Finance Clerk

LLANDAFF CARDIFF

Candidate Information Pack Finance Clerk

Part time, permanent. Required to start early December

Thank you for your interest in the role of Finance Clerk at The Cathedral School, Llandaff

We are a friendly, supportive and diligent team, and look forward to welcoming another knowledgeable colleague to the Bursary.

You will be joining us at an exciting time, following the school being named the Sunday Times Welsh Independent School of the Year for two years’ running, 2024 and 2025.

Alongside this, in the school’s most recent Estyn inspection it was judged to be excellent in all five categories. Pupils were described as “confident, ambitious, aspirational and wellinformed learners” and the report celebrated the “outstanding subject knowledge” and “passion and enthusiasm” of the teaching staff.

It highlighted teachers’ committed contribution to “exceptional levels of support within and beyond the classroom to help pupils to develop self-confidence”.

The school not only prides itself on its musical, academic, sporting and artistic achievements, but also on its ability to challenge and motivate all of its students. We want children to take risks in the classroom, not to be afraid of getting it wrong, but rather to be confident enough to ask questions and think for themselves. All children have talents and gifts, both in and out of the classroom, and we are always looking to identify and celebrate these at every opportunity.

I look forward to hearing from you and considering your application.

Head Clare Sherwood

The School

“A dynamically run school that parents pick for its solid academics and family feel. Music and sport are particularly impressive for a small school. The students work hard, make friends for life, and clearly adore the place.” The Good Schools Guide, 2023.

The Cathedral School, Llandaff

The Cathedral School is the leading independent school in Cardiff, Wales. It educates approx. 800 students, boys and girls, aged from 3 – 18.

First class academic teaching, excellent facilities and an extensive co-curricular programme, underpinned by high quality pastoral care and the school’s Christian ethos, give Cathedral School pupils the opportunity to reach their full potential, both academically and personally, in a vibrant and supportive environment.

The History of CSL

The school is located on an attractive campus adjacent to the ancient Llandaff Cathedral. It was founded in 1880 as a choir school to provide choristers to the Cathedral, and this tradition continues today.

The school moved to its present campus in 1958, then numbering 190 boys and being a preparatory school. It became co-educational in 1978, and expanded very successfully to GCSE in 2007, achieving amongst the best GCSE results in Wales every year since.

The Sixth Form began in September 2013 and has grown and developed each year; with outstanding results and students progressing to a wide range of university courses.

There are no boarders; all students come from the locality, most from within a 20-mile radius. Standards, academic and behavioural, are very high. All students are expected to give and to be the best they can.

The Role

Job Decription

We are seeking to appoint an experienced Finance Assistant, for an early December start on a part-time basis, to support the efficient operating of the finance function by providing accurate and timely administration.

The role will require the successful candidate to be on-site five days a week, 30 hours to suit the successful candidate 7:30am-4pm.

The pupils at the school are great fun and standards of behaviour are high. Should you choose to apply we look forward to meeting you, showing you what we do and hearing what you can offer. If you would like any additional information, please contact Helen Taylor-Hoare, Finance Manager, via [email removed].

Job Purpose

To provide effective administrative support to the Bursary, ensuring financial processes are completed accurately, efficiently and in accordance with school policies and procedures. The postholder will contribute to the maintenance of robust financial records and support the delivery of excellent financial management across the school through displaying the highest standards of professional expertise and confidentiality, working closely with colleagues in the Bursary, managed daily by the Finance Manager.

Key Duties

Purchase Ledger

Processing, verifying and accurately recording purchase invoices and credit notes on the School’s accounting system.

Managing payment authorisation processes and preparing and processing weekly payment runs.

Reconciling Direct Debit and debit card transactions, investigating and resolving any discrepancies.

Completing monthly statement reconciliations and liaising with relevant parties to resolve outstanding items and discrepancies.

Managing employee expenses and petty cash, ensuring transactions are accurately recorded and appropriately supported.

Calculating and checking VAT on purchases to support accurate periodic tax reporting, including assisting with the preparation and completion of quarterly tax returns.

Preparing termly accrual and prepayment calculations to ensure accurate financial reporting.

Producing termly departmental budget reports for Heads of Faculties and supporting them with monitoring expenditure against budgets.

Assisting with the preparation and processing of termly fee invoices, ensuring these are accurate and issued in a timely manner.

Payroll

Provide payroll cover during staff holidays and absences, ensuring timely and accurate payroll processing.

Verify and input staff timesheet hours into the payroll system, investigating and resolving discrepancies to ensure accurate payments.

Reconcile monthly co-curricular payments, ensuring accurate records and correct payment processing.

Maintain employee onboarding records, update personnel details, and process contractual amendments, ensuring records are accurate and up to date.

Monitor staff absences and calculate statutory payments, including Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), and Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP), in line with current legislation and eligibility criteria.

Whole School Responsibilities

All school staff are expected to:

Have a full disclosure DBS check, and support and contribute to the school’s responsibility for safeguarding students; sharing any level of concerns with the Assistant Head (Safeguarding) and school pastoral team;

Work towards and support the school vision, ethos and the current objectives outlined in the School Development Plan;

Comply with policies and procedures of the school, including those referred to in the Staff Handbook;

Work within the school’s Health and Safety Policy to ensure a safe working environment for staff, pupils and visitors;

Work within the school’s Equal Opportunities Policy to promote equality of opportunity for all pupils and staff, both current and prospective;

Maintain high professional standards of attendance, punctuality, appearance, conduct and positive, courteous relations with pupils, parents and colleagues;

Be self-reflective and committed to their own continued professional development, participating in training and keeping up to date with current procedures and practices;

Engage actively in the appraisal process;

Contribute to and support the wider life of the school, eg. attending open days (including one Saturday in late September / early October), supporting pupil discovery days (liaising with subject leaders to run workshop sessions), and attending other functions and events;

Un