Out of Schools Officer

About Hackney

Hackney is one of the most dynamic and progressive local authorities in the UK. We are a resilient, vibrant, and creative borough in the heart of London, with strong, diverse communities and a powerful set of shared values. Over the past twenty years, the Council has built up first‑class services, outstanding public infrastructure, and a reputation for excellence, innovation, and ambition. We are leading the way on essential work such as our fight for equity in Hackney with a particular focus on becoming an actively anti‑racist borough. But the work doesn’t stop there; we are proactive in our approach to bringing fairness to all aspects of life including gender, neurodiversity and across the poverty divide.

Hackney Education Alternative Learning Service (HEALS)

HEALS is a new service forming part of Hackney Education. HEALS is our commitment to doing things differently for children and young people who are facing barriers to their learning. We know that for some children, the path through school isn’t always straightforward. Whether it’s due to social, emotional, mental health or physical needs which can impact on school attendance, some students need extra support to stay connected to their education and their friends. HEALS brings together specialist teams – including experts in mental health, teaching, and special educational needs – to work as one “wrap‑around” service. Our goal is simple: to make sure your child receives the right support, in the right place, at the right time.

The Out of Schools Officer provides a specialist service to help Hackney Education meet its statutory responsibilities for identifying, monitoring, and tracking children who are missing from or not receiving suitable education. This includes delivering the Local Authority’s duties regarding Elective Home Education (EHE), conducting regular home visits to assess suitability of education, and providing an early intervention response for children without access to education. The role involves establishing effective working relationships with community and voluntary organisations, working with the staff across the service to raise awareness of educational legality, investigating cases of missing children or unsuitable education, and following correct safeguarding and procedural steps, including supporting decisions on School Attendance Orders where necessary.

Positions available:

• We are looking for 2 full‑time positions who will work across the year.
• One part‑time position (3 days a week) who will work term time only and focus on support for the traveller community.

Application process:

We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Therefore, we do not accept supporting statements or CVs. To proceed with your application, you will need to create an account and submit your application. As part of the application process, you will need to complete a number of competency‑based questions. We understand the benefits of using AI in the workplace. However, if you are thinking of using this tool to submit your application, we ask you to think about what value it will add. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.

Closing date for applications: 16 April 2026 (22.59)

Interview date: 27 – 28 April 2026

Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under‑represented in our workforce. We also welcome those interested in flexible working.

We are also working toward our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud; a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included and involved. In order to achieve this, we look for people who are: Proud; Ambitious; Pioneering; Open; Proactive; Inclusive.

The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you are thinking about applying for a job, please contact the Hackney Works team to find out what support is available: hackneyworks@hackney.gov.uk