Grounds Maintenance/Parish Steward Apprentice (Great Chart with Singleton Parish Council)
GREAT CHART WITH SINGLETON PARISH COUNCIL
ASHFORD (TN23 5LB)
Closes on Tuesday 13 January 2026
Posted on 26 November 2025
Contents
Summary
The Parish Council is excited to announce an opportunity for an apprentice Parish Steward to join our team. This role offers the right person the chance to gain valuable hands-on experience working for a local council, learning a variety of practical skills while supporting the upkeep and improvement of the parish.
- Wage
-
£14,918.80 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)
- Hours
-
37.5 hours per week. Monday to Friday, between 9.00am and 4.00pm. Occasional weekend work may be required.
38 hours a week
- Start date
-
Thursday 15 January 2026
- Duration
-
2 years
- 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
The main responsibilities will include:
- Grounds maintenance, such as grass cutting, hedge trimming, and general upkeep of public spaces.
- Open space maintenance, including care for areas like the Community Orchard, which may involve planting, pruning, and supporting biodiversity initiatives.
- Street furniture maintenance, including regular checks, cleaning, and minor repairs of noticeboards, benches, dog bag dispensers, and street signs.
- Supporting the maintenance of play parks by conducting routine inspections and assisting with minor repairs to ensure safety and cleanliness.
- Assisting with other tasks as required, including preparing for community events or helping with small projects across the parish.
- The position also includes caring for open spaces, such as the Community Orchard. This may involve seasonal tasks such as pruning, planting, and nurturing fruit trees, as well as other general maintenance activities to encourage biodiversity and provide a pleasant environment for the community to enjoy.
You may also be involved in supporting community planting events and other local initiatives aimed at improving and enhancing green spaces.
The role is primarily outdoors, making it ideal for someone who enjoys working in the open air and taking pride in improving their local environment. Some tasks will be completed indoors, such as basic equipment maintenance or record-keeping.
The position is full-time, with standard working hours between 9:00am and 4:00pm, although there is some flexibility around start and finish times.
We are looking for someone who is proactive, reliable, and eager to learn new skills, with a genuine interest in making a positive difference in the local community. This apprenticeship provides the opportunity to develop both practical and transferable skills, setting a strong foundation for future career development.
Where you'll work
SINGLETON VILLAGE HALL
HOXTON CLOSE
ASHFORD
TN23 5LB
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
KEITS TRAINING SERVICES LTD
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
- Full training to be provided by the employer and KEITS at the place of employment.
- The applicant will be working towards and gain a Level 2 Horticulture and Landscape Operative Apprenticeship.
- The learner will be allocated an industry specific training consultant who will provide both remote and on site visits throughout the apprenticeship.
- The apprentice will work towards an End Point Assessment (EPA) at the end of their apprenticeship.
- Depending on which apprenticeship pathway your employer chooses to offer within horticulture. You may also need to achieve all or a combination of the following courses before taking your end point assessment: Level 3 award in Emergency First Aid at Work, Level 2 Principles of Safe Handling and Application of Pesticides Guidance, Level 2 Award in the Safe Use of Pesticides and Abrasive Wheel.
- If you would like to read more about the course content for these apprenticeships, please follow the below links:
https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/horticulture-or-landscape-construction-operative-v1-1
https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/horticulture-or-landscaping-supervisor-v1-1
Requirements
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
- Organisation skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
- Physical fitness
About this employer
Great Chart with Singleton Parish Council is responsible for the maintenance and enhancement of local amenities, including play parks, street furniture, and open spaces, while also supporting community projects, events, and local initiatives. We act as a key link between our community and higher levels of local government, ensuring residents’ voices are heard
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
The Parish Council’s long-term aim is to expand the Steward’s team, and this apprenticeship offers a comprehensive training programme that will provide valuable, transferable skills for future employment opportunities.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
KEITS TRAINING SERVICES LTD
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000002634.
Apply now
Closes on Tuesday 13 January 2026
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