Key purpose of the role
The Gardens team are responsible for the maintenance, design and safety of the gardens across the site working closely with our Grounds department (who look after the extensive sports grounds we have).
Main areas of the role
Under direction from the Head of Gardens (or their Assistant) to assist in the maintenance and day-to-day work in the gardens to ensure they are maintained to the high standards required by the College.
Key Responsibilities
- Carry out any reasonable gardening task that may be requested by the Head of Gardens, e.g. cutting and maintaining hedges, pruning plants, weeding, planting and leaf clearing.
- Working with the gardens team to ensure effective execution of the programmes of work and standards of gardens are of high quality and presentation.
- Cutting and maintaining lawns and grass to a variety of finishes (fine to rough meadow type) using a variety of machines, including pedestrian operated, tractors and ride-on mowers, strimmers and brushcutters including fertilizer and pesticide application.
- As required, seed sowing, watering, propagation and potting, and maintaining compost heaps.
- Assist with any new landscape work undertaken by Gardens Team
- Maintaining tools and equipment in the correct and safe manner and secure storage of all equipment and machinery, including adjustment of mower height, monitoring quality of cut, oil level checks and checks for damage to mowers
- Maintaining good relationships with team, other staff, students and visitors
- Keep the Head Gardener informed of equipment breakdowns or malfunctions
- Keep the Head Gardener informed of any unfinished tasks
- Snow-clearing and or frost-gritting of roads and footpaths including out of hours work
- Summer watering of pots and planters on a rota (to include weekend working)
- Observing all Health and Safety Risk Assessments, COSHH, regulatory and security measures, Promote a safe working practice at all times
- Able to undertake necessary training for the role
- Awareness of and reporting of any security risk within the College
- Attend all relevant training as required by the College.
Marlborough College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the College is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children."