Pastoral Lead & DDSL in Watford

TCHC is looking for a dedicated and compassionate Pastoral Lead & DDSL to become an essential part of our education centre in Peterborough. This pivotal role is not just a job; it is a commitment to enhancing the welfare, safety, and overall well-being of all learners in our community. Travel is essential for this role.

Qualifications & Experience

• Maths Grade C/4 or above or Functional skills level 2
• Proven experience in a safeguarding or significant pastoral role.
• Direct experience working with and supporting young people in the 16-19 age group.
• A strong, working knowledge of current safeguarding legislation and child protection procedures.
• Experience in supporting individuals with diverse learning needs and/or from vulnerable backgrounds.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build rapport and trust with young people and staff.
• The ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with the utmost professionalism and integrity.
• Demonstrable resilience and the ability to remain calm and professional in challenging situations.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to maintain meticulous records.

Main Tasks & Responsibilities

• Provide 1-to-1 Support: Offer direct pastoral support, guidance, and mentoring to learners aged 16-24 who are facing personal, social, or emotional challenges.
• Develop Initiatives: Design and implement proactive pastoral initiatives aimed at enhancing student well-being, resilience, and attendance.
• Lead for Young People in Care: Act as the primary contact and lead for young people in care at the centre, advocating for their needs.
• Maintain Centre Profile: Ensure that the centre profile is consistently kept up to date, reflecting the current status and offerings.
• Attendance Monitoring: Oversee attendance records and follow up with students to address any issues impacting their participation.
• Behavioural Intervention: Work with learners requiring behavioural interventions, ensuring that individual plans are in place to facilitate their success.
• Collaborative Communication: Communicate effectively with tutors regarding learners’ progress, ensuring a coordinated approach to support.
• Identify Learners in Need: Collaborate with tutors, learning support assistants, and other staff to identify students who require additional support.
• Signpost Services: Direct learners to appropriate internal and external support services, such as counselling, financial advice, and mental health resources.
• Promote Inclusivity: Champion a positive, inclusive, and respectful environment, with a specific focus on supporting learners with high needs.
• Parent Communication: Engage with parents as necessary, communicating both verbally and via email to provide updates and support.
• Class Support: Assist in the classroom setting as needed, providing support to learners during lessons.
• Administrative Duties: Ensure that all administrative tasks and records are maintained and kept up to date at all times.

Safeguarding

• Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Act as a deputy point of contact for staff, learners, and families regarding safeguarding and child protection concerns at the centre.
• Prompt Response: Respond promptly and appropriately to disclosures or concerns, following established procedures and statutory guidance such as Keeping Children Safe in Education.
• Support DSL: Assist the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in making referrals to external agencies, including social services, the police, and health services.
• Record Keeping: Maintain accurate, confidential, and detailed records of all safeguarding incidents and interventions within our internal systems.
• Promote Safeguarding Culture: Help foster a culture of safeguarding across the centre by providing advice and support to staff as needed.
• Attend Meetings: Participate in meetings related to safeguarding as required.
• Stay Informed: Keep up to date with all relevant safeguarding legislation and best practices to ensure compliance and effectiveness.

Commitment to Safeguarding

TCHC is committed to Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. All staff are expected to adhere to our Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy and the safeguarding responsibilities outlined in their job description. We conduct Safer Recruitment Checks on all staff prior to confirming a start date, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

An online search of information within the public domain is conducted on all candidates who are invited to interview. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The amendments to the ROA 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975, amended 2013 and 2020) provide that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account.

The MOJ’s guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975 provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions, and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide.

Get in touch on 01923 698477 or hr@tchc.net

Pre-employment checks

The company also conducts an internal online search on social media platforms in accordance with the Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. Should any pertinent information arise from this search, it will be discussed with the applicant as part of the recruitment process. Please note that upon a successful job offer, the company performs digitalised right-to-work checks and initiates DBS applications through an external service provider. An enhanced DBS check, including the barred list, is mandatory for this role.