Safeguarding Officer
Ref: SCH-PLT-0057Additional Information
Contract Type: Permanent Contract Term: TTO Plus - Term time only plus weeks Hours per Week: 37.00 Weeks per Year: 39.000 Pay Grade: Support Staff | SCP20 - SCP24The Role
N6 (£15.70 - £17.12 per hour), Term Time plus 5 training days
Actual Salary £26,014 - £28,356
FTE £30,296- £33,024
Mary Astell Academy is an alternative provision academy established in September 2018. Based in the West End of Newcastle, the academy works with young people aged 11 to 16 who have been permanently excluded from mainstream education. We provide access to a full-time, broad and balanced education appropriate to pupils’ potential and educational needs and encourage their reintegration back into a mainstream school setting wherever possible.
Our young people are also able to access a wide range of therapeutic interventions to support them in recognising and understanding triggers for their behaviours and explore strategies that support them in dealing with these. We recognise that ACEs and traumatic experiences have often impacted upon the lives of our young people and that for many of them not only have they survived but have shown great strength in doing so. At Mary Astell we seek to restore them and help individuals return to a path towards happy and fulfilling adult lives.
As our Safeguarding Officer, you'll be at the forefront of safeguarding and child protection efforts within our school community. Working closely with the Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), you'll play a pivotal role in addressing all safeguarding matters promptly and effectively. From managing referrals to providing support to staff and students, your contributions will help create a safe and nurturing environment for everyone.
To learn more about Mary Astell Academy and Prosper Learning Trust, please visit www.prosperlearningtrust.co.uk
Prosper Learning Trust was established in January 2018 with Newcastle Bridges School and Mary Astell Academy. Thomas Bewick School joined in 2019, Harry Watts opened in September 2020 and Gilbert Ward Academy opened in September 2023. We are striving to further build collaboration across the schools and grow as a Multi Academy Trust, whilst continuing to strengthen our relationships with schools outside the MAT for the benefit of our pupils.
The successful candidate will be deployed initially at Mary Astell Academy but will be expected to work at any Prosper Learning Trust site should the need arise.
The Trust is proud to say that we match the Real Living Wage and we also offer successful candidates:
· A friendly and supportive team of staff who are willing to share expertise and learn from one another
· Opportunities for career development and support with development through Trust wide CPD programmes
· Access to an Employee Assistance Programme and support from the Trust's Wellbeing Network Group
· Access to either Teacher's Pension or Local Government Pension Scheme
Full details can be found on our website. https://www.prosperlearningtrust.co.uk/121/why-work-for-us
Please note that all successful candidates will be required to complete an online pre-employment medical questionnaire.
Qualifications
| Qualification Title | Grade | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 GCSEs Grade A-C (or equivalent eg Level 2 Numeracy/Literacy) including Maths and English (or working towards) |
Essential
|
|
| Level 4 or equivalent qualification |
Essential
|
Skills
| Personal Attributes | |
|---|---|
| An excellent team player, genuinely committed to working in partnership with others |
Essential
|
| Ability to travel to trust academy locations and external meetings, as required |
Essential
|
| An excellent communicator to a variety of audiences with good interpersonal skills |
Essential
|
| Relevant Skills | |
| Able to identify potential difficulties/issues, analyse them and make recommendations |
Essential
|
| Able to provide advice and guidance to senior staff/Head Teacher/Governors on technical and specialist information and influence school policy on such matters |
Essential
|
| Able to work accurately with attention to detail |
Essential
|
| Able to demonstrate sensitivity, diplomacy and tact particularly when dealing with the more sensitive issues |
Essential
|
| Able to relate well to children and adults, including Governors, often on behalf of the Headteacher |
Essential
|
| Ability to develop and deliver bespoke, effective training on relevant topics to large and small groups |
Essential
|
| Ability to build effective working relationships with staff and other stakeholders |
Essential
|
| Ability to work with a range of people with the aim of ensuring the safety and welfare of children |
Essential
|
| Excellent record keeping skills and attention to detail in order to produce reports and take minutes of meetings |
Essential
|
| Ability to use evidence and research to inform practice and decision making |
Essential
|
| Effective communication and interpersonal skills |
Essential
|
| Ability to assess children and families in relation to their need or support and/or protection from harm |
Essential
|
| Excellent communication skills and ability to liaise between managers, teachers and support staff |
Essential
|
| Ability to be self-motivated and prioritise own workload and that of others |
Essential
|
| Able to prepare reports for Headteacher/Governors |
Essential
|
| Experience/Knowledge | |
| Experience of safeguarding in a school or other relevant organisation, including experience of handling sensitive data and upholding the principles of confidentiality |
Essential
|
| Experience of safeguarding in a school or other relevant organisation, including implementing and encouraging good safeguarding practice throughout a large team of people |
Essential
|
| Experience of safeguarding in a school or other relevant organisation, including working and communicating effectively with relevant local and national agencies |
Essential
|
| Evidence of direct work with children in need and their families and experience of working in the child protection system |
Essential
|
| Several years’ demonstrable experience of working in a school environment |
Essential
|
| Working knowledge and understanding of relevant policies, including Child Care legislation, Working Together to Safeguard Children, Adoption legislation, the Assessment Framework and other relevant national guidance. |
Essential
|
| Understanding of School systems |
Desirable
|
| Good knowledge and understanding of relevant ICT packages including schools specialist software, including previous use of BROMCOM, CPOMS, Microsoft office suite and Outlook emails and calendar |
Essential
|
| Experience of safeguarding in a school or other relevant organisation, including building relationships with children and their parents, particularly the most vulnerable |
Essential
|
| Qualifications | |
| Level 4 or equivalent qualification |
Essential
|
| 4 GCSEs Grade A-C (or equivalent eg Level 2 Numeracy/Literacy) including Maths and English (or working towards) |
Essential
|
Related Documents
Safeguarding Information
Prosper Learning Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, as well as vulnerable adults, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to apply for Disclosure from the DBS.
The Trust actively promotes equality of opportunity with the right mix of talent, skills and potential and welcomes applications from a wide range of candidates, including those with criminal records. The Trust selects all candidates for employment based on their skills, qualifications and experience, in comparison against the person specification.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. If you are invited for interview, you will be required to disclose convictions that would not be filtered, prior to the date of the interview. Certain spent convictions and cautions will be ‘protected’ and do not need to be disclosed. Full details on protected convictions and information about which convictions must be declared during job applications can be found on the Ministry of Justice website. You will be asked for further information about your criminal history during the recruitment process. If your application is successful, this self-disclosure information will be checked against information from the Disclosure and Barring Service before your appointment is confirmed. This role will include Regulated Activities and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) disclosure is required for this post. Please note that in all cases written references will be taken up and made available to interviewers before the final selection stage; even if you indicate otherwise.
Mary Astell Academy
Linhope Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE5 2LW
Francesca Brown
admin@maryastellacademy.co.uk