Finance Apprentice (University Schools Trust)
UNIVERSITY SCHOOLS TRUST, EAST LONDON
London (E14 8AQ)
Closes in 21 days (Tuesday 30 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 8 September 2025
Contents
Summary
The Finance Assistant will provide a high standard of financial, accounting and administrative services, working closely with the Finance Manager, Trust Financial Controller and the School’s Senior Leadership Team in ensuring these functions are undertaken efficiently and effectively.
- Wage
-
£25,207 a year
- Training course
- Assistant accountant (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday.
Shifts to be confirmed.
35 hours a week
- Start date
-
Wednesday 1 October 2025
- Duration
-
1 year 6 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
Specific Responsibilities:
- To operate and maintain the financial procedures and systems of the school
- To assist the Finance Manager in ensuring that robust financial accounting and ordering systems are in place and that economies of scale are sought in order to maximise value for money
- To process financial transactions efficiently and accurately and assist with payment runs, ensuring that VAT is correctly accounted for
- To support the management of the school accounting function, ensuring its efficient operation to agreed procedures and maintaining those procedures. Assisting with resolving problems, including ordering, processing and payments, and assisting with resolving school finance queries from staff, students and their parents
- To assist with the finance procurement function, providing support and training to colleagues with obtaining quotes and approving orders. To process purchase orders, invoices and staff expenses accurately and on a timely basis ensuring that these have been fully authorised by budget holders before making payment on a timely basis
- To assist with the finance income function, following up on outstanding monies due to the school and reporting as required to the Finance Manager
- To maintain internal control procedures and ensure that accounting standards are met. To prepare information required by auditors at the direction of the Finance Manager
- To assist in managing the Finance department’s communications with stakeholders
- To receive and reconcile cash and cheques for various income items. To prepare funds for banking, ensuring that all insurance and audit requirements are complied with
- To reconcile supplier statements and update the finance system accordingly
- To assist with maintaining the school fixed asset register
- To support with any other duties relevant to the role
COMMON ROLES FOR ALL TRUST MEMBERS:
- Lead by example, providing inspiration and motivation, and embody for the students, staff, governors, parents and wider community the vision, purpose and leadership of the Trust
- To ensure equal opportunities for all
- To be committed to safeguarding and to promoting the welfare of all young people
- To assist in the development of a culture and environment in which young people thrive and to drive innovation
- To drive up educational standards, promote life-long learning and continually improve outcomes for all
- Lead and contribute to an ethos in the Trust where well-being and respect are at the heart of the Trust and each student is valued and nurtured to develop personally and educationally
- Develop and maintain a culture of high expectations for self and others
- Regularly review own practice, set personal targets and take responsibility for own development
- Actively engage in the performance review process
- Work within the Trust’s health and safety policy to ensure a safe working environment for staff, students and visitors
- Undertake all duties with due regard to the provisions of health and safety regulations and legislation
- Data Protection/GDPR, the Trust’s Equal Opportunities policy and Use of ICT policy
- Maintain high professional standards of attendance, punctuality, appearance, conduct and positive, courteous relations with students, parents, colleagues and visitors
- Adhere to Trust policies and procedures
Where you'll work
Gill Street
London
E14 8AQ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BPP PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION LIMITED
Training course
Assistant accountant (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
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.
Training schedule
Assistant Accountant Level 3.
More training information
BPP apprenticeship training programmes are delivered virtually by our fully qualified and industry-experienced training team. Using their expert knowledge, we’ve purposefully built our programmes around the real-world use of modern technology, so that the skills we create can be directly applied in the workplace.
Throughout the apprenticeship learners receive coaching, help and guidance from a dedicated team who are there to ensure they get the most from their work experience.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Attention to detail
- Data and numbers led
- Analytical thinker
- Learner of new skills
- Process led
About this employer
University Schools Trust and St Paul’s Way Secondary School are proud to announce that we are launching an Attendance Hub to share effective practice and practical resources with other schools. The launch comes after being selected to be a part of the Department for Education’s national initiative, which will now see 32 hubs supporting around 2,000 schools. SPW has been recognised for its excellent record on attendance in the face of a national crisis that has seen numbers of ‘severe absence’ double from pre-pandemic levels. Improving attendance is an integral part of boosting attainment. Evidence shows pupils with higher attendance tend to have higher attainment across all key stages. It is also widely accepted that the social connection that goes hand-in-hand with attending school can also have a positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of young people.
After this apprenticeship
Potential for a full-time role on completion.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
BPP PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION LIMITED
Raymond Duke
RaymondDuke@bpp.com
01133500333
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000340861.
Apply now
Closes in 21 days (Tuesday 30 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
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