Family Support Officer

Pay/ Salary Range: N7 SCP 25-29 FTE: £35,235 - £38,626

£30,255 - £33,166 actual salary pro-rata (£18.26 - £20.02 per hour)

Working Pattern: 37 hours per week, term time + 5 additional training days

We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and highly motivated Family Support Officer to join our dynamic team at Gilbert Ward Academy. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a forward-thinking school committed to the holistic well-being and academic success of pupils with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs or Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). The successful candidate will work closely with pupils, families, and staff to foster positive engagement and ensure all children thrive within our supportive environment.

The successful candidate will:

• Build and maintain positive relationships with pupils and their families, promoting strong home-school partnerships.
• Enhance parental engagement with the school and external agencies to improve outcomes for pupils.
• Provide guidance and support to families to address barriers to learning, including attendance and punctuality.
• Develop and lead Family Support Delivery Plans, collaborating with stakeholders to set and review measurable targets.
• Act as a key point of contact for families during transitions or challenging times, including conducting home visits where needed.
• Maintain accurate and confidential records in line with safeguarding practices.

Gilbert Ward Academy is a new, purpose-built Department for Education (DfE) special free school designed to provide a tailored education for pupils aged 11-16 with SEMH needs and ASC. Opened recently to meet a growing demand in the region, the academy is proud to offer a modern, inclusive, and nurturing learning environment.

Our facilities have been specifically designed to support the unique needs of our pupils, with specialist spaces to encourage personal growth, learning, and well-being. Located in Blyth, Northumberland, we are deeply committed to fostering resilience, independence, and aspiration in every pupil we serve.

As part of Prosper Learning Trust, which supports five specialist schools in the North East, we share a commitment to empowering vulnerable young people to succeed..

To learn more about Gilbert Ward Academy and Prosper Learning Trust, please visit the websites.

Benefits of working for Prosper Learning Trust

Prosper Learning Trust was established in January 2018 to help vulnerable young people succeed against the odds. Four core values underpin everything we do as a Trust, these are Aspiration, Integrity, Resilience and Kindness. We are looking for staff who share those values and want to support our young people.

The Trust currently have 5 schools in the region: 

• Newcastle Bridges School – Alternative Provision academy offering education to pupils unable to access mainstream school due to medical needs including hospitalised children and young people (3-19 years) 
• Mary Astell Academy – Alternative Provision academy offering education to permanently excluded pupils and pupils who are struggling in mainstream school (11-16 years) 
• Thomas Bewick Special School – Special School academy for pupils with a diagnosis of autism (3-19 years) 
• Harry Watts Academy – Special School academy for pupils with a diagnosis of autism (5-16 years) 
• Gilbert Ward Academy – Special School academy for pupils with SEMH or a diagnosis of autism (11-16 years) 

Prosper Learning Trust was also recently named as the lead partner in the opening of a new Free School in Jarrow, South Tyneside. This school will be a Special School academy for pupils with SEMH (4-11 years).

The successful candidate will be deployed initially at Gilbert Ward 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 Continuing Professional Development (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, each with favourable employer contribution rates. 
• Employee centred policies that support you in and beyond the workplace 
• Funded eye tests for DSE users (subject to T/Cs) 
• Cycle to work scheme 

For more information on why we think you should work for us see our Trust website, where you will also find videos of what our current staff think. 

Please note that all successful candidates will be required to complete an online pre-employment medical questionnaire.