Gardener
Location: Godalming, Surrey
Salary: circa £29,000
Hours: Normal working days are Monday to Friday (07:30-16:30), with an hour unpaid for lunch, throughout the year.
Our clients school is beautiful and a wonderful place to live and work. It was founded in 1611 and moved to its present magnificent 250-acre site near Godalming in Surrey in 1872. Few schools can offer such a splendid backdrop for teaching and learning, and the School community is very strong, with excellent relationships between pupils and staff.
The Role
To undertake the day-to-day maintenance of gardens and amenity areas, in line with the maintenance plan and to ensure high standards are achieved.
The Grounds & Gardens Department:
Comprises of the Grounds Manager and 14 other members of staff including 6 gardeners who are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the site. Ornamental lawns and gardens are present in and around the school buildings, boarding houses and the Old Headmasters Garden. There are also 60 acres of woodlands, some of which are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Their stunning grounds cover 250 acres includes Ornamental lawns, sports pitches, mixed shrub and herbaceous borders, walled old headmasters garden, formal David Austin rose garden and plant nursery all surrounded by beautiful woodland.
The gardening department grow most of the plants found around the site from seeds and cuttings collected from the grounds in a purpose-built plant nursery comprising of 6 glasshouses and a large tropical greenhouse. This facility offers the chance to get involved with the whole plant propagation process and seeing the plants develop to reaching full maturity out on site. As well as growing their own plants they also offer plants for sale to the whole community.
There will be a requirement for periodic working outside normal working hours, including weekend duties, as required by the Grounds Manager with reasonable notice having been given.
Key Responsibilities
- To undertake routine preparation and maintenance of gardens and amenity areas, using sound horticultural practices, to ensure the grounds are highly presentable at all times.
- To undertake a wide range of manual horticultural operations, of a physical nature, to include plant selection, propagation, cultivation, planting and nursery work.
- To operate a range of modern turf machinery, ensuring vehicles and equipment used by yourself and others are regularly maintained, in accordance with routine operating requirements.
- To operate a range of powered hand tools such as strimmers, hedge cutters and lawn mowers.
- To safely move materials and plants around the estate.
- To undertake a range of horticultural operations such as spreading fertiliser (granular or liquid) and weed control.
- To maintain hedges around the estate.
- In autumn/winter ensure leaves are cleared and disposed of.
- To clear snow and apply salt in icy conditions during the winter months. ? To undertake a range of tree and woodland maintenance operations.
- To maintain and repair boundary and internal fences as and when required.
Skills and Qualifications
Essential:
- A can-do attitude and a readiness to work
- Have a keen interest in horticulture and a desire to learn about plants
- Physically fit as this role requires extensive manual handling
- Able to understand and follow instructions
- Able to work on own initiative and unsupervised
- Thrives on attention to detail and a completer-finisher
- Reliable and trustworthy
- Enjoys teamwork and is a team player
Desirable:
- Previous experience of working in a commercial gardening capacity
- Hold a recognised qualification
- Basic Health and Safety training
- Previous experience of working within a school or college
- Previous experience of working in a horticultural environment Some knowledge and a genuine interest in herbaceous plants, shrubs, basic pruning techniques, and the ability to identify weeds.
- Qualifications and/or training in the use of powered machinery, COSHH, manual handling although training can be given in these areas if required
- Spraying qualification Pa1 and Pa6
- Good standard of education, numeracy and literacy
To Apply
If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for this reputable School, please click apply to be redirected to their website to complete your application.
Closing date for applications is 12 noon on Monday the 27th of January 2025.
Interviews will be held shortly after the closing date.
This position is subject to Enhanced clearance with the Disclosure & Barring Service in the event of a successful application.
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