Receptionist/Administrator

Closing Date: 16 January, 2026

Salary: 25,396.80

Location: Wokingham

Odyssey House School is an exciting special school setting, aiming to provide the highest quality education to students with additional needs.  Our students have a range of additional needs, primarily high-functioning autism, anxiety and emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA).  All students follow a differentiated National Curriculum, with the aim of achieving a range of recognised qualifications at Key Stage 4 and 5 including Entry Level, Functional Skills, GCSEs and other Level 2 qualifications. 

​The school ethos is shaped by our mission: 

​“To change a child’s experience of education through connection, nurture and belief to help them learn, grown and achieve transformative life outcomes.” 

​The school’s premises have been designed specifically to meet the needs of neurodiverse children as well as providing an amazing work environment, where staff benefit from excellent facilities of the highest quality, allowing them to deliver exceptional education. 

​Staff and students benefit from small class sizes, a dedicated library, reading booths, student focus areas, a sensory room, staff well-being lounge and work area.​ 

Apply now if you would like to support our students in their journey! 

What we can offer you 

At Odyssey we pride ourselves on developing a creative and supportive environment.  In addition to offering a competitive salary, our offer to you includes: 

• Newly renovated schools, refurbished to a high standard including air conditioning and staff wellbeing areas based in beautiful surroundings 
• A statutory state pension 
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme 
• Staff celebration events 
• Staff recognition 
• Supportive CPD offers 
• Onsite Parking (Wokingham site) 

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and require all staff and volunteers to share and demonstrate this commitment. The successful candidate will have to meet the requirements of the person specification and will be subject to the relevant pre-employment checks which will, where applicable, include a health check, an enhanced DBS check, the Children’s Barred List check and satisfactory references. 

It is an offence for an individual who has been disqualified from working with children to knowingly apply for, offer to do, accept, or do any work in a ‘regulated activity’. The post is advertised is a ‘regulated activity’. 

Odyssey will undertake a basic online check for all shortlisted candidates. 

Job Purpose

To manage the front reception desk, being the first point of contact for visitors and telephone calls.  

To support the school leadership team with the smooth running of the school. 

To elevate the brand of Odyssey House School by dealing with prospective and current parents and students. 

Specific Responsibilities 

Enquiries, Communication & Liaison 

• Act as the first point of contact for parents, children and other visitors and calls to the school 

• Full management of reception to include distributing/sorting mail, manage visitors log book, issuing security badges, escorting visitors, stationery orders, manage petty cash, oversee equipment (photocopier maintenance etc), health and safety 

• Assist in arranging and coordinating school visits for parents and students 

• Monitor registers and on a twice daily basis, call families where children are absent and send absence/lateness letters to parents with support from the Headteacher as appropriate 

• Establish good relationships with staff, students and the the wider Odyssey family 

• Assist the Headteacher to organise and coordinate transition days 

• Maintain the Schools information system with student & family details. 

• Ensure that all registers are up to date and follow up any unexplained absences 

• Monitoring school emails and forwarding / answering as appropriate. 

• School journey and visit arrangements, including booking transport and accommodation, ensuring risk assessments have been carried out and appropriate insurance is in place. 

• Ensure queries regarding the school via telephone or email are actioned immediately when calls and emails are received  

General Office Duties  

• Assist in maintaining student files and online records 

• Be aware of Odyssey’s policies and procedures and follow them at all times 

• Maintain notice boards, sort and distribute mail and parcels 

• Be responsible for the school’s management information system (MIS) and play a key role in the school record keeping 

• Liaise with contractors and suppliers 

• Support the SLT in confidential administrative functions 

• Be responsible for the emergency evacuation procedures, including sharing information with visitors to the school and new starters 

• Perform premises compliance checks regularly, including fire alarm, water testing  

• Arrange repairs and servicing of equipment 

• Ensure good stocks of office and educational stationery, building supplies and cleaning products, reordering when necessary and safe storage of goods 

• Order and provide hospitality services as required 

• Process admission enquiries and paperwork as required for SLT 

• Be first aid trained and be the primary first aider 

• Assist with any Petty cash and daily bookkeeping 

• Raise purchase orders where required and log on the purchase order system, forwarding invoices to the finance team for all resources when authorised by the Headteacher and Business Director 

• Check in goods and return any unwanted items 

• To assist the Headteacher in welcoming students to the school, including providing new parents with all the information (handbooks and any other relevant documentation) 

• To keep personal knowledge current and effective by ensuring CPD is up to date 

• To ensure the reception area and other parts of the school are kept legal, tidy, informative and welcoming to visitors at all times 

• To use all school software packages including SharePoint and ISAMS 

• Ensure all visitors have correct documentation and are issued a visitor lanyard before accessing the site and record in the visitors log book  

• Ensure the daily staff and student attendance log is updated and shared with the Headteacher, Business Director and HR Business Partner 

• Attend staff meetings and staff training days 

• Demonstrate sensitivity, confidentiality and discretion at all times 

• Liaise with the Business Administrator and Schools Administrator based in Wokingham to share best practice  

• Work with the Support Services team and Headteacher to organise events 

• Coordinate and distribute the schools newsletter 

• Update the schools website to ensure content is relevant 

• Any other task reasonably requested by the Executive Team 

Apply for Role