At a Glance
- Tasks: Support safeguarding and child protection, ensuring every pupil feels safe and valued.
- Company: A dedicated school focused on the wellbeing of young people.
- Benefits: Ongoing training, professional development, and a supportive team environment.
- Other info: Join a team that values honesty, faith, and courage in all actions.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of young people and shape safeguarding practices.
- Qualifications: Experience in safeguarding, education, or social care with strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 29700 - 36300 £ per year.
Are you passionate about safeguarding and committed to making a real difference to the lives of young people? We are looking for an exceptional Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) to join our school and play a key role in ensuring that every pupil feels safe, valued, heard and supported to achieve their full potential. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and committed safeguarding professional to join our team and make a significant contribution to the safeguarding culture and wider pastoral provision of our school.
As Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, you will play a central role in promoting and maintaining the highest standards of safeguarding and child protection across the school. You will support the DSL in responding to safeguarding concerns, managing referrals, assessing risk and ensuring that pupils receive the right support at the right time. You will build strong relationships with pupils, staff, parents/carers and external professionals, bringing professional curiosity, sound judgement and compassion to every aspect of your work. The role will involve supporting safeguarding case management, contributing to multi-agency working, advising colleagues, maintaining accurate safeguarding records and helping to identify emerging risks and trends. You will also contribute to staff training and the continued development of safeguarding systems and practice across the school.
Working within a senior and sixth form environment, you will have the opportunity to support young people at a particularly important stage of their education and development. You will understand the changing safeguarding landscape for older pupils and be confident in recognising and responding to issues such as exploitation, online harm, peer-on-peer abuse, sexual harassment and violence, serious violence and contextual safeguarding.
What We Are Looking For
- Passionate about safeguarding and committed to putting the safety and wellbeing of young people first.
- An experienced safeguarding, pastoral, education, social care or related professional with a strong understanding of child protection practice.
- Confident in making professional judgements, assessing risk and knowing when concerns need to be escalated.
- Naturally professionally curious, with the confidence to ask questions, challenge appropriately and ensure that no concern is overlooked.
- An excellent communicator who can build positive and trusting relationships with young people, colleagues, families and external agencies.
- Calm, resilient and able to respond effectively to complex and sometimes challenging situations.
- Highly organised, able to manage competing priorities and maintain accurate and confidential records.
- Collaborative and able to work effectively as part of a wider safeguarding and pastoral team.
- Committed to continuous improvement and developing their own professional knowledge and practice.
- Able to demonstrate the Trust values of Honesty, Faith and Courage in their everyday work.
Why Join Us?
This is more than a safeguarding role — it is an opportunity to make a lasting difference. You will be joining a team that understands that effective safeguarding is not simply about responding to concerns; it is about creating an environment where young people feel secure, listened to and empowered to seek help.
You will have the opportunity to:
- Play a meaningful role in shaping and strengthening safeguarding practice across the school.
- Work alongside experienced safeguarding, pastoral and senior leaders.
- Develop your expertise through ongoing training and professional development.
- Build strong professional relationships with a wide range of agencies and services.
- Influence the experience and outcomes of vulnerable young people.
- Contribute to a positive, inclusive and supportive school culture.
Our Values
Our Trust values of Honesty, Faith and Courage underpin everything we do. We are looking for someone who will demonstrate these values through their leadership and professional practice — someone who has the honesty to act in the best interests of pupils, the faith to believe in their potential and the courage to speak up, challenge and act when it matters.
If you are an experienced safeguarding professional who is ready to take the next step in your career and make a genuine difference to young people, we would love to hear from you.
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead in Gosport employer: King's Academy Bay House
King's Academy Bay House is an exceptional employer that prioritises the growth and development of its staff while fostering a supportive and inclusive work culture. Located in the vibrant community of Gosport, we offer our Learning Support Assistants the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on students' lives, with access to professional development and collaboration with dedicated educators. Join us to be part of a team that values passion, innovation, and the success of every student.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead in Gosport
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at King's Academy Bay House.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from King's Academy Bay House!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like King's Academy Bay House, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at King's Academy Bay House or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead in Gosport
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to King's Academy Bay House:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to King's Academy Bay House! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at King's Academy Bay House
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
