Steven Dear Croydon, Surrey

ProfilenI have several years’ experience as a school caretaker working both on my own and as part of a team. nI am responsible for a wide range of duties, am hardworking, enthusiastic, punctual, flexible in the duties that I do and take pride in my work. I manage my own time and am able to prioritise my workload. nI am approachable and friendly, have a positive outlook and above all, have strong interpersonal skills and can easily communicate with various people (children, parents, colleagues, contractors, members of the public and senior management).nnSite Maintenance nI am able to complete most repairs and DIY jobs myself. For more specialist jobs (e.g. electrical), I contact one of our designated suppliers and monitor their work to not only ensure they work safely while on site, but also to ensure their work is completed to the expected and agreed standards. nnFor general maintenance, I am able to complete tasks such as:n• putting together and repairing furniture, shelving units, replacing locks and general DIY jobsn• painting and decoratingn• move furniture and equipment when required n• using blowers, buffers, hand tools and other school equipmentn• change clock settings when requiredn• general decoration, replacing ceiling tiles, bulbs, fluorescent tubes n• maintain general tidiness inside the building and outside in the school’s groundsn• pruning of bushes, jet washing pathways, re-painting linesn• at St Giles, I took swimming pool readings and maintained the temperature and I checked that the heating systems were functioning properly using the computer controlled boiler systemn• maintained the school pond and fish tanks at St Giles n• empty bins complete twice daily litter picks n• clear leaves, debris and snow and treat icy surfaces with salt when requiredn• record utility meter readingsn• clear blocked toilets and drainsn• clear sick and spillagesn• complete external maintenance such as fence staining, replace pond lining, sweep debris/leaves and paint where required.nCleaningnWhen I have supervised cleaning staff, I ensure any absences are covered to make sure the school remains clean and tidy. I maintain the cleaning stocks and regularly liaise with cleaning suppliers to keep prices competitive and supervise specialist cleaning contractors when on site. I keep our reception and exit areas clear and tidy, empty bins and immediately respond to any spillages/breakages to ensure a safe environment. During the school holidays I have also concentrated on additional tasks such as deep cleans, and at St Giles, this included stripping, polishing and buffing all the classroom and communal floors and washing the curtains in the main hall.nnHealth and Safety nI have completed numerous Health and Safety courses over the years. More recently at Harris Academy Merton, I have been able to complete some more specialist training e.g. PAT testing. I have also completed manual handling tasks, worked at heights and ensure I wear appropriate PPE when required. I previously completed weekly fire alarm tests and I check emergency equipment and ensure cleaners and contractors work in a safe manner. I erect barriers around me where staff, visitors and/or pupils may walk round me while I’m working and I place warning A-frame signs in areas where spillages and/or cleaning has occurred. During my site walk-rounds, I also record any defects and report and repair as necessary.nnSecurity nIn all of my roles, I have been a key holder and have opened and locked the buildings as required. I complete daily patrols, checking windows, doors, fire escapes, the school house, garages, sheds and gates. As one of the primary key-holders I have had to liaise with the emergency services in the event of any emergencies, recording any instances that occur. I have completed weekly fire alarm tests and log the results of each test and as I walk round the building, ensure that fire exits, fire equipment and entrances are not obstructed at any time. nnPreviously at St Giles, I also liaised with the School Business Manager about cover for out of school functions e.g. Whizz kids, Aquatots and weekend events where our school hall was hired out. In addition, I was responsible for managing the school coaches entering the car park, ensuring they park in the appropriate bays, checking coach driver’s and escorts ID’s, ensuring that no unauthorised parking occurs and that no trespassers enter the grounds.nnManagement and SupervisionnI have extensive experience supervising cleaning teams in all the roles that I have had, training new starters, approving timesheets and ensuring all duties are carried out to a high standard. I ensure there is cover for all areas and that there is always sufficient stock to enable the work to be completed. nnGeneralnI am also committed to providing a high standard of customer service, participating in any training required and complying with all internal policies.