About This Role
The HR Assistant delivers a comprehensive, professional, and confidential HR service across the school, supporting the full employee lifecycle. This position ensures that HR practices are effective, consistent, and compliant with current UK employment legislation, safeguarding requirements, and relevant education-sector regulations. Working collaboratively with the Senior Leadership Team, line managers, and employees, the HR Assistant provides practical advice and guidance on HR policies, procedures, employee relations, recruitment, performance management, employee wellbeing, and organisational development.
Responsibilities
- Manage the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, appointment, onboarding, contractual changes, probation, employment documentation, and leaver processes
- Coordinate applications, shortlisting, interview scheduling, and candidate communications
- Ensure HR recruitment and onboarding processes follow the school’s safer recruitment procedures and applicable statutory guidance
- Assist with the organisation of staff induction, professional development, and internal training sessions
- Prepare and publish job advertisements across appropriate recruitment platforms
- Liaise with hiring managers to confirm vacancies, job descriptions, person specifications, and recruitment requirements
- Manage pre-employment checks, ensuring that all required checks are completed and appropriately recorded before employment commences
- Complete Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and other required safeguarding checks in accordance with current statutory guidance and the school’s safeguarding procedures
- Input absence data into the School’s MIS
- Liaise with the payroll / finance team to ensure accurate and timely processing of starters, leavers, salary changes, contractual variations, and other employee changes
- Assist with the administration of statutory family leave, sick pay, and other employment-related payments in conjunction with payroll
- Support managers in addressing wellbeing concerns and maintaining regular communication with employees
- Refer employees with wellbeing concerns to our Employee Assistant Programme and WOF fund, for further support
- Respond to employee queries relating to pay, benefits, and contractual entitlements, referring technical payroll matters to the appropriate specialist
- Produce absence reports and highlight patterns or concerns to appropriate managers
- Coordinate occupational health referrals and workplace adjustments, where appropriate and authorised
- Attend employee relations meetings to provide HR support and take accurate, impartial, and confidential notes
- Monitor and maintain the HR email, forwarding emails to the relevant member of the team and/or responding to emails accordingly
- Maintain the Single Central Record (SCR), where this responsibility has been assigned to HR, ensuring records are accurate, complete, and available for inspection
- Maintain confidentiality while recognising that safeguarding concerns must be reported appropriately
- Monitor key compliance deadlines, including probation reviews, fixed-term contract end dates, right-to-work follow-up checks where applicable, and other employment-related requirements
- Assist with monitoring working time, annual leave, dependents leave, flexible working requests, and other statutory employment entitlements
- Assist with internal audits, inspections, and compliance reviews
- Coordinate mandatory training, including safeguarding, health and safety, data protection, and other relevant training and record appropriately
- Maintain accurate HR information systems and electronic filing structures
- Ensure HR systems and records are managed securely and in accordance with data protection requirements
- Support workplace investigations by coordinating meetings, gathering relevant documentation, and maintaining appropriate records
- Escalate complex, high-risk, or sensitive employee relations matters to the appropriate senior leader or external HR adviser
- Promote early resolution of workplace issues and constructive communication between employees and managers
- Advise on probationary issues, performance concerns, conduct, capability, and workplace conflict
- Complete allocated cover support including break duty, lunch duty, kitchen, or Reception cover where needed
Requirements
- Excellent IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
- Excellent administrative and organisational skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- A high level of accuracy and attention to detail
- Able to prioritise competing demands and manage a busy workload effectively
- Works effectively both independently and collaboratively as part of a team
- Demonstrates a strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of staff, children, and young people
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive and professional working relationships
- Maintain strict confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgement when handling sensitive information
- Administrative experience: 2 years (preferred)
Nice to have:
- CIPD Level 3 qualification and/or relevant HR experience within a school, college, or other education setting
- Knowledge of safer recruitment and education-sector safeguarding requirements
- Experience maintaining or supporting the Single Central Record
- Proactive and self-motivated, with a willingness to take ownership of tasks
- Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to respond positively to changing priorities
Benefits
- 5.6 weeks annual leave including bank holidays
- Free on-site parking
- Staff discount on school fees for eligible children
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Access to a range of retail and other discounts through our partnership with BrightHR
- Discounted staff lunches
Important Details
- Working hours: 16 hours a week, days to be discussed at interview
- Contract: permanent, 3 months probationary period
- Start date: immediate
- Reporting to: Principal – Stuart McWilliams
About the Company
Michael Hall School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and expects all staff to share this commitment.