School secretary

School secretaries provide administrative support in schools.

In this guide

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In your day-to-day duties you could:

  • act as the main contact for parents, governors and pupils
  • answer queries face to face, by email and by telephone
  • greet visitors and provide refreshments
  • use IT systems to run financial reports and other data analysis
  • keep paper and electronic records up to date
  • use reprographic equipment
  • order resources, pay invoices and bank cash
  • administer school meal payment system
  • attend appointments and meetings outside of normal working hours

Working environment

You could work in an office, in a reception area or at a school.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could progress to school business manager, or personal assistant (PA) to the headteacher.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • administration skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with others
  • the ability to work on your own
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • customer service skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

Most relevant

  • Mathematics - School secretaries work with numbers daily – running financial reports, paying invoices, banking cash, and administering school meal payment systems. Being confident with arithmetic, budgets, and spreadsheets is essential for keeping a school's finances in order.
  • English Language - School secretaries are the main point of contact for parents, governors, and visitors, so clear written and spoken communication is vital. They draft letters, respond to emails, and handle phone queries, all of which require strong language skills.
  • Business - School secretaries carry out core business administration tasks such as managing records, ordering resources, processing invoices, and organising meetings. Understanding how organisations run and how to manage workflows efficiently is central to the role.

Also relevant

  • Computer Science - School secretaries use IT systems to run data analysis, manage databases of pupil records, and generate financial reports. While they don't write software, understanding how databases and digital systems work helps them use school management platforms more effectively.
  • Accounting - School secretaries often handle financial tasks like paying invoices, banking cash, and running financial reports using accounts packages. A basic understanding of bookkeeping and financial record-keeping helps them manage these responsibilities accurately.
  • Psychology - School secretaries interact with pupils, parents, and staff who may be anxious, upset, or dealing with sensitive situations. Understanding human behaviour and how to respond with empathy helps them handle these interactions with care and professionalism.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • working towards this role
  • applying directly

You could complete a college course to get some of the skills needed for this job. Courses include:

  • Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools
  • Level 3 Diploma in Business Administration
  • T level in Management and Administration

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

More Information

You can get into this job through a business administrator advanced apprenticeship or a school business professional higher apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

More Information

You could start as an admin assistant in a larger school or multi-academy trust and work your way up to a post with more responsibility.

You could apply directly to become a school secretary. Employers would expect you to have a good standard of general education and experience of office work.

You should be able to use common office software including spreadsheets. Knowledge of accounts packages would also be helpful, although employers may provide training in some of these.

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