Cranbrook School is a co-educational, Grammar School with700 pupils aged 13-18 years, including some 275 Sixth Formers and 240 boarders. For its first 400 years the school was known as Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School with strong roots in the small town of Cranbrook. We now take all pupils within 10 kilometres of the school who are judged suitable for an academic education. Boy and girl boarders are also admitted from a wide area, mainly via Common Entrance. We will be admitting students aged 11 via the 11 plus from 2017.

The school has excellent facilities within its seventy acres of grounds. There are six boarding houses, a fine Assembly Hall/Theatre, modern Science and Technology blocks, a magnificent library, Lecture Theatre, Sports Hall and Gymnasium, heated outdoor swimming pool, squash courts, a dedicated suite of practice rooms for Music and extensive playing fields and facilities for the boys' and girls' games - hockey, rugby, cricket, lacrosse, netball, tennis and athletics - with an astro-turf pitch.

Pupils join at the age of thirteen, plus a growing number who enter direct into the Sixth Form at age sixteen. All take at least nine subjects for GCSE and in Year 12 all follow a course of AS Levels, leading to A2 levels in Year 13. Overall there is a great deal of examination work in the school. At the same time, we have wide, generous programmes of extra-curricular activities, including community service and the voluntary CCF, and a broad range of sports, music and drama, both during the week and at the weekend. Cranbrook is an active school which will appeal to those prepared to give generously of their time and to take academic work very seriously. The school seeks to appoint staff who will involve themselves fully in the life of the school and applicants are invited to indicate areas where they would be able to make a contribution.

The school is an interesting blend of the maintained and independent traditions and offers a stimulating and congenial atmosphere in which to teach. The town of Cranbrook is in the Weald of Kent, about fifteen miles from Maidstone, Ashford, Hastings and Tunbridge Wells. London is just an hour away by train from nearby Staplehurst. General information about the school can also be found on its website at

Administration Overview

The administration staff have a major role in supporting the smooth running of the school, carrying out a diverse range of tasks and activities and striving to ensure that the service that they provide is of the highest standard. All of the staff work closely with senior and middle managers on both pastoral and curriculum matters as well as dealing directly with students on many issues.

PA to the Head Teacher / Brigitte Santer
PA to the Bursar / Lisa Olsen-Ruud
PA to the Director of Boarding/HR Admin / Vacant
PA to the Director of Boarding / Charlotte French
Head of Accounts / Sandra Holmes
Accounts Clerks / Julie Cousin
Anne-Marie Woodcock
Lisa Gregory
Staff & Student Services Manager / Dawn Gibson
Staff & Student Services Support / Jamie Harknett
Vacant
Registrar / Vacant
Assistant Registrar / Joy Henson
Development Officer / Sarah Cogswell
Assistant Development Officer / Tara Whybrow

Job Description

TitleRegistrar

Accountable toBursar

Liaises withLeadership Group

Teachers and Support Staff

Head’s PA

LEA and other external agencies

Parents

Students

Members of the public

Job Purpose

The registrar is responsible for ensuring that admissions processes into Cranbrook School at all ages are administered efficiently, with due regard to legal process.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Marketing

  1. Market the school effectively to ensure that all boarding places are taken.
  2. Place advertisements in key publications at the appropriate times during the academic year in consultation with the Registrar.
  3. Produce the prospectus and other promotional literature required by the Head, Governors and Trustees.
  4. Analyse the effectiveness of marketing that is undertaken and to be proactive in suggesting alternatives/additions.
  5. Provide an annual marketing plan to the Headmaster and Leadership Group with updated reports throughout the year.
  6. Manage the marketing budget, ensuring that the school’s financial procedures are adhered to.
  7. Have an overview of all printed material marketing the school to ensure its quality, relevance and consistency.

Preparatory Schools and other partners

  1. Arrange for senior staff from preparatory schools to visit, ensuring that tours of the School are organised with their ex-pupils, to arrange appropriate refreshments and include relevant Cranbrook School Staff.
  2. Co-ordinate staff visits to Preparatory Schools.
  3. Monitor the number of applications and places filled by preparatory schools and report to governors on any significant variances.
  4. Inform Preparatory Schools of past students’ achievements at GCSE and A Level and their choice of University.
  5. Support leadership and other staff in developing links with other partners including non-independent feeder schools.
  6. Support key publicity events such as Open Days.

Admissions

  • To advise the Governors Admissions Committee on the Admissions Policy ensuring that it is current and meets legal requirements, liaising with KCC, DCSF, lawyers and other relevant bodies and to ensure that the draft policy is sent to KCC for public consultation.
  • To clerk the Admissions Committee, to prepare agendas, minutes and respond to correspondence as directed. To ensure full records are maintained on both the student file and the Admissions Committee file.
  • To oversee the registeringof all day and boarding prospective parents on a data base ensuring that they receive the relevant information pack in a timely manner.
  • To oversee a constant turnaround of boarding expressions of interest, applications, testing and interviews throughout the year.
  • To be responsible for the open days ensuring they are appropriately advertised and organised, liaising with all relevant staff.
  • To assist the Development Office in the planning, preparation and execution of key admissions-related public events, such as Open Evenings and School-in-Action days.
  • To provide regular updates to the Leadership Group and Governors on boarding and day applications, and current roll numbers.
  • Ensure that the Applications tabs on the website are kept up to date and compliant.
  • To advise senior leaders on proposals to expand the age range of the school.
  • To oversee the interviews for boarding candidates with the Head of Boarding and Headteacher and oversee the process.
  • Organise and oversee the administration of the selection tests for Year 9 day and boarding candidates, to ensure that adequate arrangements are made for AEN and special need requests.
  • Oversee and assist in the marking of the verbal reasoning tests and ensure that they are adequately checked. To ensure the other test papers are marked and adequately checked.
  • Oversee the database of candidates results having regard to over subscription criteria, and notify parents of results, informing them if applicable of appeals process.
  • Administer the paperwork for the appeals process for all year groups, and organise the appeals panels when required, booking a suitable facility, clerk and panellists
  • To manage the applications for music scholarships, assisting the Headteacher in determining the academic scholarships notifying the successful parents and accounts.
  • Oversee the pupil data on SIMS is maintained, reflecting the current status of joiners, leavers, change of address etc. and to ensure that the UPN number has been obtained from the previous school.
  • Ensure that the SIMS data for the Census is prepared and available for submission by the Data Manager, including all leavers, joiners and destinations of leavers.
  • Ensure that the main student files are created and maintained, held in the Registrar’s office, ensure that the records are retained in the archives according to DCSF guidelines.
  • To line manage the Assistant Registrar and ensure appraisals are undertaken etc.
  • To manage the daily email and telephone enquiries about the school and admissions in particular and respond in a timely manner.
  • To undertake any duties as required by the Headteacher or Governing Body.

Person Specification

Skills and Qualifications
  • The registrar is frequently the first person a prospective parent will speak to, therefore an excellent telephone manner and a clear and articulate speaking voice is essential.
  • The ability to write formal letters is essential. These need to be clear, concise, accurate, explaining often complex points to parents and others.
  • A facility with many aspects of ICT is necessary – particular the creation of spreadsheets, mail merge and the use of databases.
  • Experience in an educational or legal setting would be helpful but not essential.
  • The ability to clerk and minute meetings as required.
  • A willingness to stand in for others at times of pressure within the office.

Personal Attributes

  • Ability to learn new systems quickly.
  • A commitment to high standards.
  • Flexibility to work under pressure whilst maintaining efficiency and accuracy.
  • Flexibility on workloads and willingness to work as part of a team.
  • An understanding of the importance of confidentiality.
  • A commitment to the aims of Equal Opportunities/Disability discrimination.
Conditions of Service

The salary will be in the region of £26.000.

This will be a full time post, 37 hours per week all year with 22 days annual leave increasing to 25 after five years’ service

This job is a demanding one with times of intense activity. The successful candidate would ideally be able to be flexible in his/her working arrangements.

  • Contractual sick pay is dependent upon years of service. After five years’ service entitlement to six months’ full pay and six months’ half pay.
  • An entitlement to join the Kent County Council Local Government Pension Scheme.
  • Subject to a six month probationary period.
  • Subject to an enhanced CRB check.
  • Other conditions of Service will be detailed in the contract of employment.
The Application and Appointment Arrangements

We look forward to receiving your application returned to Karen Radford, Bursar, which should comprise:

  • A fully completed application form.
  • An attached letter of application, which includes reference to those aspects of your experience, personality, knowledge and skills, which will equip you for this post.

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is noon on Monday 7 November 2016.

Interviews to be held on Monday 14 November 2016.

If you wish your application to be acknowledged, please enclose a stamped addressed envelope for this purpose.

Cranbrook School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All staff appointed will be required to pass an enhanced CRB check before commencing employment.

Cranbrook School welcomes applications from people with disabilities.

Cranbrook School has a no smoking policy

(A copy of our recruitment policy is available on request)