Education Welfare Officer

Salary Grade: N
Salary Band: £23,817 - £26,776 per annum
Location: The White Horse Federation Central Office
Contract Type: Term Time + 5 days
Contract Term: Permanent
Closing Date: Sunday 31 October 2021
Interview Date: TBC
Hours: 35 p/w
Start: November 2021

About the Opportunity

We have an outstanding opportunity for an insightful and enthusiastic Educational Welfare/Attendance Officer to proactively contribute to an exciting phase of business growth within our Multi Academy Trust.

The Educational Welfare/Attendance Officer will work alongside key members of school staff, young people, families and other agencies to:

• Identify barriers to good attendance and cause of persistent absence
• To promote a positive attendance and punctuality culture
• To support students in achieving their full academic potential
• Form strong relationships with parents/carers

Your personal style and credibility alongside stakeholder management will be key in driving and maintaining relationships; therefore, excellent communication, in both written and verbal form, is essential. In addition, your enthusiasm, strong coaching style and ability to add value will be crucial traits in this role. 

We are looking for someone who has experience of working as an Education Welfare Officer or similar role, has worked closely with schools and has a good understanding of the education system, especially in relation to school attendance. The successful candidate will be required to work with and visit all schools within the Hub and to carry out home visits, where necessary, requiring the ability to travel.  This is a fantastic opportunity for someone looking to capitalise on their experience, to work in an environment where you can further develop your skills.

Our ideal candidate will have or be willing to work towards

Level 3 Diploma for Children and Young People’s Workforce: Social Care Pathway (England)(or equivalent)

A qualification in the following is desirable but not essential

• Counselling qualification
• Dip SW or CQSW
• Education degree/diploma level
• Teaching qualification
• Youth and Community Qualification

Considerable experience of working in one or more of

• Working with Children, Young People and Families
• Teacher with Pastoral experience or work in a comparable Profession
• Education Welfare Work
• Social Work
• Working in Education setting
• Understanding of the legislation surrounding Education and Child Protection
• Experience of working with multiple agencies
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal)

Further detail can be found on the attached job description. 

We can offer you

• An attractive working environment with excellent facilities;
• A committed, hardworking and supportive team;
• An exciting role amidst growth of the Federation;
• 100% focus on improving outcomes for the children in our schools;

More information about us can be found on our website www.twhf.org.uk   

Benefits

We know that your role requires you to put a lot of time and effort into it and because of this we believe you should be rewarded. As a White Horse Federation employee you will have access to benefits listed below.

Some benefits are accessible by all staff irrespective of their contract type (T). Some are only eligible to permanent (P) employees following a successful probation period as noted:

• Car Purchase scheme (P)
• Reward Gateway discounts (P&T)
• Discounted gym membership scheme (P&T)
• Hire purchase Cycle to Work scheme (P)
• Free and confidential advice, information and counselling service (P&T)
• Excellent Pension scheme (P&T)

Why Work With Us

The WHF is a Multi-Academy Trust which supports Primary, Secondary and Special schools in the south of England. At its heart is a belief that we want to develop the type of schools that we would be proud to send our own children to. We do this with a relentless drive for academic excellence blended with a shared moral purpose and shared values but also with an awful lot of fun and happiness in our schools. We genuinely believe in partnership working with our schools, the pupils and their parents and the wider community each serves to create the best possible outcomes for our children.

We also believe that our colleagues are among the finest in the country and we are proud to empower them through support, training and career opportunities. With such outstanding staff we are able to ensure every student achieves all that they are capable of and more, regardless of background, culture, heritage or ability.

TWHF recognises the benefit of having a diverse workforce and is committed to building a team which reflects diversity from the communities it serves. TWHF values the contributions from all staff from a wide range of different backgrounds and actively seeks to promote an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment; which at the same time supports fair promotion and cultural acceptance. Under the provision of the Equality Act 2010, TWHF welcomes applications from everyone and operates a recruitment process which is fair and does not discriminate against or disadvantage anyone because of their age, disability, gender reassignment status, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race or nationality, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

The White Horse Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  If successful for this position you will be expected to apply for a disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service before appointment is confirmed.  References will be sought on shortlisted candidates before interview.