Grounds & Maintenance Agriculture Assistant

Description:

Grounds & Maintenance Agriculture Assistant

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

To assist the Agriculture teaching staff members in the preparation and delivery of various practical aspects
of the Agriculture curriculum.



PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties will include (but not limited to) the following:

• Assisting in the management and welfare of animals (in co-ordination with Head of Agriculture and

teaching staff) including: 
feeding, handling, letting out animals in the morning and locking animals up in the afternoon.

• Assisting in the growth and maintenance of various plants / crops being grown in various garden beds

around the School.

• Setting up and regular maintenance / management of aquaponics and hydroponics units in various

locations around the School.

• Assisting in the general maintenance / upkeep / cleanliness of all Agriculture practical facilities.
• Developing new ideas (in collaboration with Department of Agriculture) and implementing them in terms

of practical facilities (e.g. food gardens, sensory gardens, Indigenous gardens etc.) throughout the
Hornsby (and possibly Darkinjung) campus.

• Specifically assisting with Practical classes when required in terms of set up / pack up and potentially

helping during the lesson (in co-ordination with teaching staff members).  Examples could include Cutting/Budding/Grafting lessons, hydroponics, aquaponics, etc.

• Ordering (and pick-up if required) of animals and product, e.g. seeds, chickens, sheep, feed for animals

etc.

• The coordination of animal processing and pick-up (e.g. sending chickens and sheep to abattoir and

bringing back to School for sale).

• Co-ordination and assistance with Prep and Junior School agriculture groups (BEAT team etc) as well as

assisting Junior School teachers in delivering food /agriculture-related syllabus content. Also to help
Junior School staff make use of the senior school agriculture facilities.

• Assisting Science Department with cleaning and maintenance of fish tanks and 1 day per week (term-

time).

• Assisting the Design & Technology faculty in the outdoor practical aspect of the Year 8 Agriculture

component of the Tech Mandatory syllabus. This will include helping construct and maintain outdoor
facilities for the growing of plants required for teaching purposes.

• The ability and willingness to feed and monitor the welfare of animals at School during School non-term

times (in co-ordination with the Agriculture teaching staff and Maintenance staff members on a flexible
basis ensuring animals are provided for at all times).


ESSENTIAL PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Self-assessing.
• Innovative/creative personal style.
• Exceptional personal standards of honesty, integrity and professionalism.
  

Agriculture

• Team Player.
• Strong service orientation.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Genuine interest in the Agriculture Curriculum and assisting students and teaching staff.
• Commitment to the School’s Mission, Vision and Values.
  

ACCOUNTABILITY

Child Safety
Barker College has an abiding commitment to the safety, protection and well-being of all children and
young people in our care. All staff members will be held accountable for ensuring adherence to the policies
of the School, in particular those relating to the safeguarding of children.

General
Breaches to a staff member’s responsibilities and/or authority will be managed through the School’s
Disciplinary Management Procedures. This defined accountability is underpinned by Barker College’s
Code of Conduct and the Complaints Procedures.

Work Health and Safety
All staff members will be held accountable for their actions and omissions where it affects their own or
another person’s workplace safety.


SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Prepared to undertake any additional training to complement the position.
  

The Manager’s Manager : Director of Curriculum Strategy

The Immediate Manager: Head of Agriculture

This position: Grounds & Maintenance Agriculture Assistant



APPROVAL

This position description accurately details the primary duties and responsibilities of the Grounds &
Maintenance Agriculture Assistant.

Approved by the Head of Agriculture on 7 April 2024.

Agriculture