Responsible to: Grounds Supervisor

Responsible for: N/A 

Salary: Grade 2.1 - £26,080.08

Contract Type: Full time, permanent

Hours of Work:  Permanent, full-time contract. 37.5 hours per week. Monday to Friday 7.30am to 3.30pm. (with half hour daily unpaid lunch break)

Job Purpose: 

The post-holder is expected to uphold and actively promote the ethos of St Leonards School. The Grounds Assistant is a member of the support team and will report on a daily basis to the Estates Supervisor but is ultimately responsible to the Director of Finance and Operations through the Estates and Facilities Manager. 

The Grounds Assistant is responsible for the general maintenance of the grounds and gardens at St Leonards, ensuring that they are of the highest standards of appearance and upkeep.  The post-holder must act in accordance with the Estates Department Service Level Agreement and the School’s policies and procedures, complying, in particular, with all Health and Safety matters regarding machine maintenance and operation.

The post-holder will be required to work with minimum supervision, responding to changing demands and priorities as and when required.

Responsibilities:

• Carrying out a variety of gardening duties, including hedge trimming, soil cultivation, digging, forking, mulching, watering, raking, weeding, including spraying weed-killer, edging, bed preparation, planting and leaf collection.

• Maintaining and cultivating lawns, including cutting, feeding and spraying.

• Brushing the artificial grass pitch and clearing litter, debris, weeds and moss.

• Ensuring the playing fields, borders and footpaths are clear and free from litter debris at all times. Emptying waste bins regularly.

• Carrying out gritting, salt spreading and snow clearing around the School, as required in the School’s Salt and Gritting policy. This may require additional hours to be worked at times of extreme weather.

• Cutting, marking and over-marking of sport pitches, running tracks and other field sports areas. Using our pitch marking machine.

• Assisting with the erection and dismantling of sports equipment, such as goals, tennis nets, portable floodlights etc.

• Undertaking the general maintenance of equipment as directed by the Estates Supervisor.

• Ensuring that all equipment is secured and stored safely and cleanly and fuel supplies replenished. Reporting any defects or breakages to the Estates Supervisor.

• Lifting and moving furniture and other equipment. Annual painting of benches and other equipment.

• Complying with the School’s Health and Safety policy, reporting any faulty appliances, damaged equipment or any other potential hazards in a timely manner.

• General support work as requested by the Estates Manager.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities and duties. It is expected that the post holder will  participate in other reasonable activities which may be required to meet the needs of the School or for better fulfillment of the role. 

Person Specification

THE APPLICATION PROCESS 

St Leonards is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive culture, where all members of the community - colleagues,  pupils and families - are seen and valued. This culture ensures that St Leonards delivers an outstanding global education in a  multi-cultural living, learning and working environment. 

Applications should be made via St Leonards Teacheroo portal. The closing date and time for applications is Noon on 28th September 2026. Interview to take place ASAP. We reserve the right to close the vacancy earlier.

Any questions may be directed to recruitment@stleonards-fife.org in the first instance.  

All successful applicants will be required to be accepted for membership of  the Disclosure Scotland Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme.

About St Leonards

St Leonards is a friendly and forward-looking independent, coeducational, boarding and day school situated on an historic campus at the heart of the university town of St Andrews. The school enjoys an unrivalled location - there are sandy beaches, world-class Links golf courses, and historic sites on its doorstep.

St Leonards delivers the inspiring, globally-recognised International Baccalaureate curriculum (which has been praised by university admissions officers for its focus on deepening learning learning, offering wider subject options, and enriching minds) for pupils aged five to 18, and was the first school to be accredited as an all-through IB school in Scotland. It is one of just two schools in the UK to actively offer all four IB programmes, ensuring a seamless learner journey. The youngest pupils follow the Primary Years Programme, which goes hand-in-hand with the vibrant Outdoor Learning programme at St Leonards. This is followed by the Middle Years Programme and (I)GCSEs. In the Sixth Form, pupils choose between the Career-related Programme and the Diploma Programme.

St Leonards enjoys a rich sporting heritage, and continues to boast a strong record of achievement with pupils representing the school nationally in golf, rugby, lacrosse, hockey, horse riding, and small-bore rifle shooting. The leading five-tier Golf Programme continues to go from strength to strength, the Duke of Edinburgh Award is the fastest growing of all Scottish independent schools, and an exciting calendar of trips and activities ensures pupils leave St Leonards equipped with the skills required to succeed in today’s ever-changing world. Truly an education ‘Ad Vitam’ (for life).

Downloads

• Candidate Pack - Grounds Assistant .docx PDF Document