Family Liaison Officer

John Ball Primary School, London, SE3 0TP

Job details:

• Job role: Pastoral, health and welfare
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time (Can be done as a job share): 28 hours a week, term time only
• Contract type: Fixed term – Until 22 July 2027 with potential for extension

What skills and experience we’re looking for:

• Is hard working and an intuitive team player
• Is proactive with high attention to detail
• Is caring and people-focused
• Wants to contribute to the school as a whole

What the school offers its staff:

• Brilliant children – enthusiastic and able, with excellent attitudes to learning
• Strong leadership; a school that is well organised and managed
• A fantastic staff; supportive and friendly
• Continuing Professional Development
• School meals for £2

Further information about the job:

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK. To assist in tackling underachievement by working in partnership with families, parents, carers and pupils in a school context to enable pupils, particularly the most disadvantaged, to have full access to educational opportunities and overcome barriers to learning and participation.

Summary of responsibilities and duties:

• PARENTAL SUPPORT AND INFORMATION: To plan and facilitate specific, often targeted, support for parents, particularly those who are most vulnerable or hard to reach. The FLO will:
• Develop positive relationships, maintain contact with families and carers and facilitate the development of family support for the pupils
• Carry out EYFS home visits with EYFS teachers and staff to ensure early identification of needs
• Attend open days and new pupil induction meetings for parents of pupils starting the early years foundation stage, to ensure early identification of needs
• Attend termly coffee mornings for all year groups to promote the support on offer to parents, answer questions and identify needs
• Be available to class teachers to discuss concerns about parents or support for parents
• Research the availability of support from outside agencies e.g. more formal parenting sessions (such as Pippin or Share), holiday schemes and family learning opportunities (such as ESOL classes, computer literacy etc) and food vouchers
• Keep a directory and advertise to parents
• If none available, then plan and present the course, where appropriate
• Set up support from above agencies for identified parents
• Make referrals to outside agencies, including those relating to pupil support and SEN (referrals to these only made in consultation with Senior leadership team)
• Keep detailed records of referrals made and file any reports provided by outside agencies
• Monitor after school club provision and their attendance to ensure they meet the needs of all our parents
• Liaise with School Business Manager to identify families who are entitled to Targeted and Expanded pupil premium
• ENCOURAGING PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT IN LEARNING: To ensure parents are fully engaged in their child’s education the FLO which may include:
• Support parents in the engagement of specific events
• Organise specific clubs/events to bring in harder to reach groups through the organisation of targeted events and activities, seeking funding where required
• Liaise with the School Business Manager and teachers on the organisation of the parent/teacher meetings, making sure interpreters have been arranged and chasing up any parents who have not yet confirmed their attendance
• Set up meetings with teachers where parents are struggling to support children’s learning at home or where there appears to be a breakdown in communication/engagement with the school
• Organisation of family learning courses, liaising with the senior leadership team and other directorates, seeking funding where required
• Liaise with families concerning school journey, where needed
• SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY: To ensure the school’s attendance and punctuality statistics in line with agreed targets and expectations the FLO which may include:
• Be available every morning to be a visible presence to parents, encourage good attendance and punctuality and provide immediate support and advice when necessary
• Monitor attendance in line with Attendance and Punctuality policy and plan action accordingly
• Follow up poor attendance – including home visits, referral to school nurse and liaison with local authority regarding court action
• Analyse attendance figures for school termly data analysis
• Plan support for parents, where necessary
• Lead a range of initiatives to ensure the highest attendance figures possible
• Meet with parents with regard to ongoing late collection of children, where needed
• Prepare termly and annual LA and DfEs attendance returns
• Preparation of attendance & punctuality information for Governors Reports where requested by Head Teacher
• ADMISSIONS/TRANSITION: To ensure smooth transitions into the school for all new pupils the FLO which may include:
• Promote the school to prospective parents, providing them with background information on the school, assisting them with the completion of the application forms where necessary for casual admissions to the school (i.e. those outside the usual entry into nursery/reception)
• Take a lead role in managing and administrating the admission process, liaising with the borough regarding any vacant spaces, ensuring the borough have offered places based on the admission criteria, issuing offer letters, liaising with teachers regarding visit dates, parent meetings, tours and start dates
• Liaise with the Headteacher regarding new applications, securing background information to support applications and liaising with parents/carers to inform them of the progress of their application & the next steps
• Organise tours/termly events for prospective parents who have completed admission forms, providing them with background information on the school
• Liaise with the Headteacher regarding class allocation taking into account any support needs which the family have asked to be considered and also advising them of any concerns which may be relevant which have been noted during the application process
• Set up meetings for the parents/carers to visit the school, meet with the class teachers and go through the admission forms with the family
• Induct new families on school procedures and timings and produce a welcome pack for new parents, so they have a good understanding of the way the school works
• Show new children around on their first day and work with the class teacher to assign them a mentor to smooth their entrance into the school
• Keep track of new arrivals and identifying trends within particular groups
• Ensure all new arrivals procedures are followed
• Ensuring correct procedures have been followed for managed moves and dual registered pupils
• To promote the speedy and effective transfer of information from primary to secondary school and other primary schools
• SUPPORT FOR PUPILS: To provide support for the most vulnerable pupils in the school the FLO will:
• Assist as Deputy Designated Safeguarding lead
• Meet with parents (where appropriate) regarding concerns
• Complete all relevant forms regarding safeguarding
• Liaise with Social Services, police and other agencies on CP issues
• Attend CP case conferences, presenting reports from school
• Attend CP training and assist with delivering training to other staff
• GENERAL OFFICE DUTIES: Assist with the setting up and maintaining of pupil files and ensuring children are correctly registered on MIS system. Assist with the organization and administration of events and performances when required. Reception cover and assistance. General administration/typing/telephones.
• EQUALITIES: Ensure implementation and promotion in employment and service delivery of the Council's equal opportunities policies and statutory responsibilities.

Commitment to safeguarding:

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), medical, online and social media prohibition from teaching, right to work, satisfactory references, suitability to work with children.

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job:

Apply for the job by following the link below. CVs will not be accepted for this application.

School type: Local authority maintained school, ages 2 to 11

Arranging a visit to John Ball Primary School