Pastoral Officer in Wigan

Role Purpose

The Pastoral Officer will support the wellbeing, behaviour, engagement, and school attendance of children and young people with SEND aged 11-16. The role focuses on improving attendance, removing barriers to learning, and promoting positive engagement through a trauma-informed and inclusive approach.

Job Description Statement

This job description provides an outline of duties and responsibilities and may be subject to change following consultation.

Safeguarding Statement

Expanse Learning is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All post holders are subject to satisfactory disclosure and clearance prior to employment.

It is unlawful for Expanse Learning to employ anyone who is barred from working with children. It is a criminal offence for any person who is barred from working with children to apply for a position at Expanse Learning. All applicants will be made aware that providing false information is an offence and could result in the application being rejected, or summary dismissal if the applicant has been selected, and referral to the police and/or the DBS.

Equality Statement

We are committed to achieving equal opportunities in the way we deliver services to the community and in our employment arrangements. We expect all employees to understand and promote this policy in their work.

Employees will be recruited based on their qualifications and experience to do the work to be performed, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, religion or belief, political opinion, age, pregnancy & maternity, disability or trade union membership status.

Health and Safety

All employees have a responsibility for their own health and safety and that of others when carrying out their duties and must help us to apply our general statement of health and safety policy.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide pastoral support addressing wellbeing, behaviour, and attendance.
• Monitor attendance and implement intervention strategies.
• Liaise with families and external agencies.
• Complete Home visits.
• Maintain accurate records and reports.
• Act in the role of Dedicated Safeguarding Officer, reporting to the DSL as part of the Safeguarding team.

Note to Applicants

If you require any aids or adaptations to either our workplace or policies and practices that may assist or enable you to successfully carry out this role, please inform us. This job description is subject to annual review in accordance with the changing nature of students and institutional needs.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Level 3 qualification or higher in education, youth work, pastoral support, social care, or a related field. (Desirable)
• GCSE Grade C / 5 or above in English and maths. (Essential)
• Relevant safeguarding or child protection training. (Essential)
• Training related to attendance, behaviour management, or inclusion. (Desirable)

Knowledge

• Secure understanding of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), including: Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC), ADHD, Moderate to Severe Learning Difficulties (MLD/SLD), Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. (Essential)
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding and child protection legislation and guidance, including Working Together to Safeguard Children and Keeping Children Safe in Education. (Essential)
• Understanding of traumainformed practice and its impact on behaviour, engagement, and attendance. (Essential)
• Knowledge of EHCPs and the pastoral role in supporting outcomes. (Essential)
• Understanding of barriers to school attendance, including anxiety, unmet SEND needs, family circumstances, and disengagement. (Essential)
• Knowledge of positive behaviour support, emotional regulation strategies, and restorative approaches. (Essential)
• Awareness of statutory guidance relating to school attendance and persistent absence. (Desirable)

Skills

• Ability to build positive, trusting relationships with pupils who may have experienced trauma, disengagement, or prolonged absence. (Essential)
• Ability to monitor, track, and analyse attendance data to identify patterns, risks, and priorities. (Desirable)
• Skills to plan, implement, and review attendance support strategies for individual pupils and targeted groups. (Essential)
• Ability to work proactively with families to improve attendance, engagement, and punctuality. (Essential)
• Ability to build positive, trusting relationships with children and young people who may have experienced trauma or disengagement. (Essential)
• Strong communication skills, able to explain expectations, support plans, and concerns clearly to pupils, families, and professionals. (Essential)
• Ability to support pupils with SEND to reengage with education following absence, anxiety, behaviour difficulties, or exclusion. (Essential)
• Confidence in managing difficult conversations linked to attendance, behaviour, safeguarding, or wellbeing. (Essential)
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team, including teachers, SENCOs, safeguarding leads, attendance officers, and external agencies. (Essential)
• Ability to maintain accurate records, write clear reports, and contribute to attendance plans and safeguarding documentation. (Essential)
• Resilience, emotional intelligence, and professionalism when working in challenging and complex situations. (Essential)

Experience

• Experience of working directly with children and young people with SEND, SEMH, or complex needs. (Essential)
• Experience of a pastoral, inclusion, attendance, behaviour, or family-support role within an education setting. (Essential)
• Experience of managing or supporting school attendance, including persistent absence or reintegration. (Desirable)
• Experience of working with families and external agencies to support pupil attendance and wellbeing. (Essential)
• Experience of working in a specialist/primary or alternative provision setting. (Desirable)

Safer Recruitment

• Verification of the applicant's identity (where that has not previously been verified)
• The receipt of two references (one of which must be from the applicant's most recent employer) which Expanse considers being satisfactory.
• Where the position amounts to 'regulated activity' the receipt of an enhanced disclosure from the DBS which Expanse considers to be satisfactory.
• Where the position amounts to 'regulated activity' confirmation that the applicant is not named on the Children's Barred List/Vulnerable Adult Barred List.
• Verification of the applicant's medical fitness for the role.
• Verification of the applicant's right to work in the UK.
• Prohibition from teaching checks
• Section 128 provisions check (prohibited from managing)
• Any further checks which are necessary as a result of the applicant having lived or worked outside of the UK; and
• Verification of professional qualifications which Expanse Group deems a requirement for the post, or which the applicant otherwise cites in support of their application (where they have not been previously verified).
• An online search will be completed as part of Expanse Learning’s pre-employment checks.

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