Head of Grounds

The Schools

King Edward’s School (KES) and King Edward VI High School for Girls (KEHS) are two of the best independent day schools in the country, sharing a leafy campus in Edgbaston, next to the University of Birmingham. Both Schools are part of the King Edward VI Foundation and have high academic standards and a varied sporting programme, including cricket, rugby, hockey, netball, tennis and athletics.

KES has more than 30 acres of playing fields, natural and artificial, including a large single area (South Field), with enough room for five rugby pitches from September to March and three cricket squares from April to August. The school also has various ornamental lawns, trees, shrubs and an internal courtyard. A second KES site, situated across the Bristol Road, is in three parts – the Eastern Road playing fields which comprise the 1st XV rugby pitch, 1st XI cricket square, tennis courts and ornamental shrubs, the Southall Pavilion – which includes a hybrid sand and water based hockey pitch, and general playing fields used for rugby training. KEHS has two sand dressed all weather pitches with floodlighting, hard court netball pitches and tennis courts, and one grass football/hockey pitch. In addition, the school has several large ornamental flower beds and two internal planted courtyards.

The Role

The Schools are looking for an experienced individual to lead the Grounds staff as part of a team of seven working across all parts of the site. As Head of Grounds, the postholder has overall responsibility for the whole site ensuring it is safe, visually appealing and well-maintained at all times.

Critical to the role is the requirement to maintain sports pitches and grounds to the highest possible standard and to ensure that the grounds team adhere to the relevant policies, health and safety legislation, environmental regulations and best practice at all times.

The successful candidate will also possess enthusiasm and commitment. We require someone who enjoys working as part of a team, but who is also able to use their own initiative and have a flexible approach.

Key duties

• Direct, motivate and manage the Grounds team to fulfil planned work schedules.

• Line manage the Grounds team; including undertaking annual professional reviews, ensuring training courses are arranged and recorded centrally for the team, planning the use of annual leave allowances for the team (and keeping an electronic record of this) and providing input into absence and disciplinary management processes when appropriate (with support from the HR team).

• Oversight of all grounds related reactive maintenance works. Plan grounds project work in conjunction with the Estates and Facilities Manager.

• Complete and regularly review risk assessments for all tasks undertaken by the grounds team.

• Manage the Grounds budget and raise orders within the PSF system

• Maintain and oversee excellent presentation of the grounds, including, but not limited to the upkeep of all grass areas, hedges and trees as appropriate to ensure a high standard of visual impact.

• Work in conjunction with the PE departments to fulfil pitch and other sports facility requirements.

• Oversee and complete scheduled and routine compliance works. This includes but is not limited to checking outdoor facilities’ safety and the general condition of the trees and shrubbery across the campus.

• Understand the legislation relating to grounds-related chemicals and dangerous substances and actively promote safe working practices.

• Ensure appropriate maintenance of all machinery is carried out with a programme for servicing and renewal, as appropriate, ensuring the department meets compliance requirements

• Ensure the grounds team works in a safe, secure, and compliant environment whilst fulfilling health and safety obligations, including appropriate use of PPE.

• Responsible for grounds related health and Safety, in accordance with the School Health and Safety Policy Document. Ensure you and your team comply with all relevant national and local regulations including First Aid, COSHH and environment management. Written risk assessments and safe operating procedures should be in place where appropriate for the handling and storage of liquids and materials and for the use of grounds machinery.

• Attend meetings with key stakeholders and the estates department on a regular basis to encourage school wide communication.

• Cascade information and updates to the Grounds team on a regular basis to ensure the team have an awareness and feel engaged with the Schools.

• Continue to attend training courses to stay current and relevant within the role.

• Attend the site outside of normal working hours when required to carry out essential maintenance of the grounds and/or when directed by the Estates and Facilities Manager.

• When required, assist the Grounds team and wider Estates and Facilities with their roles, including car parking duty when required.

• Undertake any other duties required by the Bursar or the Estates and Facilities Manager within the scope of the post

General Duties and Responsibilities

• Support and assist the Chief Master & Principal and the Senior Leadership Team in providing a happy, secure, safe and stimulating environment in which the children can reach their full potential.

• Comply with all regulatory requirements.

• Comply fully with the requirements as set out in the DfE document ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ and any relevant supplementary guidance.

• Abide by the Schools’ current systems and structures as outlined in policy documents including the First Aid and Health, Health and Safety and Safeguarding and ChildProtection Policies, and take appropriate action in accordance with all such documents as and when necessary.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with governors, colleagues, potential parents, current parents, agencies and children.

• Take responsibility for one’s own professional development, attending INSET day sessions and other relevant courses and conferences as required.

• Be punctual and adaptable, and dress in a smart but practical manner.

• Maintain the confidentiality of the Schools’ affairs and those of its parents and pupils

Terms and conditions and employment information

Reporting to: Estates and Facilities Manager

Salary range: Grade 10-12(£40,527-£49,236)

Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week

Type of position: Permanent, all year round

Benefits: School fee discount, defined contribution pension, lunch in term time and free parking. A house on site is available, on-going occupancy is subject to review in line with the changing needs of the Schools.

Working time may include weekend working, as well as a requirement for the post holder occasionally to be available to work on Closed Days and Public Holidays to meet the needs of the Schools, specifically including special events in the school calendars such as Open Events and Speech Days which fall at evenings and weekends.

How to apply

To apply for this role, please forward a completed application form and equal opportunities form (both available for download here) and a covering letter addressed to the Bursar –

Finance and Estates (Mrs. Zoe Robinson) by email to: kesrecruitment@keschools.org.uk.

The deadline for applications is 8am on Tuesday 3 June 2025; however, applications will be reviewed on receipt and so early applications are encouraged. We reserve the right to bring forward the closing date and interview date if sufficient applications have been received.

Interviews will provisionally take place in the week commencing 9 June 2025.

If you have any queries about the role or would like to discuss it in more detail, please contact HR on kesrecruitment@keschools.org.uk

King Edward’s School and King Edward VI High School for Girls are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants invited to interview will be required to provide proof of identity, preferably a birth certificate, although where this is not available, we will accept other forms of ID. Online searches will also be carried out for all shortlisted candidates, as required by Keeping Children Safe in Education. Successful candidates will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and other pre-employment checks. A copy of the School’s Recruitment, Selection and Disclosure Policy is available on the website www.kes.org.uk.