For: AS SOON AS POSSIBLE Salary: Grade C, Points 7 – 12 (£26,403-28,598 FTE) |
Responsible to: Joint Heads of Science Actual Annual Salary: £22,513 - £24,385 (£26,404 - £28,598 FTE) Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday 8:00am until 4.00pm (3.30m on Fridays) Working weeks: 39 – Term time only. Paid weeks: 45.25 (includes holiday pay) Further details about the school can be found on the school website www.poolegrammar.com The responsibilities of the postholder will include the following areas: |
Health, safety and safeguarding |
The post holder must: - fully abide with the school’s safeguarding policy;
- fully abide with the staff code of conduct and any applicable health & safety, cyber-security and risk management policies.
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Main job purpose: |
- To ensure the provision of comprehensive Technician support to the Science departments, supervising the team, directing work and providing absence cover as required.
- Prepare and maintain classrooms and laboratories; prepare and maintain materials for use by staff and students, ensuring that an orderly, safe, clean, and healthy environment is provided for teaching activities.
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- Prepare and assemble teaching resources, apparatus, solutions, and equipment for use by staff and students including setting up demonstrations and laying out practicals.
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- Contribute to teaching and learning sessions, as appropriate, by demonstrating or advising on proper and safe use of materials and equipment for practical activities, occasionally including directed support for individual students.
- Demonstrate safe and effective practical set up to members of teaching staff. Share good practice when improvement in methods are developed
- Assist teachers in preparation for practical examinations.
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- Trial and monitor previously untried experiments within the department.
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- Maintain and undertake basic repairs to equipment where practical to do so.
- To contribute to planning, development and organisation of systems, procedures and policies ensuring manuals and guidance are updated accordingly.
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- Clean glassware, dirty equipment and sinks within laboratories, and keep the department running at optimum efficiency and cleanliness.
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- Be responsible for the safe storage of equipment and materials, and the disposal of waste products in accordance with the relevant regulations, guidelines and school procedures.
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- Ensure that all department staff are aware of how to manage spillages/breakages, following regulations.
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- Be responsible for maintaining stock and ordering equipment and supplies, seeking out best value for money with prudent financial management in mind.
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- Maintain an inventory of laboratory equipment.
- Assist with the issue and return of textbooks or other teaching aids.
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- Ensure that Health and Safety requirements and other relevant regulations, such as Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), CLEAPSS responsibilities are adhered to and observed. This role will involve undertaking regular checking procedures and risk assessments, as appropriate to the work area. Ensure training on these subjects is up to date.
- Carry out general administration within the Science departments including photocopying, printing, display, taking photographs of work etc.
- Attend departmental field trips as appropriate
- Manage room swaps when timetable clashes occur
- Liaising with Heads of Departments in identification of short, medium- and longer-term maintenance /equipment replacement so that appropriate planning and budgeting can be put in place.
- Identifying opportunities to streamline and improve provision within Biology/Chemistry and Physics by identification of more centralisation of decision making/procurement.
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- Undertake such other duties as may be required from time to time commensurate with the level of the post. The particular duties and responsibilities attached to the post may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed.
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- Comply with all decisions, policies and standing orders of the school; comply with any relevant statutory requirements, including Equal Opportunities legislation, the Health and
Safety at Work Act and the Data Protection Act/GDPR. |
Supervision and Management of People |
- Line management responsibility for technicians in the Science departments, including on-the-job training or the allocation and checking of work for quality and quantity.
- Monitor the work of technicians to ensure that all duties are being carried our effectively, liaising with all departmental staff to ensure that standards are maintained.
- To provide support to technicians in managing their workload and identifying training needs, if required
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Contacts and relationships: |
- Daily interaction with teaching and other support staff
- Regular contact with external suppliers and contractors in negotiating best value and purchasing
- Contact with the local authority and other professional bodies to ensure that the knowledge and skills of the postholder are kept up to date.
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Decisions: |
- Decisions will be made on ordering and purchasing of stock; on ensuring the smooth and efficient running of the department; on prioritising and organising the running of the department and allocating resources as necessary.
- Work will take place with teachers on designing new projects or experiments
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Resources: |
- The postholder will have responsibility for the proper use and safekeeping of chemicals, equipment and resources, including the purchase and maintenance of stock levels.
- The postholder with have responsibility for purchasing and maintaining stock levels.
- Resources include hazardous chemicals and equipment.
- Protective clothing will be provided and must be worn when required.
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Work environment: |
- Duties will normally be undertaken in classrooms or laboratories within the school. There will be use of chemicals or toxic materials and/or some use of power tools.
- Lifting and movement of resources and equipment will often be required, using trolleys where appropriate
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General: |
This job description is specific to the post of Senior Science Technician. This job description is current at the date shown but in consultation with you, may be changed by the Headteacher to reflect or anticipate changes in the job commensurate with the job title. |
Experience |
- Working in an education setting
- At least 2 years’ practical experience
- Experience and practical competence in the safe and proper use of any specialist equipment for which the post holder has direct responsibility
- Experience in using ICT for data entry and creating displays for student’s work
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Qualifications |
- 5 GCSEs with a minimum grade C or above in English and Mathematics, or equivalent qualifications or relevant experience
- A vocational or academic qualification in the relevant subject area
- Additional Biology and Physics vocational or academic qualifications would be a distinct advantage
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Aptitudes and abilities: |
- Good communication skills
- Good ICT skills
- Knowledge of school systems
- Able to handle confirmational information with discretion
- Creative skills will be required in the design and setting up of new projects or experiments and to create displays of students’ work.
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Knowledge: |
- Health and safety at work, COSHH, CLEAPPS
- Knowledge of school’s behaviour and management policy and procedures
- Knowledge of school’s fire and emergency procedures
- Knowledge of Child Safeguarding procedures
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Personal attributes and qualities |
- Self-motivated with a can-do attitude
- Able to work under own initiative
- Team player
- interpersonal skills
- Ability to manage and prioritise a busy workload
- Commitment to Equal Opportunities
- Enhanced DBS
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Katie Etheridge, Headteacher October 2025 |
