About the Role
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Virtual School as a Learning Manager for children with a social worker. The purpose of this role is to help drive the best possible experiences and outcomes for children whose lived experiences and family circumstances have made it much harder for them to fulfil their potential and thrive. This newly created post will focus on helping the Virtual School meet its new statutory duties to promote the education of children with a social worker.
The role involves championing inclusion in education and equitable support for vulnerable children, working with schools, social workers and other stakeholders to understand the challenges that our children and young people face and intervening through direct intervention, meetings, training and wider activities.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and deliver specialist support and advice for the Virtual School and maintain constructive relationships with DSLs and key senior professionals in schools and colleges.
- Provide expert advice, guidance and specialist support to schools, colleges and Waltham Forest services around the needs of the cohort and creative strategies to meet them.
- Collect and analyse data to inform strategic work.
- Liaise with schools to gather information about the progress of young people, taking account of local protocols and statutory guidance.
- Hold schools to account and challenge them if young people are not making or exceeding expected progress in relation to the agreed strategies, ensuring relevant legislation, regulations and policies are complied with.
- Ensure legislation and guidance is applied when working with schools and colleges to encourage increased levels of attendance and reduced numbers of exclusions, with a variety of complex cases including young people with Special Educational Needs.
- Engage wider professional networks to ensure a wrap‑around strategy is agreed and implemented, affecting best outcomes for young people’s learning and home life.
- Develop strong relationships between schools and colleges and Waltham Forest Virtual School to maximise outcomes for young people with a social worker.
- Create a strategic, research‑based training offer for schools and colleges around meeting the needs of young people with a social worker in an innovative and effective way.
- Share information about children with a social worker appropriately with schools and colleges, with high regard for confidentiality, discretion and diplomacy.
- Challenge low aspirations and increase aspiration for children with a social worker.
- Create and deliver an ongoing strategic programme of training and support for social workers to meet the educational needs of their young people.
Qualifications and Requirements
Qualifications: Degree or equivalent or vocational qualification in a relevant subject or area; evidence of continuous professional development.
Experience – Essential:
- Experience of establishing successful learning relationships with children and young people across the ability range, including those with challenging, complex behaviour.
- Significant experience working within the education system.
Experience – Desirable:
- Lived experience of involvement with children’s social care.
- Experience of multi‑agency work, e.g., SEND Service, Children’s Social Care, CAMHS etc.
Terms and Conditions
- Satisfactory employment references and CIFAS identity checks.
- Satisfactory declaration of interest.
- Subject to safer recruitment practices as it involves work with children and/or vulnerable adults.
- Satisfactory DBS check.
- Members of staff in public‑facing roles must be able to speak fluent English, with sufficient command for effective performance of the role.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Waltham Forest is a diverse borough where diversity is valued and is integral to both service delivery and employment. The Council is committed to meeting its equality objectives: promoting equality of opportunity, opposing all forms of discrimination, ensuring our workforce reflects the diverse communities of Waltham Forest at all levels, and providing fair, appropriate, accessible and excellent services to all. Respecting diversity is a core Council value.
Contact Information
For questions about this vacancy or the application process, please contact Emma Austin at emma.austin@walthamforest.gov.uk.
