Grounds & Gardens Apprentice
THE WARDEN AND SCHOLARS OF ST MARY COLLEGE OF WINCHESTER
Winchester (SO23 9NA)
Closes in 11 days (Friday 17 October 2025)
Posted on 2 October 2025
Contents
Summary
The Grounds and Gardens apprentice will assist in the care, maintenance and development of the college’s extensive grounds, sports facilities, gardens and landscapes. The role provides hands-on training in horticulture, groundskeeping and estate maintenance alongside formal study towards an industry recognised qualification.
- Wage
-
£22,900 a year
- Training course
- Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday 7:30am – 4:30pm with an hour's unpaid lunch. This will include occasional weekend work on a rota-based system as well as additional evening hours to cover sporting fixtures, college events and additional workloads, as required.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 17 November 2025
- Duration
-
2 years 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
Job Responsibilities
- Assist with the day-to-day maintenance of gardens, lawns, sports pitches and landscaped areas.
- Carry out tasks such as mowing, edging, strimming, hedge cutting, pruning, planting, watering and weeding under guidance.
- Help prepare and maintain sports pitches and facilities, including line marking, aeration, seeding, and top dressing.
- Learn and apply safe use of machinery and tools such as mowers, strimmers, hedge trimmers, blowers and hand tools.
- Assist with seasonal tasks such as leaf clearance and planting schemes.
- Follow all health and safety protocols.
- Learn and maintain high standards of presentation across the estate.
- Attend training sessions, college courses and assessments as required by the apprenticeship program.
- Work effectively as part of a team and communicate well with staff, students and visitors.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
- Genuine interest in horticulture, sports turf, gardening or grounds management.
- Willingness to learn and undertake formal training.
- Positive, proactive attitude with good teamwork skills.
- Ability to follow instructions and complete tasks safely.
- Reliable, punctual and committed to the apprenticeship program.
- Willingness to work outdoors in all conditions.
- Willingness to work at height.
- Full Driving Licence.
Where you'll work
Winchester College
College Street
Winchester
SO23 9NA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SPARSHOLT COLLEGE
Training course
Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- (Core) Apply health and safety processes and procedures including risk assessments and or construction design management (CDM), manual handling, legislative requirements and organisational policies. Follow safe systems of work and safety information in line with employer requirements or site context (for example clearing their route before transporting materials).
- (Core) Apply environmental mitigation measures including storage and disposal of waste, for example sorting materials for recycling or composting, acting in compliance with legal requirements, organisational policies and pollution controls.
- (Core) Select, undertake a pre start check, set up, clean, store and safely operate tools, equipment and machinery (including pedestrian controlled and handheld) in line with current legislation and business policies.
- (Core) Communicate with technical (for example supervisors or managers) and non-technical audiences (for example clients or the public) using language appropriate to the audience.
- (Core) Identify plants commonly grown in the UK by scientific names including genus species and or cultivar.
- (Core) Maintain the correct phytosanitary and bio-security procedures for the site, in accordance with legal requirements.
- (Core) Identify and report symptoms and or signs of commonly found UK plant pests, pathogens and disorders.
- (Core) Maintain plant health for example providing for basic needs such as water, nutrition (either organic or inorganic), light.
- (Core) Cultivate, improve and preserve soils by mechanical methods and or by hand including amelioration and mulching (these might be imported or natural).
- (Core) Clear unwanted vegetation, selecting techniques to be used (for example weeding).
- (Core) Remove unwanted or damaged growth from plants using a pruning cut.
- (Core) Plant shrubs and a tree using a simple tree pit.
- (Core) Install turf for situation.
- (Core) Mow turf using pedestrian controlled powered driven mower.
- (Core) Maintain or protect hard surfaces, features or structures for example painting, re-gravelling, removing weeds from paving, drain clearance, cleaning.
- (Core) Use digital tools and techniques for research, collaboration, continuous professional development and resolution of problems.
- (Landscape construction) Measure and set out an uncomplicated site in preparation for landscape construction activities.
- (Landscape construction) Use free hand cutting and or bench cutting of hard landscape materials using abrasive wheels.
- (Landscape construction) Repair constructed landscape features (simple and noncomplex) for example re-grouting, re-sanding, damaged fencing.
- (Landscape construction) Construct paved feature for example path, patio or shed base. Including setting levels, sub bases, laying bases, finishing.
- (Landscape construction) Construct vertical landscape features including fences, ornamental vertical features, and walls.
- (Landscape construction) Install drainage in landscaping.
- (Landscape construction) Construct horizontal landscape features (excluding paving).
- (Horticulture) Propagate plants by cuttings and seed sowing (this might be indoors or outdoors). Including selection of suitable growing media and or soil.
- (Horticulture) Provide aftercare to recently installed turf and maintain established turf or species rich meadows including irrigation, maintenance, monitoring health and protection from use.
- (Horticulture) Identify if plants are suitable to site, purpose and aesthetics.
- (Horticulture) Maintain soft landscapes for example - staking or support, division, seasonal clearance, and re-planting.
- (Horticulture) Monitor and control plant pests, pathogens, and disorders using basic control methods (including application of chemicals or organic equivalents).
- (Horticulture) Plant herbaceous and seasonal planting (for example bedding, herbs or bulbs).
- (Horticulture) Prune plants to achieve healthy growth and form (including natural habit and formal or trained form).
- (Core) Apply health and safety processes and procedures including risk assessments and or construction design management (CDM), manual handling, legislative requirements and organisational policies. Follow safe systems of work and safety information in line with employer requirements or site context (for example clearing their route before transporting materials).
- (Core) Apply environmental mitigation measures including storage and disposal of waste, for example sorting materials for recycling or composting, acting in compliance with legal requirements, organisational policies and pollution controls.
- (Core) Select, undertake a pre start check, set up, clean, store and safely operate tools, equipment and machinery (including pedestrian controlled and handheld) in line with current legislation and business policies.
- (Core) Communicate with technical (for example supervisors or managers) and non-technical audiences (for example clients or the public) using language appropriate to the audience.
- (Core) Identify plants commonly grown in the UK by scientific names including genus species and or cultivar.
- (Core) Maintain the correct phytosanitary and bio-security procedures for the site, in accordance with legal requirements.
- (Core) Identify and report symptoms and or signs of commonly found UK plant pests, pathogens and disorders.
- (Core) Maintain plant health for example providing for basic needs such as water, nutrition (either organic or inorganic), light.
- (Core) Cultivate, improve and preserve soils by mechanical methods and or by hand including amelioration and mulching (these might be imported or natural).
- (Core) Clear unwanted vegetation, selecting techniques to be used (for example weeding).
- (Core) Remove unwanted or damaged growth from plants using a pruning cut.
- (Core) Plant shrubs and a tree using a simple tree pit.
- (Core) Install turf for situation.
- (Core) Mow turf using pedestrian controlled powered driven mower.
- (Core) Maintain or protect hard surfaces, features or structures for example painting, re-gravelling, removing weeds from paving, drain clearance, cleaning.
- (Core) Use digital tools and techniques for research, collaboration, continuous professional development and resolution of problems.
Training schedule
Day release during term-time to Sparsholt College, Winchester.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade C(4) or above)
- Maths (grade C(4) or above)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Physical fitness
- Driving
Other requirements
DBS check will be required. Able to work at height. Full driving licence for insurance purposes as you will need to be able to drive the college machinery / vehicles.
About this employer
Winchester College was a pioneering institution when it was founded in 1382 and continues to be a global leader in education today. Renowned for its intellectual excellence and impressive academic record, Winchester is sought after for its combination of superb teaching, outstanding pastoral care, and an exceptional breadth of sports and other activities.
After this apprenticeship
Opportunities to stay at college and progress in Sports Turf Management and/or Gardening.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SPARSHOLT COLLEGE
Karen Jackson
karen.jackson@sparsholtservices.ac.uk
01962 797452
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000344705.
Apply now
Closes in 11 days (Friday 17 October 2025)
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