Assistant Head - Director of Safeguarding in Stourbridge

This is a significant leadership opportunity for an experienced safeguarding professional who can combine expertise, sound judgement and compassion to ensure every pupil feels safe, supported and able to flourish. The successful candidate will lead safeguarding strategy and practice, oversee complex child protection matters, provide guidance and training to colleagues, and work closely with pupils, families, staff, governors and external agencies.

We welcome applications from experienced teachers, educational leaders and safeguarding professionals from related sectors. While experience in education is highly desirable, we are equally interested in candidates who have developed substantial safeguarding expertise through social care, local authority safeguarding services, the LADO function or other child protection settings.

Old Swinford Services Ltd seeks to appoint a knowledgeable and dedicated Director of Safeguarding to lead this important area of School life. This post would suit an emotionally intelligent, resilient and experienced practitioner with significant safeguarding experience and a genuine enthusiasm for working with children and young people.

The Director of Safeguarding (DoS) reports to the Deputy Headmaster who acts as line manager for the DoS, and the DoS then line manages the safeguarding work of three Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads (DDSLs). The DoS also reports at two key committees – The Governors’ Pupil Welfare and Behaviour Committee and The Governors’ Safeguarding Committee.

Old Swinford Hospital (OSH) is a strong, values driven community. At OSH, safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility. The core safeguarding team includes three DDSLs and in addition, senior boarding and pastoral colleagues are trained up to DSL level. The DoS meets with the Governors’ Safeguarding Committee two or three times each term.

We are now looking for an experienced colleague to lead and manage this important area of School life as we grow in number. Our intention is for the Assistant Head - Director of Safeguarding to become our DSL and report to the Deputy Headmaster. The Director of Safeguarding will also be a member of the School’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

The person we are looking to appoint will be:

• a capable individual who can work swiftly and thoroughly and keep the paramountcy principle at the heart of all safeguarding work
• an experienced safeguarding practitioner who has worked at a senior level in an organisation which supports children and families and where that individual has worked with internal stakeholders as well as external agencies
• a practitioner who is equally comfortable working on recording and reporting systems as he or she is working with and training up individuals or teams of individuals
• an individual who is familiar with regulatory compliance, statutory guidance and inspectorates

If you think you have the ability, experience and qualities to be our Director of Safeguarding, we would welcome your application.

A remuneration package will be agreed depending on qualifications and experience. In line with current regulation you will, if you are eligible, be offered a workplace pension through NEST.

Old Swinford Services Ltd welcomes applications for employment from all sectors of the community. Old Swinford Services Ltd is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants are required to undertake an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check. The School reserves the right to close the job advert early where sufficient applications have been received and so we encourage early applications to ensure consideration for the post.