Pastoral Officer

Queen Mary’s Grammar School was founded in 1554 by Mary Tudor. We have been shaped by our past and are proud of our traditions, but we are also confident of an exciting future as we help to shape the new educational landscape with our partners in the Mercian Trust. Queen Mary’s is an academically selective school, but wellbeing and pastoral care is at the heart of what we do. The School has gained national attention for our focus on mental health (through the Change Your Mind Programme) and the School community is a huge strength, summed up in our motto: Quas dederis solas semper habebis opes; It is what you give that you will keep as eternal riches.

Our House system celebrates the four pillars of school life at Queen Mary’s: an academic focus, an international ethos, an enterprising spirit and a sense of community. We enjoy our social, cultural and ethnic diversity and live by our core values:

• Courage – facing new challenges with determination & resilience
• Respect – for yourself & tolerance of others
• Equality – opportunities for all, whilst recognising & celebrating diversity
• Discipline – developing personal responsibility
• Integrity – to be honest, sincere, reliable & selfless
• Teamwork – stronger together

Outside the classroom, we offer a range of life-enriching opportunities: time at our Field Centre in Wales; membership of our thriving Combined Cadet Force; individual and team sports; foreign expeditions and travel; participation in music, debating and public speaking and many other activities. We believe that achievement and enjoyment go hand in hand.

The school is part of the IOE’s Mandarin Excellence Programme and has been named as one of the top 100 secondary schools for cricket in the UK by the Cricketer magazine. The Horizon near-space programme has set new standards of what is possible for school-age students to achieve and we offer a multitude of other clubs, societies and opportunities.

We equip our pupils to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world. Most choose to go on to higher education, but we prepare them through our wider curriculum for a range of pathways. Through partnership between School, pupil and parents, we aim to produce well-rounded and employable young people. It is our mission to attain excellence in all that we do.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Drive a culture of exemplary behaviour and high expectations: Proactively uphold and embed the school’s behaviour policy and CREDIT values, ensuring swift, consistent responses to incidents while championing a calm, purposeful environment that underpins outstanding academic achievement.
• Model excellence and build high-impact relationships: Establish strong, professional relationships with pupils, acting as a visible role model and mentor to raise standards of behaviour, resilience, organisation, and personal responsibility.
• Lead and deliver restorative behavioural practice: Apply a restorative approach to behaviour management, leading and supporting investigations, conflict resolution, and mentoring interventions, while working closely with staff, students, and parents to secure positive outcomes.
• Operate and strengthen behaviour systems: Play a central role in behaviour operations, including being the first point of contact, investigating incidents, managing referrals, supervising the R Room provision, removing students where required, and ensuring all processes, communication, and administration are completed to a high standard.
• Champion whole-school culture and engagement: Actively contribute to the school’s praise and rewards culture, support assemblies and events, participate in meetings, and consistently promote expectations that drive positive behaviour across all year groups.

Qualifications and Skills

• Educated to at least GCSE grade C/4 in English and Mathematics, with additional relevant qualifications desirable. Demonstrable experience working with young people and families across educational settings required.
• Data literacy and systems capability: Proven ability to analyse data, identify trends, and produce insight-driven reports to inform action. Confident using IT systems including Excel and school platforms such as SIMS and CPOMS (or willingness to learn).
• Relationship-building and communication: Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective relationships with students, staff, parents, and external stakeholders. Highly effective written and verbal communication, with the judgement to adapt approach to different audiences and situations.
• Resilience, professionalism and organisational excellence: Highly organised with strong time management and the ability to prioritise under pressure. Remains calm, flexible, and solution-focused, including in challenging or crisis situations, while always maintaining professionalism and confidentiality.
• Teamwork: Able to make informed decisions, contribute to improvements, and work collaboratively and constructively as part of a wider team to achieve shared outcomes.
• Commitment to values, safeguarding and inclusion: Strong understanding of professional standards when working with children, with a clear commitment to safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, and to upholding the ethos and values of the school.

Application and Safer Recruitment

Please provide a personal statement to support your application and highlight any attributes, skills and experience you will be bringing to this role. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults; all appointments are subject to enhanced DBS checks and satisfactory references. The Mercian Trust is committed to promoting equality, challenging discrimination and developing community cohesion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. Please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.