Educational Welfare Officer

Overview

We are looking for an Educational Welfare Officer. This is an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated and committed individual to join our pastoral team as an Education Welfare Officer. This growth is also enabling us to ensure that we have excellent student attendance.

At Henley Bank High School, our aspiration is for all our staff and students to leave our school with practical wisdom gained through the teaching of intellectual, moral, civic and performance virtues.

We are a successful secondary school based in Brockworth, extremely close to junction 11a of the M5. The school has consistently been achieving excellent academic results over the past few years with the GCSE results of 2023 being in the top 1% of results in the country, as well as the highest results for any non-selective school in Gloucestershire. We opened our Sixth Form in September 2024 and are really excited to see what the next stage in the school’s journey will be. A crucial element of the school’s vision is ensuring that we are preparing our young people for the world of tomorrow. This role plays an essential part in achieving this.

Greenshaw Learning Trust is a highly successful multi academy trust that provides excellent quality, comprehensive and inclusive education through primary schools and secondary schools. Our schools are based in London, Surrey, Berkshire, Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire, Bristol and Plymouth. We also have three shared service hubs where our central teams can be based out of. We are building a family of like-minded schools, that collaborate to provide mutual support, share their good practice and learn from each other, whilst retaining and developing their own distinctive character. We thrive from collaboration at every level. We encourage a culture of sharing ideas and learning from one another. As a Trust of schools, we are ‘Always Learning’.

To get a feel of life at Greenshaw Learning Trust, please download our ‘Why you should work for GLT’ recruitment brochure on our job’s portal.

Job Purpose

The role of the Educational Welfare Officer is to work alongside the Pastoral Team and support the Attendance Officer with early interventions to support the school with excellent student attendance.

You will work alongside key members of the school, employees, young people, families and other agencies to:

• Identify barriers to good attendance and cause of persistent absence
• Promote a positive attendance and punctuality culture
• Support students in achieving their full academic potential

Main responsibilities

• To work with the Attendance Officer and other relevant staff on improving whole school attendance to consistently be in excess of 95%, with a specific focus on disadvantaged and SEND students
• Arrange and undertake home visits to school refusers and attendance cause for concern, implementing strategies to improve their attendance
• Collect key students and bring them into school as a supportive attendance strategy
• Hold regular link meetings with the SEND team, Safeguarding Team and Attendance Officer to discuss students
• Hold Attendance Action Plan meetings with parents and set targets for students
• Attend meetings with parents where a student has fallen into/was about to fall into persistent absence PA and that medical evidence/return to school meetings would be required to authorise all further absence
• To take supportive remedial action in respect of individual absentees to secure their regular attendance at school or other education provision
• To make referral to, to liaise and collaborate in joint work with other practitioners, educational colleagues, local agencies and community groups in relation both to individual cases and aspects of children’s general welfare
• To work with small targeted groups of students to improve attendance either one to one or in small workshops
• Monitor SEND and Pupil Premium groups of students and monitor interventions
• Maintain the attendance tracking spreadsheet and ensure kept up to date with new interventions and targets
• Collate evidence and prepare paperwork for legal proceedings alongside the Attendance Officer
• Complete CME, Child Missing in Education referrals to Gloucester County Council
• Attend regular meetings with Greenshaw Learning Trust, Head of Attendance and Educational Welfare
• In the last week of the summer holiday, to focus on those students who may struggle with returning to school after the long break and prepare them for the new academic year
• To attend multi-agency meetings as necessary
• To work alongside the Attendance Officer to monitor the effectiveness of interventions using available data and feedback from staff and students, adapting plans and reviewing strategies in order to support teachers and students
• To contribute pro-actively and with a preventative emphasis to relevant areas of school policy and planning including the whole school attendance policy and liaison with governors as appropriate
• To maintain appropriate records, prepare assessments and reports; and provide statistics as required
• To deal with all confidential matters with tact and discretion and ensure the dialogue of attendance is open with the community
• Ensure all appropriate information and communications are disseminated to appropriate staff
• Work with the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead to assist with Child Protection matters
• Assist in co-curricular, College and enrichment activities
• Be actively involved in break and lunchtime duties
• Be prepared to support with First Aid cover in extreme emergencies
• Have the willingness and flexibility to collect students who have failed to attend school punctually, or are known to struggle to attend school in the school minibus

You will need

• Educated to at least 5 GCSE Grade 5/C standard (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics
• A good relevant education to A Level or equivalent
• Experience in Pastoral Support or relevant work with young people in one of a range of fields such as education, youth work, health and social work
• Experience of supporting vulnerable children and awareness of relevant legislation
• Knowledge of school admissions process, policy and legislation
• Knowledge of issues pertaining to safeguarding children and young people
• Good understanding of the roles played by various adults in the education of young people
• MIDAS Mini Bus Training (external training will be provided)

What the school offers its staff

• What’s in it for you:
• Professional development and career progression
• Generous pension scheme
• Blue Light Card
• Eligibility for Teacher Art Pass (teaching staff only)
• An Employee Assistance Programme
• Gym Discounts
• Free eye tests
• Cycle to work scheme
• Being part of a great team and expanding organisation

Commitment to safeguarding

Greenshaw Learning Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people therefore this appointment will be subject to vetting, including an enhanced DBS disclosure.