Summary
Would you like to start a career in Finance in a friendly and exciting environment? Are you passionate about numeracy and keen to gain professional financial qualifications while being paid to do so? If so we want to hear from you! Fantastic opportunity to work at our successful school, alongside our Accountant, learning all aspects of finance.
Wage
£20,000 a year
Salary will be dependent on experience and qualifications but circa £20,000 and will rise on completion of the apprenticeship.
Training course
Assistant accountant (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday 8am - 4pm on site at our school location SN6 8HZ including 1 day at college in Swindon, New College.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
Start date
Monday 18 August 2025
Duration
1 year 3 months
Positions available
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you’ll do at work
Key finance tasks:
* Full ownership of purchase ledger.
* Liaising with customers and suppliers to address and resolve any queries or disputes.
* Posting invoices and keeping an accurate record of all invoices.
* Raising sale invoices.
* Input Bank Payments to the finance software system (currently WCBS PASS) and send remittances.
* Bank cheques and cash as required.
* Assist in the preparation of termly fee invoices, deal with parent queries and raise leavers cheques/bank payments as required.
* Assist with the monthly payroll to include input of new starters.
* Once fully trained, complete payroll in absence of School Accountant.
* Administration of the Petty Cash System.
* Assisting with monthly and year-end reporting of financial information.
* Delivering financial and accounting information to stakeholders.
* Assisting in the maintenance and use of digital systems to support the accurate and timely financial and accounting information.
* Assisting with other accounting duties including reconciliations within the accounting software and sending remittances.
* Assist with the routine month end processes including bank and petty cash reconciliations, credit card processing and VAT returns.
* Analysing financial reports against business KPI’s using various formula and pivot tables as required.
* Cross checking data in internal systems to correct mistakes and standardise formatting to enable accurate reporting
* Taking a high level view of data presented, offering commentary and recommendations.
* Assist with on-site visits from the Audit Team.+
* All other Finance Administration tasks as required to support the School Accountant and Bursar.
Ordering service:
* To establish and manage an ordering service for the School, ensuring staff provide full details of items required in a timely manner.
* Processing orders for staff purchases and providing updates on orders on request.
* Managing the School’s Amazon account, placing orders for items on request by staff.
* Over-seeing the Credit Card orders, assisting staff when required and placing orders in line with School Policy.
Office cover during school holidays:
* To manage the School Office Email account, responding to messages in a timely and helpful manner;
* To answer the main School telephone line and forward on messages as appropriate.
* To take on cover for the School Office during term-time in times of staff absence.
Where you’ll work
PINEWOOD SCHOOL
BOURTON
SWINDON
SN6 8HZ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
NEW COLLEGE SWINDON
Your training course
Assistant accountant (level 3)
Equal to A level
Course contents
* Assist with the investigation and response to financial information queries.
* Record and analyse financial data using the organisation’s standard tools and processes.
* Apply double entry bookkeeping and accounting standards to process financial documents, generate financial statements and report financial information to users of accounts.
* Assist with production of accurate financial information for the preparation of accounts.
* Reconcile financial data, such as, preparation of reconciliations or review of reconciliations.
* Investigate, resolve or escalate transactional queries and errors within their remit as appropriate.
* Develop and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders.
* Communicate financial information in a way that non-finance stakeholders can interpret and understand.
* Utilise digital skills to present key financial information using finance and accounting software and applications.
* Use software packages to assist with basic accounting tasks in line with cyber and data security requirements, using data securely and safely, including backing up data.
* Communicate using varying approaches and different media methods with an appreciation of the risks and benefits to the business of social media and other digital applications.
* Assist with the investigation and response to financial information queries.
* Record and analyse financial data using the organisation’s standard tools and processes.
* Apply double entry bookkeeping and accounting standards to process financial documents, generate financial statements and report financial information to users of accounts.
* Assist with production of accurate financial information for the preparation of accounts.
* Reconcile financial data, such as, preparation of reconciliations or review of reconciliations.
* Investigate, resolve or escalate transactional queries and errors within their remit as appropriate.
* Develop and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders.
* Communicate financial information in a way that non-finance stakeholders can interpret and understand.
* Utilise digital skills to present key financial information using finance and accounting software and applications.
* Use software packages to assist with basic accounting tasks in line with cyber and data security requirements, using data securely and safely, including backing up data.
* Communicate using varying approaches and different media methods with an appreciation of the risks and benefits to the business of social media and other digital applications.
Your training plan
1 day per week during college term-time at New College, Swindon.
More training information
If you are unable to travel to New College in Swindon we may be able to consider an alternative college (e.g. Abingdon or Witney).
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
* English (grade 4)
* Maths (grade 4)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
* Communication skills
* IT skills
* Attention to detail
* Organisation skills
* Problem solving skills
* Administrative skills
* Number skills
* Analytical skills
* Logical
* Team working
* Initiative
Other requirements
This is an on-site role. You will need to travel to our village location 4 days per week with the remaining day at college. You will need to want to work in an on-site business. There may be some option to work remotely on occasion during the school holidays but during term-time the role is on site.