Shiplake College is an HMC co-educational boarding and day school offering a holistic education for around 580 pupils from Year 7 to Sixth Form. There has been a co-educational Sixth Form since 1998 and in September 2023 girls joined in Year 7 as we look to the future as a fully co-educational place of learning - as of September 2025 all co-educational year groups (Years 7-9 and Sixth Form) have 40% girls. As well as providing a fantastic learning and living environment for young people, Shiplake offers an enjoyable, challenging and rewarding working environment.
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Current Vacancies
Thank you for your interest in working at Shiplake College. Please click below for our current vacancies.
Caretaker/Cleaner
40 hours per week (applications for part time work will be considered)
Salary circa £25-26k depending on experience plus benefits
Do you like variety and a blend of working indoors and outside? Do you want to be part of a team and have the opportunity to work alone? Do you enjoy practical tasks and take pride in your work?
This key role involves porterage of items around site using an electric buggy and helping with general operational tasks. You will have a dedicated area to clean each day and tasks to keep the estate looking clean and tidy. Within the role there will be the opportunity to work with the maintenance and cleaning teams and carry out a wide variety of tasks across the site supporting events and the general operations at the school.
This role works alongside an experienced and skilled team who are friendly, welcoming and approachable.
Opportunities exist for additional overtime for out of hours cover and weekend working.
Shiplake College offers a beautiful working environment, supportive colleagues, a contributory pension scheme and excellent free lunches. Staff are encouraged to make use of the on-site gym facilities and open-air swimming pool, during the summer months, alongside the opportunity to make the most of our riverside location.
Please explore our website to learn more about the College, our community, and our values.
Caretake/Cleaner Candidate Pack
Support Staff Application Form
Closing Date: Monday 25 August 2025, 10am
Deadline: Applications reviewed upon receipt
To arrange an informal visit to the College to learn more about the role, please email [email protected] or call 0118 9402455 and speak to Claire Smith for this to be arranged.
To Apply
To apply for a current vacancy please complete the relevant application form provided and return, with a covering letter addressed to the Headmaster, via email to [email protected].
If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact, Mrs Maria Moir, HR Manager on [email protected] or 01189 405 218.
The College reserves the right to appoint before the application deadline.
If you should have any queries regarding employment at Shiplake College, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Safeguarding
Shiplake 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). Shiplake College is also committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.
About Working at Shiplake College
We strive to recruit the best possible teaching and support staff to drive the College forwards and ensure we continue to provide the best possible rounded education for our pupils. Our recruitment selection and disclosures policy can be accessed at the link below.
For all teaching appointments, a willingness to participate in the varied extra-curricular life of a busy boarding and day school is essential. Shiplake has a defined contribution pension scheme (APTIS or alternative option for support staff) and its own salary scale. Accommodation may be available on site and further paid responsibilities may also be available. Excellence in the classroom and an ability to inspire young people are paramount and non-negotiable.
Shiplake College offers a beautiful working environment, supportive colleagues and all staff enjoy a free lunch and evening meal if on duty. In addition, staff are encouraged to make use of the onsite gym facilities, open air swimming (during summer months), and join a variety of staff teams such as football, touch rugby and cricket.
Thinking School
At Shiplake College, we are proud to be a Thinking School, where metacognition forms a core part of our teaching and learning culture. Every lesson includes a metacognitive element, supporting pupils to develop awareness of how they learn as well as what they learn. This approach is firmly rooted in the science of learning, with all staff using consistent visual tools and shared language to help pupils articulate their thinking and learning strategies. New members of staff receive dedicated training in the principles of cognitive science and metacognitive practice as part of their induction, and this professional development continues throughout the year with ongoing guidance, resources, and reflective opportunities. As a result, we work together as a cohesive, thoughtful community, equipping our pupils with the skills to become confident, independent learners.
Learning Research Group
All teaching staff at Shiplake College are expected to contribute to the Learning Research Group within their first two years of joining the College, with Early Career Teachers (ECTs) expected to engage within their first year. The Learning Research Group is built around the model of practitioner research, where teachers undertake research into their own classroom practice with the specific aim of solving problems and improving teaching and learning. Unlike purely theoretical research, practitioner research is directly focused on enhancing professional practice. The process follows a one-year cycle: staff join or lead a research group in the autumn term, complete secondary research in the spring, and carry out and report on their research in the summer term. Findings are then published in an in-house journal at the start of the next academic year, with staff sharing their work through presentations at September INSET. Recent research projects have included topics such as metacognition for SEND learners, the use of AI in the classroom, pupil feedback to improve practice, and the merits of digital versus handwritten learning, among many others. This culture of reflective practice and professional enquiry is central to our commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.