School Secretary
Mousehole School, Penzance, Cornwall, TR19 6QQ26 days remaining to apply
Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
19 April 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
24 March 2026
Job details
Job role
- Administration, HR, data and finance
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time: Monday to Thursday 8am - 4pm Friday 8am - 3.30pm 30 minutes unpaid lunch break Term Time only
Contract type
- Permanent
Hourly rate
- £14.21
What skills and experience we're looking for
Truro and Penwith Academy Trust, together with Mousehole School, are seeking to appoint a friendly and committed secretary. Mousehole School is in a beautiful harbour setting between Penzance and Lands End, with excellent facilities and links to the local community. The real strength of the school lies in the people: staff, children, parents and the local monitoring committee are proud of our school and work hard to provide a caring and stimulating environment for learning. We share an ethos which promotes high standards in academic achievement allied with a broad, stimulating, hands on curriculum. We celebrate and encourage the talents and skills of all of our children. Our aim is to foster independent and curious learners who are able and willing to make a positive contribution to our community and society.
As the School Secretary within a small primary school, you will need to work closely with the Headteacher, act as the welcoming and professional first point of contact for pupils, parents, staff, and visitors. You will need to ensure the school office operates smoothly, providing a warm, organised, and supportive environment that reflects the school’s values and commitment to its community.
In addition to reception duties, you will provide essential support with the school’s financial processes. This includes processing invoices, maintaining accurate financial records, monitoring payments, assisting with budgeting information, and ensuring that financial procedures follow school and the Trust guidelines.
The role requires taking responsibility for managing nursery funding processes, ensuring that all pupils’ hours and eligibility are accurately recorded to submitted within required deadlines and liaising with parents to the local authority to ensure funding claims are correct, complete, and compliant. This includes maintaining up‑to‑date documentation, managing termly returns to supporting families to understand the funding requirements.
The wider administrative responsibilities include managing communication channels, maintaining pupil records, supporting school and Trust attendance systems, preparing letters, organising meetings, to assisting staff with general office tasks. In a small primary school environment, the role requires you to be flexible and proactive, often taking on a broad range of duties to support the smooth running of the school.
About You:
We are looking for a kind and caring individual who will help create a warm and welcoming atmosphere at the heart of our small harbour school. The successful candidate will demonstrate empathy, patience, and a genuine commitment to supporting children, families, staff, and visitors.
We require someone who is flexible and adaptable, able to respond calmly to the varied and sometimes unexpected demands of a busy school office. A proactive approach is essential, with the ability to anticipate needs, use initiative, and contribute positively to the smooth day‑to‑day running of the school and within our Trust.
Strong organisational skills are vital. We are looking for someone who can manage multiple tasks, prioritise effectively, and maintain accurate records and clear communication. Attention to detail, reliability, and a professional manner are key to ensuring that the school office remains efficient and well‑coordinated.
Above all, we are seeking a positive, approachable, and trustworthy team member who will embrace the caring ethos of our school and play an important role within our close‑knit harbour community.
What the school offers its staff
Working for TPAT and Benefits
‘The Trust that Schools want to join’ Ofsted - 2019
We are an inclusive and progressive Trust and believe that all children and young people should have the best possible life chances. If you share this belief, we would love you to work with us.
We care about our staff and value their skills, contribution and expertise. Our commitment to growing great people means that we support staff in their own professional growth and development and empower them through support and career opportunities. Whether you choose to work in one of our schools, or are based in our central team, you will thrive in a stimulating, friendly and diverse environment that nurtures talent and celebrates success.
If you choose to work for us, you will receive:
- A competitive salary
- National terms and conditions of employment and access to either Teachers Pension or Local Government Pension Schemes
- Cycle to work scheme
- Eye voucher scheme
- Access to CPD and career pathways to further develop your career
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) which provides employees with free confidential advice and support on a variety of personal, family or workplace issueshhtps://www.employeeassistance.org.uk/
Further information about the job
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applying for the job
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on school website (opens in new tab)Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Mousehole School
- School type
- Academy, ages 2 to 11
- Education phase
- Primary school
- School size
- 100 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 2 to 11
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Mousehole School website
- Email address
- recruitment@tpacademytrust.org
- Phone number
- 01736 731427
Curriculum Intent
At Mousehole School we aim to achieve a happy, successful, warm, caring environment where children learn the knowledge and skills they need to reach their full potential and to be ready for the next step in their education. We aim to make the best of every opportunity to develop confidence, respect and a love of learning in all members of the school community.
Implementation
At Mousehole School we passionately believe that the primary school curriculum experience should be a wide and varied one. We rigorously and methodically teach children to read, write and use maths and we also teach them a wide range of knowledge and skills that we believe are important for making them happy and productive members of society.
Impact
We monitor our curriculum through internal procedures involving all teaching staff and regular learning forums involving governors and staff. We work closely and openly with the Truro Penwith Education Trust to ensure our judgements are moderated externally and lead to further improvements in curriculum delivery.
Arranging a visit to Mousehole School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email recruitment@tpacademytrust.org.
School location
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