Assistant to the Bursar and Exams Officer

Job Description

Salary: Grade I £35,570 - £37,563 per annum

Hours of work: Full time 37 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

A bit about us:
Downland School is a co-educational maintained community special school for pupils aged between 11 and 16 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Our pupils have varying aptitudes and abilities; we are extremely proud of all their achievements and progress. Our pupils have a range of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) including Autism (ASC); attachment disorders and Social, Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties.

We seek to ensure that, by the time they leave us, our pupils emerge as self-confident individuals able to manage their own learning; equipped with the skills and competencies to successfully take the next steps in their lives.

We are a friendly, happy and caring school, providing a positive, inclusive and enriching educational experience for our young people. We view each of our pupils as unique and shape our provision to meet their individual needs and accelerate their progress in a variety of areas e.g. personal, social, and academic and well-being. Our commitment to supporting the ‘whole’ child and their development is underpinned by our strong pastoral systems and our committed and trained staff. At Downland we promote inclusion and equality and celebrate diversity.

Our mission statement is ‘Aspire, Achieve and Thrive’.

All about the role:
We are now looking to appoint a dynamic Assistant to the Bursar & Exams Officer. The postholder will provide administrative support to the School Bursar and to act as the Exams Officer.

To act as Deputy Bursar, providing a high standard and confidential level of administrative and management support to the Bursar, ensuring smooth running of office, HR, finance and premises activities.

As Exams Officer to manage, administer and organise all aspects of external examinations, ensuring they are conducted in accordance with the Regulations laid down by Examining bodies, the Joint Council for Qualifications and the National Assessment Agency (NAA). To manage, analyse and disseminate student achievement data (full training will be given and a handover with the current postholder will take place).

Key areas of work will include:

• Assistant to the Bursar
• Deputise for Bursar during periods of annual leave and absence and when the Bursar is busy or called away/not available.
• Manage all recruitment processes from the writing and placing of adverts, through to the interview and safer recruitment procedures.
• Manage the induction Booklet and oversee the Induction process for new staff.
• In conjunction with the Bursar, ensure that the Single Central Record is up to date and organise a timetable for DBS renewals and ensure that the process is carried out for the relevant staff.
• Advising the Headteacher, Bursar and Governors etc on a wide range of HR issues and case work. Seeking advice from Wiltshire HR where matters become more complex or are potentially contentious. This requires an ability of the postholder to recognise when issues within a case are escalating.
• To be responsible for a HR case load, giving sound legal and procedural advice to ensure cases progress and are managed in a timely way. Only seeking advice where matters become more complex or are potentially contentious this requires an ability of the postholder to recognise when issues within a case are escalating.
• To support Bursar and Headteacher in HR related investigations to ensure all the relevant information and facts are gathered in order that the right outcomes are achieved for any hearings, panels etc.
• Deal with matters of disagreement / conflict, escalating where matters become too complex or are potentially contentious this requires an ability of the postholder to recognise when issues within a case are escalating. Apply a of a range of complex policies, procedures guidelines and legislation, and tailoring them to individual circumstances
• Action occupational health referrals, ensuring that all relevant information is gathered and included in referral. Attend sickness absence management meetings as HR representative, to discuss the report with the member of staff concerned and ensure that OH advice is carried out.
• Assist the Bursar with various finance tasks as required, including processing monthly payroll entry. Produce monthly invoices for school lunches and monitor all payments received. Advising the Bursar of overdue debts for further action, ensuring such action takes place and monitoring success. Check and reconcile cash payments for uniform etc from parents. The job holder is accountable for the accurate handling and security of incoming cash, for amounts totalling up to hundreds of pounds.
• In conjunction with the Bursar, liaise with the Site Manager to produce job specifications for premises works. Obtain quotations and book in contractors. Ensuring that the contractors used are suitable for the works being carried out to the school buildings & plant. Keep the headteacher, Bursar and Site Manager appraised of any bookings made and works being carried out.
• Assist the Bursar with various administrative tasks as required.
• Keeping staff sickness records, arranging absence management meetings and taking notes at the meetings.
• Liaising with the Bursar/Headteacher to action occupational health referrals, ensuring that all relevant information is sought & sent with the referral.

Examinations Officer

• To take responsibility for the management of the examination budget, and for recording accurately entries and retakes, ensuring deadlines are met.
• To be responsible for the deployment, organisation and management of the team of invigilators for the smooth running of external examinations, including the design and preparation of examination timetables, including rooming, to ensure the best arrangements are in place for pupils and staff.
• To initiate advice to Heads of Facilities concerning amendments to examination course structures, and to be responsible for ensuring that all staff and students concerned are informed of all necessary requirements and information.
• To be responsible for the deployment of resources required to ensure that statutory requirements for data made by outside agencies are fulfilled and that routines are established and safeguards established to ensure that external examination documentation is secure and may be accessed only by authorised staff as required by the rules and regulations of the examination boards. Opening & moving of boxes with exam papers

Please read the job description for fuller details on the role.

The role will be based at the Downland (Devizes) site but there may be occasions when it is necessary for the postholder to travel to the Downland (Colerne) site, which is due to open mid 2027. Appropriate mileage will be reimbursed.

Enthusiasm and commitment to working in a school and for pupils with Social Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) and a range of SEND is paramount to us.

You will be expected to actively demonstrate the school’s core values.

Find out more and apply

To apply, you should submit a letter of no more than 2 sides of A4 with your application form addressing the requirements of the post, as outlined in the Job Description and the Person Specification provided. We are particularly interested in how you would undertake this role at Downland School and about your relevant skills, qualities and experience to date. Applications received without a supporting letter will not be considered and CVs will not be accepted.

Please email completed application forms and your covering letter to Tanya Rhodes, Bursar, onadmin@downland.wilts.sch.uk.

We welcome visits to the school. Please contact Tanya Rhodes if you would like to arrange a visit in advance of applying.

To apply, please download the application form and click the ‘apply now’ button below to upload your completed application form and covering letter online. Please note: CV's will not be considered.

Closing date (and time): Monday 9th November 2026 9:00am
Interview date: Week commencing 16th November 2026
Commencement date: ASAP

This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All applicants will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check before appointment is confirmed.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Applicants must disclose all spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings that are not ‘protected’ under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013 & 2020). An enhanced DBS check will be required for the successful applicant.

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