Senior Caretaker

25 hours per week | 5 days | Full Year

Could you be the organised, friendly and approachable person we're looking for?

At The Federation of Crigglestone and The Castle Nursery Schools, we believe that great schools are built not only around wonderful teaching and learning, but also around the people who make everything happen behind the scenes.

Due to the retirement of our excellent and highly valued caretaker, we are looking for a dedicated, practical and enthusiastic Senior Caretaker to join our team at The Castle Nursery School.

This is an important role within our school. We are looking for someone who will take real pride in their work and in our school, and who shares our commitment to providing children, families and staff with a safe, welcoming and beautifully cared-for environment.

At The Castle, we have high standards and high expectations* for every aspect of our provision. Our environment is an important part of what makes our Nursery School special, and we are looking for someone who will take ownership of the site and care about the little things as much as the big things.

We are proud Curiosity Approach accredited settings, and we want every member of our team to contribute to an environment where children feel safe, secure, valued and deeply curious about the world around them.

🌱Is this you?

We are looking for someone who:

• 🌟 Takes genuine pride in their work and wants the school to look its very best
• 🧹 Has high standards of cleanliness, maintenance, presentation and site safety
• 🔧 Is practical, proactive and able to identify jobs that need doing without always needing to be asked
• 🏫 Will take ownership of the school site and ensure it is safe, secure, well maintained and welcoming
• 🛠️ Has good DIY and general maintenance skills and is willing to turn their hand to a range of tasks
• 🔐 Understand the importance of confidentiality, safeguarding and data protection
• ✅ Is organised, reliable and able to prioritise their workload effectively
• 🦺 Understands the importance of health and safety, security and safeguarding within a school environment
• 📬 Is happy to work both independently and as part of our wider Federation team
• 😊 Is approachable, friendly and positive when working alongside children, families, staff, contractors and visitors
• 🏫 Shares our belief that children deserve the very best environment in which to learn, play, explore and thrive

🌿This role will include

Responsibility for the day-to-day care, security and maintenance of The Castle Nursery School site, including opening and securing the premises, undertaking routine maintenance and repairs, monitoring the condition of the building and grounds, supporting health and safety procedures, liaising with contractors and helping us maintain the exceptionally high standards we expect across our school.

There will also be opportunities to work alongside colleagues across our Federation and contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of our learning environments.

✨What we can offer you...

You will be joining a friendly, supportive and ambitious Federation where every member of staff is valued and plays an important part in the experience we provide for our children.

The Castle is a specialist Maintained Nursery School with a strong commitment to inclusion, relationships and our Curiosity Approach ethos. We want our indoor and outdoor environments to inspire curiosity, exploration and a sense of belonging – and our caretaker is an important part of making that possible.

We are looking for someone who doesn't simply see this as looking after a building, but who will feel proud to look after our school.

If you are hardworking, dependable, practical and have the same high standards that we do, we would love to hear from you.

*Visits to The Castle Nursery School are warmly welcomed and encouraged.*

**Come and be part of our Federation and help us ensure The Castle continues to be a beautiful, safe and inspiring place for our children to learn and grow.**

📍Additional Information

This is a federation role, and the successful candidate may be required to work across Crigglestone Nursery School and The Castle Nursery School.

Hours: 25 hours per week, Monday–Friday. Split shifts: 7am – 9am and 3pm – 6pm (for which an additional allowance is paid)

Contract: Permanent Full Year

Start Date: 30th November 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter

Pay Range: Grade 5 – FTE £27,709 - £29,071.

Actual Pay: £18,842-£19,768 Pro-Rata for 25 Hours

Closing Date: Wednesday 21st October 2026

Interviews: Early November

Safeguarding

The Federation of Crigglestone and The Castle Nursery Schools is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Appointments will be subject to the appropriate safer recruitment checks, including an Enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and confirmation of medical fitness for employment.

🌿 Come and grow with us.