Pastoral Assistant

How would you like to be paid for five days but only work four? Our colleagues’ wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do at OFG, so we’re always looking for new ways to improve everyone’s work/life balance. We’re taking part in a trial of the 4-Day Working Week, meaning that you could be working one day less a week (or equivalent).

We are looking for a Pastoral Assistant to join our team at Park School. Someone who can deliver a holistic and integrated approach to care, education and clinical services would be perfect for this role.

Location: Park School, Chipping Norton, OX7 5QH

Salary: Up to £25,000 per annum

Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Contract: Permanent, Term Time Only

UK Applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.

Essential: May occasionally have to drive for work so a full UK Driving Licence is required.

About the Role

The post holder will manage and work as part of a team supporting the learning and behaviour of students. The post holder will provide practical support for individual students and work with the whole school to promote positive behaviour management.

Support to Students

• To provide individual support or activities for students in danger of becoming disaffected or disengaged, in lessons, during break times, lunch times and on educational visits as appropriate.
• To work with individual students to raise awareness of appropriate behaviour and responses in the classroom and around school, providing them with feedback as to their progress.
• To calm and diffuse difficult situations involving students.

Support to Staff

• To provide positive role models for other support staff.
• To maintain dialogues with key people around individual pupils’ needs (for example: Community Leader, Pastoral Leader, form tutor, Class Teacher, Youth Service and Education Welfare).
• To monitor and evaluate responses and progress against action plans through observation and planned recording, feeding back to appropriate staff.
• To assist in the taking of statements for any student involved in an incident that requires further investigation.

Who we are looking for

• Experience in a similar setting would be an advantage.
• Evidence of continuous professional development in behaviour management.
• An awareness of the current issues affecting young people.
• Experience of managing in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Experience of working with outside agencies.

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

• Effective behaviour management skills.
• Good oral and written communication with students and adults.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to respond to challenging circumstances in a positive manner.
• Good interpersonal and organisational skills.
• Ability to prioritise own workload, meet deadlines and to work independently.
• Able to work in a calm, efficient and safe manner.

Park School is an independent specialist day school for boys and girls aged from 7 to 18, catering for pupils with a wide range of social, emotional and mental health needs. Our dedicated team work together to ensure successful outcomes for pupils who often arrive at the school with a troubled view of education and life.

We pride ourselves in steering pupils in the right direction, nurturing aspiration to progress them both academically and socially to encourage them to take pride in their achievements. Socially, we build confidence in our students, so they are able to have a greater understanding of the wider community in which they live.

Acorn Education is the UK’s leading independent provider of specialist education. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in setting and delivering new approaches that provide measurable outcomes for those in our care.

We are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.