Gardener Apprentice
THE KING'S SCHOOL OF THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF CANTERBURY
CANTERBURY (CT1 2ES)
Closes in 9 days (Friday 19 December 2025)
Posted on 9 December 2025
Contents
Summary
The King’s School has an exciting opportunity for an apprentice gardener to join the team to ensure that our gardens and ornamental areas are developed and maintained to the highest possible standards.
- Wage
-
£15,186 a year
- Training course
- Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, shifts to be confirmed.
38 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 2 February 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
- To Maintain the school gardens (public and private) boarding houses and satellite sites to the highest standards in accordance with good horticultural practices and in keeping with a site of special historic interest.
- To carry out gardening duties such as but not limited to, seasonal planting and pruning, weeding, strimming, mowing, litter picking, leaf collection, snow clearance and general exterior cleaning as needed.
- Willingness to work outside in all weather conditions.
- Can work as part of a team and under their own initiative when required.
- Carry out prestart checks and basic maintenance on relevant machinery associated with the department.
- Use of specific departmental software to maintain machinery and equipment.
- Positively present and promote the school gardens to staff, pupils, visitors and parents.
- Comply with relevant health and safety legislation and ensure safe working practices of themselves and staff.
- Actively Contribute to garden design plans as required to support the Head Gardener and team leader.
- Attend relevant training as identified / required to fulfil the role.
- Be proactive in the delivery of a gardens management plan and weekly rota.
- Identify, plan and execute new planting schemes involving bedding, bulbs, herbaceous, shrubs and trees.
- Support academic and other staff with functions and events as required.
Where you'll work
THE KINGS SCHOOL
BURSARS OFFICE
25 THE PRECINCTS
CANTERBURY
CT1 2ES
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
NORTH KENT 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
You will be studing at Hadlow college one day per week.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4/C or above)
- Maths (grade 4/C 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
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Physical fitness
- Enthusiastic
- Self-motivated
- Flexible
- Good interpersonal skills
Other requirements
- Full UK Driving licence preferable but not essential.
- Be prepared to work in all weathers.
About this employer
We began as the monastic school of Canterbury Cathedral and you can almost feel the centuries of accumulated knowledge and studious endeavour all around you. 1400 years on, our three schools are inspired, not constrained by this illustrious and unmatched history, and as the original educational pioneers we look to the future and to the world for which we are preparing our young people. At their heart, each of our communities cherishes the individual, supporting each individual pupil as part of our diverse and remarkably inclusive whole. It is this which enables our children to find their place, and to flourish. A King’s education is one which enables pupils to find their passions and to illuminate their path, and equips them with the skills and confidence which they will need to thrive in a fast-moving and ever-changing world. Our pupils emerge with the self-confidence, self-awareness, resilience, and open-mindedness required to face the challenges and to seize the opportunities of their futures, alongside a desire to make a positive contribution: at King’s, and beyond.
After this apprenticeship
Fixed Term for the duration of the apprenticeship.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
NORTH KENT COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000004464.
Apply now
Closes in 9 days (Friday 19 December 2025)
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