Safeguarding Officer

Salary: Grade 6, £28,565 - £30,390 per annum. Approximately £22,844 - £24,304per annum, pro rata (0.79972 FTE)

Please Note: This is a Non-Teaching position.

About us and the role

Join our dedicated team as a Safeguarding Officer, where you will engage in our efforts to ensure children's safety and protection within our school. You will play a pivotal role in meeting legal requirements, liaising with local statutory services and safeguarding partners, and participating in crucial inter-agency discussions.

If you are passionate about child welfare and possess the expertise to guide and support staff in safeguarding matters, we invite you to make a meaningful impact with us.

Avanti Grange Secondary School opened in September 2022 with 4 forms of entry (120 Year 7 students only) rising to 6 form of entry (180 Year 7 students) from September 2023. One of the many things that makes Avanti Grange distinctive is its values-based approach to education. We encourage students to value self, others and the environment and empower them to be effective learners as well as good and responsible citizens.

We will develop resilient, communicative, and organised young people, the leaders of the future with drive and initiative. We will seek to create an environment where we can all live and thrive together, where the conditions for growth are ideal.

Our students will be:

• Courageous - with a strength to stand up for their beliefs and values
• Curious - with a love for lifelong learning
• Resilient - with no self-imposed limits

Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, we'd encourage you to submit your application as early as possible.

What will you do?

• Coordinate and oversee support school when working with a child who has a Child in Need or Child Protection plan in place and ensure that the school is always represented, either in person or by a report, where appropriate.
• Liaise with the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Principal to inform them of issues, especially ongoing enquiries under section 47 of the Children Act 1989 and police investigations
• Understand the importance of information sharing, both within the school and college, and with other schools and colleges on transfer including in-year and between primary and secondary education, and with the safeguarding partners, other agencies, organisations and practitioners
• Support staff to consider how safeguarding, welfare and educational outcomes are linked, including to inform the provision of academic and pastoral support.
• To develop and implement an intervention programme of activities to address behavioural, social and emotional needs of individuals and small groups

Why should you apply

Avanti exists to help each person become a well-rounded human being through intellectual, moral and spiritual growth, and so make the world a better place.

You will be working in a fantastic environment, with:

• Great opportunities for professional development through the Avanti Institute and our family of schools
• Pension scheme subject to eligibility criteria
• O2 discounts, Specsavers corporate eye test vouchers
• Eligible for NUS Card and CSSC membership
• Access to multiple well-being programmes (Weekend Retreats, Yoga Classes and Apps)
• Cycle-to-work and Electric Vehicle Lease Schemes

What are we looking for?

• Degree or other qualification in education or social work field or equivalent experience
• Experience of working with children or young adults in an education setting
• Experience of liaising with external agencies and professionals on child protection matters
• Experience of referring cases of suspected abuse to external agencies including relevant paperwork
• Commitment to the safeguarding and welfare of all students

Please view the full Job Description for more information on the responsibilities and essential criteria required for this role.

Further information

Pre-employment checks

Avanti Schools Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates are required to have an Enhanced DBS check unless internally appointed and still within the cycle of DBS re-checks.

Any appointment subsequently made will be subject to the receipt of satisfactory references and other pre-employment checks.

Diversity and Inclusion

We want to make sure we are attracting the widest possible range of people and ensure that they are accepted, understood and treated equally when they work here. This means we will work hard to understand that each employee is unique and ensuring that individuals or groups are not treated differently or less favourably on the basis of specific characteristics.

Such characteristics include (but are not limited to) age, disability, gender including transgender, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, and how the school supports pregnant women and new parents.