Job Description
Today, Ochil Tower School is a thriving educational and residential community, where 27 children and young people, aged 8-21, with special and complex additional support needs live, learn and grow together.
The school is part of the Camphill Community which comprises 11 different Camphill sites in Scotland. Camphill is an international movement. Inspired by the work of Rudolph Steiner, it was founded by a group of Austrian refugees in Aberdeen at the start of WW2. At this time people with any form of learning disability were often excluded from many aspects of society in general and education in particular. Camphill took a different view and created the first Camphill school to care for and educate children with special needs. It is now a global ideology and movement.
The aim is to create a beautiful and calm experience. Ochil Tower School is set in seven acres of stunning Perthshire countryside. This enables its children and young adults to feel more relaxed and better able to forge relationships with peers and staff. They are then more able to build self-esteem, confidence and their capacity for resilience.
The School provides excellent care and education and is not short on ambition. In October 2018, it opened a new Life Skills Centre. This facility is for young adults aged 18 – 21 and is designed to help them so that they are better prepared for the challenges of living an independent adult life by developing their skills in learning, life and work. OTS is now focused on extending the residential provision to 52 weeks. This is already being provided to eight young people with plans in place for this to be extended to all young people residing in the school by January 2023. The Board of Trustees have a commitment to further enhancing and developing their residential houses, and plans to build new educational facilities for the school.
Ochil Tower School has an exciting opportunity within our Gardening Department to join us as an Assistant Gardener.
Job Purpose
To assist the head gardener in maintaining, renovating and conserving the living environments across Ochil Tower in line with best organic horticultural standards. These environments
include herbaceous gardens, mature lawns, extensive hedging, large mixed beds with ponds, a small field, woodlands, and walled gardens with a kitchen garden. As these environments provide therapeutic and learning benefits to our children, young people, and staff, they play a key role in the delivery of our 24 hour curriculum. The purpose of this job therefore includes assisting in preparing class and house activities in the gardens and woodlands. The assistant gardener will also help ensure the living environment and related estate facilities are fit and safe for purpose, in line with our sustainability aims and the broader work of the Estate & Facilities Team.
Main Duties
Promote a positive ethos and culture in the Garden team, working closely with the Head Gardener and the wider Estates and Facilities Team, consistent with Ochil Tower’s vision, purpose and core values.
To assist in the day-to-day and seasonal care and maintenance of the gardens and woodlands across Ochil Tower by undertaking weeding, pruning, trimming, barrowing materials, composting, mulching, and lawn mowing.
To assist in the day-to-day and seasonal development and maintenance of the walled gardens by undertaking composting, hoeing and raking, as well as seed sowing, planting and care of crops, harvesting and fruit tree pruning.
To assist the head gardener in working with care and education staff so that they can support the children and young people to engage with: edible garden produce and healthy eating; the natural environmental and outdoor learning; and biodiversity within the different living environments in Ochil Tower.
To assist the wider Estates & Facilities Team in tasks which require team-based, collective effort where necessary, and to report any hazards and remedial issues promptly.
Work in accordance with all Ochil Tower policies and procedures, including health and safety procedures and safe use of tools.
Attend supervision, annual performance review, training and other meetings, as required.
Undertake any other reasonable duties in line with skill level and experience, as may be requested by management.
Qualifications
Desirable
Formal work-based training or apprenticeship in horticultural practice
NC in horticulture or equivalent or higher horticultural qualification
Driving license
First Aid qualification
Safe Ladder training
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Essential
Knowledge of Health and Safety practices.
Good communication and interpersonal skills, both written and oral, with attention to detail and the ability to work effectively with a range of stakeholders.
Strong organisational and time management skills, with an emphasis on maintaining order and cleanliness throughout the working day.
Desirable:
Basic working knowledge of, and passion for, organic horticulture and biodiversity (or a genuine interest in developing this understanding).
Demonstrable skill in manual tasks including weeding, pruning, hoeing, raking, digging, trimming, mowing and composting.
Experience of safe use of a range of horticultural hand tools and machinery.
Experience of growing crops for a kitchen garden.
Ability to identify and maintain a range of plants according to their habit and seasonal needs.
Confidence in using and maintaining horticultural machinery.
Experience of working in a children with additional support needs education or childcare setting.
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: £24,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Referral programme
- Sick pay
Schedule:
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Auchterarder: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 01/05/2023
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