Grounds Apprentice (Sports Turf Operative)
CALDICOTT TRUST LIMITED
BUCKS (SL2 3SL)
Closes in 23 days (Friday 18 September 2026)
Posted on 25 August 2026
Contents
Summary
We have a new opportunity for a Grounds Apprentice (Sports Turf) to join our dedicated team. They will learn all aspects of Grounds work, with particular focus on developing skills and knowledge to ensure the school sports pitches are prepared and maintained to a high standard.
- Wage
-
£16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Sports turf operative (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 4.30pm.
No weekend working for this role.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 21 September 2026
- 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
Maintenance, upkeep and appearance of school grounds, playing fields, gardens and sports pitches. Including, but not limited to:
- Mowing, strimming, weeding, weed killing, hedging and pruning.
- Laying turf, seeding, levelling and filling the ground.
- Leaf blowing, litter picking, sweeping and general clearing and tidying.
- As needed, marking and maintenance of all surfaces: grass, hard playing surfaces; preparing, renovating and maintaining all sports pitches to a high standard.
Gardening
Assisting with the maintenance of all gardens:
- Weeding, mulching and planting of flowerbeds
- Deadheading and pruning of flowers and shrubs at correct times, eg Wisteria in Head’s garden each year
- Mowing and edging of lawns
- Fertilise lawns
- Weed killing – lawns, patios, porch and driveway
- Watering throughout summer months and dry periods as necessary
- Hedge trimming
Around the rest of the site:
- Prepare and plant pots, planters and hanging baskets in Spring.
- Maintain all pots and planters to a high standard and refresh as appropriate each season.
- Ensure watering of pots, planters and tubs is done on a daily basis throughout the summer months.
- Hedge trimming.
- Lawn edging and mowing.
Maintenance, and installation of sports pitch equipment:
Goal posts, rugby posts, tennis nets, cricket nets and other sports equipment as necessary.
Maintenance of grounds machinery:
Assisting with day-to-day maintenance, cleanliness and serviceability of all grounds machinery is carried out to the highest standard.
Seasonal tasks (if required):
- Application of nutritional feeds to the grass.
- Spraying of appropriate herbicides and pesticides.
Where you'll work
CROWN LANE
FARNHAM ROYAL
BUCKS
SL2 3SL
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
TRAIN TOGETHER LIMITED
Training course
Sports turf operative (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Apply the correct rates and range of materials to sports turf surfaces (e.g. grass seed, granular fertilisers, bulky top-dressing, turf and root zone).
- Set and mark out the sports turf surface in accordance with the relevant governing body rules (including line marking, the 3-4-5 squaring technique, and marking arcs and semi-circles).
- Prepare machinery and equipment to ensure their safe and effective use when carrying out sport turf tasks.
- Maintain levels of soil moisture using either irrigation or drainage systems.
- Inspect the condition of sports turf, make observations and communicate findings (e.g. PQS, weeds, pests, diseases, thatch content).
- Prepare the ground and established grass areas as part of sports turf renovation tasks (e.g. overseeding, turfing).
- Carry out cylinder mowing of sports turf surface(s) in accordance with set requirements.
- Carry out repair of sports turf surfaces using relevant equipment and machinery (e.g. divot repair, foot hole repair, animal damage).
- Prepare and safely operate a tractor and it's attachments.
- Select and use relevant communication styles (e.g. verbal, written, digital) to convey information to different audiences (e.g. clients, staff, suppliers).
- Adopts a systematic approach to troubleshooting and solving day-to-day resource or equipment issues.
- Identify a range of turf grasses (vegetative and seed). (Including, perennial ryegrass smooth stalk meadow grass, annual meadow grass, fescue grass (fine), bent grass).
- Carry out maintenance of sports turf surface using relevant equipment and machinery (including scarification, and aeration).
- Dispose of waste in a safe and sustainable manner.
- Apply the correct rates and range of materials to sports turf surfaces (e.g. grass seed, granular fertilisers, bulky top-dressing, turf and root zone).
- Set and mark out the sports turf surface in accordance with the relevant governing body rules (including line marking, the 3-4-5 squaring technique, and marking arcs and semi-circles).
- Prepare machinery and equipment to ensure their safe and effective use when carrying out sport turf tasks.
- Maintain levels of soil moisture using either irrigation or drainage systems.
- Inspect the condition of sports turf, make observations and communicate findings (e.g. PQS, weeds, pests, diseases, thatch content).
- Prepare the ground and established grass areas as part of sports turf renovation tasks (e.g. overseeding, turfing).
- Carry out cylinder mowing of sports turf surface(s) in accordance with set requirements.
- Carry out repair of sports turf surfaces using relevant equipment and machinery (e.g. divot repair, foot hole repair, animal damage).
- Prepare and safely operate a tractor and it's attachments.
- Select and use relevant communication styles (e.g. verbal, written, digital) to convey information to different audiences (e.g. clients, staff, suppliers).
- Adopts a systematic approach to troubleshooting and solving day-to-day resource or equipment issues.
- Identify a range of turf grasses (vegetative and seed). (Including, perennial ryegrass smooth stalk meadow grass, annual meadow grass, fescue grass (fine), bent grass).
- Carry out maintenance of sports turf surface using relevant equipment and machinery (including scarification, and aeration).
- Dispose of waste in a safe and sustainable manner.
Training schedule
More training information
One day per week training off site.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4 or above)
- Maths (grade 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
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
- Passing a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
- Being comfortable working at height
- Driving licence (desirable)
- Punctual
- Strong work ethic
About this employer
Caldicott is one of the country’s most prestigious Independent Boarding and Day Preparatory Schools for Boys. We are a flourishing school with around 250 boys from 7 to 13 years old. We deliver a first class education, sporting provision and a rich variety of music, drama, arts and extracurricular opportunities, in a friendly and supportive working environment. The School is only twenty miles from central London in a beautiful location.
https://www.caldicott.com/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
Free meals during working day. Uniform provided.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Full time permanent job as Grounds person.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
CALDICOTT TRUST LIMITED
Nancy Wright
n.wright@caldicott.com
01753 649313
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000050049.
Apply now
Closes in 23 days (Friday 18 September 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.