneybigg · 19/01/2023 18:58

Hiya,

I have an interview for an admin role in a primary school on Monday would you be able to help on how to deal with an angry parent please?

aureus3012 · 19/01/2023 19:35

I'm an office manager in a high school and member of the SLT. I started working in schools 12 years ago after working in financial services so I didn't have any direct experience.
The attributes I most value from my team are a willingness to do what is asked of them, and flexibility. The most recent person I hired was not great to begin with in terms of being able to do the job but her enthusiasm and commitment to the role were fantastic. She is well up to speed with the role now and really is my right hand woman. However I would love to hire someone who was savvy with technology and had a natural understanding of how databases work.
I think some people see a school job as having a nice easy life with all the perks of the holidays. At interview be willing to show that you don't mind helping out at evening events and on odd days during the holidays. There is never any time in my school for things like filing and sorting the lost property so these things really have to be done in the holidays.
I am flexible with my team if they need to go out for any appointments or if there is a special reason for needing to finish early.
It is lovely to be able to work close to home and I love having my son in the school, not sure he loves it though haha

aureus3012 · 19/01/2023 19:40

Courtneybigg · 19/01/2023 18:58

Hiya,

I have an interview for an admin role in a primary school on Monday would you be able to help on how to deal with an angry parent please?

Sorry didn't see your post and hadn't noticed the OP was from a year ago! Re an angry parent.....ask them to go into a side room so that they are away from the main reception and ask them to tell you what the issue is. Say thank you for explaining and that you will speak to the relevant member of the senior leadership team. You could say that you will go and see if they are available. If you find the relevant person but they are busy then you can tell the parent that someone will contact them.

Courtneybigg · 19/01/2023 19:57

Thank you so much!! Is there any other advice you would give on questions they may ask such as if a parent is wanting their child to go on a school trip but can’t afford it ? Thank you

Courtneybigg · 19/01/2023 20:12

Do you have any tips on what to say when they ask to tell them about yourself please?

ItsAnOrgasmNotAFabergeEgg · 20/01/2023 14:33

Courtneybigg · 19/01/2023 19:57

Thank you so much!! Is there any other advice you would give on questions they may ask such as if a parent is wanting their child to go on a school trip but can’t afford it ? Thank you

They will have a fund to help with those things so that’s not something you’d need to worry about. Think of yourself much like a doctors receptionist - you’re there as the first line of defence to stop people wasting everyone else’s time, so essentially take lots of messages and say “I’ll get someone to call you back”! Or “I’ll see what I can find out and get back to you asap”.

With an angry parent I certainly wouldn’t be taking anyone into a side room. I’d assure them that their complaint will be taken seriously but that they’ll need to calm down because having someone shouting or kicking off on school premises isn’t acceptable behaviour. Keep them firmly on the outside of the security door for everyone’s sake, and get a senior member of staff to deal with it. You’re not paid enough to be a human shield for an angry arsehole!

Courtneybigg · 20/01/2023 14:37

Thank you that is really helpful! Is there any other tips you would recommend as I’ve never worked or had an interview for a school office admin before. Is that your current role too?

Courtneybigg · 20/01/2023 14:39

ItsAnOrgasmNotAFabergeEgg · 20/01/2023 14:33

They will have a fund to help with those things so that’s not something you’d need to worry about. Think of yourself much like a doctors receptionist - you’re there as the first line of defence to stop people wasting everyone else’s time, so essentially take lots of messages and say “I’ll get someone to call you back”! Or “I’ll see what I can find out and get back to you asap”.

With an angry parent I certainly wouldn’t be taking anyone into a side room. I’d assure them that their complaint will be taken seriously but that they’ll need to calm down because having someone shouting or kicking off on school premises isn’t acceptable behaviour. Keep them firmly on the outside of the security door for everyone’s sake, and get a senior member of staff to deal with it. You’re not paid enough to be a human shield for an angry arsehole!

Show quote history

Thank you that is really helpful! Is there any other tips you would recommend as I’ve never worked or had an interview for a school office admin before. Is that your current role too?

Bigweekend · 20/01/2023 14:48

Honestly, currently I don't think you'd need to be that good, certainly no additional qualifications required.

The pay is terrible, but we used to get loads of applications from mums in need of school hours, often currently sahm, so any income was additional iyswim

Lately we get barely any applications and I think reasons are two fold. There isn't the same cohort of sahms looking for school hours when DC start school because many more have returned to FT work already, plus many admin jobs are now wfh meaning people don't need to accept the poor pay for family friendly working.

ItsAnOrgasmNotAFabergeEgg · 20/01/2023 18:26

The main focus for everyone in a school is safeguarding. You need to understand your role in that. Do a bit of Googling - NSPCC might be a good place to start - just so that you’re aware of the different types of abuse, and what a member of staff’s role is in identifying and reporting anything suspect.

I was asked about how I would prioritise a list of jobs and why.

Had to do an Excel test so be sure you can do at least the basics on that and Word.

You will need to learn to use SIMs or similar but you can only really get to do that by working in a school, which is another place they seem to fall down in recruiting, as they’re not going to get someone with experience paying the pittance most of those jobs pay.

You need to present as calm. Not easily flustered. Mega organised, with a good phone manner and the confidence to liaise with tricky parents. Some of them can be real assholes!

You may need to handle money/online payments so need to be confident with numbers, and to be able to write a grammatically correct email, as you’re representing the school when you communicate with parents or suppliers.

But above all…GDPR and safeguarding, as they’re the things that will get the school in the shit if they’re missed!

Anono2022 · 21/01/2023 08:54

Having done a school admin job for nearly a year you do it for the holidays! It is a severely underpaid, undervalued and underappreciated job, yet it's a pretty big part of the school. If our office didn't run the school couldn't operate but at my school we get involved in the admin/operational side of everything.

I dont hate it enough to leave as it fits around my child but I've often gone home after work and cried about how much I am expected to do in such little time. Ive even taken work home and been told off for not being able to manage my workload. But imagine having a high workload to start with but spend the day constantly being given jobs to do that need doing immediately. Those can fill up your days alone. Oh and how senior staffs mistakes are blamed on you! Shouldn't happen but it does.

In the short time I've been there we have had a high staff turnover. 5 left. We had 2 agency and they hated it . We are currently on our most recent new team members who started expressing their doubts within 2 days of starting, basically saying the job was undersold and ttheir duties weren't listed in the job description. But sadly im not surprised as that was how i felt too very early on.

That said i dont regret leaving my old job. But i did have high hopes that this would be long term but im pretty certain it wont be.

I dont mean to be negative but it's my honest experience after almost a year in.

The interview you'll be fine. They are struggling to recruit. We don't have anyone in our team who comes from a school background. Many dont look for experience as you can learn. Remember safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and you never promise a child who's has asked you to keep a secret if they tell you something

RoseThornside · 21/01/2023 22:36

I work in school admin and we too struggle to recruit these days. For the last two roles we advertised, we only had one application for each role, so they both obviously got the jobs! I think it's because the pay is so poor, and the hours actually don't quite fit - 8am to 4pm - you still need breakfast and afterschool clubs for your own children....

GoldilockMom · 21/01/2023 22:47

When they ask you to tel them about yourself they are looking for your working background

Where you started what your skill set is - make it relatable to the job you’re going for.