Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Mander Portman Woodward - London
England
- Expired
- Job type:
- Full Time, Permanent
- Apply by:
- 15 March 2026
Job overview
- Lead and coordinate safeguarding and child protection across the school.
- Act as the main point of contact for all safeguarding concerns, referrals, and multi-agency communication.
- Liaise closely with the Principal and Chair of Governors on safeguarding matters and provide written reports to the MPW Board.
- Work closely with IT department to monitor online activity and to develop strategies for keeping pupils safe online.
- Provide expert advice, training, and support to staff.
- Maintain high-quality, detailed safeguarding records and ensure compliance with statutory guidance.
- Oversee safeguarding policies, annual reviews, and preparation for ISI inspections.
- Lead on the Prevent Duty and identify pupils who may be at risk.
- Support vulnerable pupils and families with care, professionalism, and discretion.
- Act as a Director of Studies providing pastoral and academic support to approximately 25 students, including the writing of references, covering reports and other correspondence with parents and guardians
- In-depth knowledge of KCSIE, Working Together to Safeguard Children, Prevent Duty, and the Independent School Standards.
- Recent Level 3 (or equivalent) DSL training.
- Considerable experience working with children or young people in a safeguarding or pastoral capacity.
- Excellent communication, organisational, and decision-making skills.
- Calmness under pressure and the ability to handle sensitive information with integrity.
- Previous experience as a DSL or Deputy DSL in a school.
- Familiarity with ISI inspection requirements.
- Proven leadership or line management experience.
- An ability to plan strategically and to implement plans effectively.
- Reserves of energy, stamina and patience which allow you to manage a large operational portfolio reliably and efficiently.
- A high level of personal resilience to deal with challenging circumstances faced by pupils, families and staff.
- A competitive salary
- Guaranteed Income Protection with payment of 75% of your salary minus state benefits
- Life Assurance with payment of 4 times your salary
- Enrolment in an Aviva pension plan
- Mander Portman Woodward is committed to the safeguarding and promotion of the welfare of children and young people. Applicants for the role must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Further details of what this includes are found in Recruitment, Selection and Disclosure Policy.
Attached documents
About Mander Portman Woodward - London
- Mander Portman Woodward - London
- 90-92 Queens Gate, Kensington
- London
- SW7 5AB
- United Kingdom
Mander Portman Woodward London, commonly referred to as MPW, is one of a group of independent colleges providing GCSE and A-level education for 14- to 20-year-olds. The other mixed, non-denominational colleges are located in Birmingham and Cambridge.
The school was established in 1973 by Robert Woodward, Rodney Portman and Nicholas Mander, which is where MPW gets its name. In 2016, the group was sold by Levine Leichtman Capital Partners Incorporated, a Los Angeles private equity firm, to the education firm Kaplan International.
Principal
Sally Powell
Values and Vision
Mander Portman Woodward believes in giving students as much personal attention as possible, and ensures that there are fewer than 10 students in every class. The college's mission is to work with students to turn their academic aspirations into reality. It takes students from Year 10 and has a particularly strong reputation for its sixth-form provision. It has also forged partnerships with local higher education institutions, and considers pupil entrance to prestigious universities one of its key objectives.
Each Mander Portman Woodward student is allocated a director of studies, whose role is to monitor their general welfare and assist them in making informed choices about their next educational steps.
ISI report
“Students are very well educated and the college successfully fulfils its aims. The quality of the students’ academic achievement and progress throughout the college is excellent. The provision for and achievement of those students with SEND or EAL is excellent and the provision for able gifted and talented students is good. The academic curriculum is broad and flexible timetabling allows individual programmes of study to be developed.”
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