Executive Assistant

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Provide comprehensive and confidential executive support to the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team.

Manage complex diaries, meetings, correspondence and communications on behalf of senior leaders.

Ensure efficient administrative systems and processes are established, maintained and continually improved.

Prepare, proofread and distribute reports, presentations, agendas, minutes and other documentation to a high professional standard.

Coordinate school events, meetings and functions, ensuring effective planning and delivery.

Staff Recruitment:

To act as main contact for all staff recruitment enquiries.

Deal with the production of all documents related to the recruitment process e.g. adverts, job information packs, reference requests, candidate and appointee correspondence etc, and managing vacancies on My New Term.

Organise shortlisting and interview programmes, liaising with staff, governors etc. as needed.

Manage interview days including accommodation arrangements, document checking and hospitality.

Liaise with the Operations Manager to ensure all relevant clearances including DBS checks etc, are completed to facilitate the issuing of contracts.

Staff Personnel Support:

Maintain confidential staff personnel files.

Ensure the Single Central Record is accurate, up to date and fully compliant with Trust policies and the latest DfE guidance.

Issue and produce new and variation staff contracts.

Liaise with finance to provide new starter information, staffing changes and payroll related queries.

Complete maternity risk assessments and be the main point of contact for maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave requests.

Liaise with the Operations Manager to complete all new starter processes, including creation of new staff accounts on the appropriate system e.g. SAMpeople and Bromcom.

Update staff contracts and staff pay details as and when required.

Keep accurate records of Safer Recruitment training.

Liaise with the Chief Financial Officer regarding staffing updates.

Governance and Compliance:

Act as the school's lead officer for governance administration, serving as the key point of contact between the school, Governing Body, Trust Governance Professional, Clerking service and Trust leadership teams.

Provide professional support to the Governing Body and its committees, including meeting planning, agenda coordination, circulation of papers, attendance at meetings and the production of accurate minutes.

Ensure governance arrangements comply with Trust policies, statutory requirements and governance best practice, including maintaining an appropriately constituted Governing Body and supporting governor appointment and election processes.

Maintain accurate governance records, including membership, terms of office, attendance, training records and declarations of business and pecuniary interests.

Support the induction, development and ongoing training of governors, including those undertaking leadership roles such as Chair and Vice-Chair.

Manage governance information and documentation in accordance with legal, regulatory and Trust requirements.

Ensure statutory governance including GIAS, policy and website publication requirements are met and remain up to date.

Support the Governing Body in fulfilling its statutory responsibilities through the provision of timely information, procedural advice and administrative support.

Coordinate and clerk governance processes relating to complaints, exclusions, suspensions, appeals and other statutory panels, including the preparation and distribution of associated documentation.

Work with the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team to support the implementation, review and monitoring of Trust and school policies.

Other Responsibilities:

Production of confidential correspondence and reports.

Co-ordinate the production of internal and external communication such as newsletters, staff bulletins etc.

Organise meetings and appointments, and taking minutes as required.

Produce statistical information as required.

Assist with financial queries, approving orders and liaise with the finance department regarding invoices and money collections.

Maintain and monitor student exclusion records and provide information to SLT, Governors, Local Authority, etc. and logging on the relevant systems.

Liaise with various professional bodies associated with the school, including Educational Psychologists, EWOs, etc.

Assist with the updating of the school website content.

Assist with the marketing and promotion of the school.

Assist with arrangements for events and activities such as parents’ evenings, record of achievement presentations, attendance awards etc, and co-ordinating the organisation of Presentation Evenings.

Supervise students waiting to be seen by a member of the SLT.

Photocopying, printing, scanning, laminating, collating, binding as needed.

Maintenance of stationery supplies.

Managing communications during periods of school closure.

What makes Ridgewood School special?

At Ridgewood School we are extremely proud of our school and the high quality of education that we provide, including our popular and highly successful Sixth Form. Our school motto, ‘Prepare for the road ahead,’ represents our belief in preparing our students for their future, not only in terms of academic achievement, but also in terms of the training, enrichment and experiences which will enable them to become model citizens and responsible members of the community. Our school values: Respect-Responsibility-Resilience, underpin what we do every day and contribute to our ethos in everything we undertake as a school community. In our most recent Ofsted, we achieved a ‘Good’ rating in all categories, and we are committed to this trajectory of success for our students as we aspire to move from ‘Good to Great.’ As part of this journey, in July 2023, we joined Leger Education Trust and collaborate with other schools within the trust to develop both our students and staff and be the very best that we can be.

We are looking to appoint a friendly and adaptable Executive Assistant to provide high-level executive, administrative, governance and personnel support to the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team, working closely with the Operations Manager, ensuring the efficient operation of school administration systems, effective governance arrangements, compliance with statutory requirements, and the professional leadership of the administrative support function.

Why is the role of Executive Assistant right for you?

We are committed to offering the staff who work at Ridgewood every opportunity to become the best they can be. Our training packages, for staff at all stages of their careers, are second to none. As well as our whole school and departmental training, we also offer a personalised coaching programme, NPQs and bespoke CPD, relevant to the person’s role. In 2025, we received the Teacher Development Trust Gold Award, demonstrating our commitment and passion to providing excellent CPD for all teaching and associate staff.

If you are seeking a dynamic, innovative and caring school, dedicated to the development of staff and our students’ success, Ridgewood is the school for you.

Candidates are required to possess 5 GCSEs (grade C/4 or above) or equivalent including English and Maths

We strongly encourage visits from potential candidates - please contact the school to arrange this.

The closing date for this post is 12 noon on Friday 9 October 2026. Interviews will take place on Tuesday 20 Oct