School Liaison Officer
The Sallygate School

Salary –£26,515 – £28,850 +  SEN allowance of £2679 per year

37.5 hours per week, 52 weeks per year

The Sallygate School is an Independent Special School catering to the unique needs of pupils with SEMH.  Located in the heart of the Alkham Valley, near Dover, the Sallygate School is part of Channels & Choices Therapeutic Community which comprises of several therapeutic residential children’s homes, an independent therapeutic fostering agency and a multi-disciplinary therapy service, including SaLT & OT service.

At the Sallygate School we believe in providing a comprehensive and sequenced curriculum pathway that caters to the diverse needs of all our learners.  We understand that each student has unique abilities, learning styles and developmental requirements.  Our sequenced curriculum ensures a structed and supportive learning journey for every individual, enabling them to achieve their full potential.

Additional Perks, Rewards and Benefits

• Private Optical, Dental and Audiological cover
• Private Medical care
• Long service awards for 5-, 10- and 15-years’ service
• Regular team building days, parties, meals and more!
• Complimentary health and wellbeing support with our employee assistance programme
• Full Induction Package 

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated person to work as part of a Pastoral Support team, working with families, parents, carers and Channels & Choices staff to enable children and young people to have full access to educational opportunities and overcome the barriers to learning.

Overall purpose of Job

To work within the Pastoral Support Team to provide strategies, support and provision to support pupils and their families to promote positive behaviours within school and raise attendance, providing targeted work with the families of young people who are persistently absent and/or late.

Be a source of information to signpost parents/carers to other external resources that may support their child’s education and ensure that the school staff are kept up to date with these provisions.

You will work closely with Senior Leadership and other internal and external partners, gathering information, making appropriate referrals and attending meetings as and when required in support of the pupil’s health, safety and wellbeing.

Duties and Responsibilities

• To work within the Pastoral Team to provide family centred support to remove barriers to children’s learning
• As a safeguarding officer you would be expected to gather information, make relevant referrals to outside agencies and attend meetings as and when directed by the Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead
• Work alongside staff, providing support and signposting services to families.
• Help promote positive learning behaviours across the school
• Monitor pupil school attendance and work closely with parents/carers and pupil’s in relation to school attendance, particularly for pupils with low school attendance.
• To work alongside the school SENCo attending PEP and CIC reviews when required, collating and sharing relevant information on behalf of the Designated Teacher
• Transport pupils between home/school/other locations as appropriate
• Undertake preparation for new pupils to successfully transition into school
• Collate and prepare information from a variety of sources
• Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders in relation to work undertaken and student absence
• To liaise with and support parents/carers with regards to early intervention and safeguarding children
• To ensure children access the early help that they need to further improve outcomes, including attendance management
• Build and refresh knowledge on the range of external support available that could support pupils’ individual needs
• Liaise effectively with stakeholders, both external (eg Local Authorities, parents/carers) and internal (eg C&C foster carers, house staff, Heads of Department) to ensure important information and strategies are shared appropriately.
• Build positive relations with parents/carers to encourage family involvement in their child’s progress and communicate with parents/carers about specific support in place for their child
• Carry out ongoing welfare checks for children during school holidays
• To liaise with the C&C community and external agencies to identify pupils at risk of disaffection and to devise, implement and evaluate plan put in place
• To build up detailed knowledge of the external agency support available, serving as the initial point of contact for families
• Liaise with Leadership Team and attend meetings as required
• Participate in meetings as a school representative with external agencies
• Ensure that record keeping, in relation to pupil interventions and activities is maintained and data is available for monitoring and evaluation
• Always demonstrate and model a commitment and contribution to the Equal Opportunities and Multi-Racial policies as well as anti-sexist practice.
• Always follow and adhere to all Policies and Procedures
• Undertake ongoing appropriate CPD and in service training as required by the job role
• Maintain high standards by always behaving and communicating in a professional manner
• Undertake additional or other duties as may be appropriate to achieve the objectives of the post and as directed and deemed appropriate by the Senior Leadership Team.

Person Specification:

• The following outlines the minimum criteria for this post. Applicants who have a disability and who meet the minimum criteria will be shortlisted.
• All applicants should describe in their application how they meet these criteria.

Qualifications (Essential) 

• GCSE or equivalent in English and Maths
• Good ICT skills

Qualifications (Desirable) 

• Desirable DSL Trained

Experience (Essential) 

• Experience of working with SEN pupils
• Experience of dealing with student pastoral and behaviour issues
• Experience of implementing school policies, protocols and guidance.
• Experience of creating successful relationships with staff, pupils and parents/carers
• Experience in administering EHC Plans and Personal Education Provision Plans (PEPs) and also in the Annual Review process
• Knowledge and understanding of diverse faiths, communities and cultures.
• Understanding the effects of various conditions that affect some children such as, but not limited to ADHD, autism, Aspergers syndrome, foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
• Organised to ensure planning, monitoring and continuous review of all students ensuring needs are always met

Experience (Desirable) 

• Knowledge of the statutory agencies’ roles in safeguarding children and adults at risk.
• Knowledge of absence and attendance protocols and policies.

Knowledge & Skills (Essential) 

• Good team working and organisational skills.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal and influencing skills.
• A child-centred approach, able to maintain this perspective and use common sense.
• Ability to write concise reports and compile case file information.
• Ability to deal constructively and objectively with people’s emotions (eg upset, distress, conflict, animosity).
• Capacity to handle confidential data/information sensitively and with discretion.
• Effective prioritisation and time-management skills.
• Competent and efficient in the use of IT.
• Understand safeguarding procedures
• Driver with use of own car

Knowledge & Skills (Desirable)

• Effective presentation and facilitation skills.
• Working knowledge of CPOMs recording system.

Appraisal

Appraisal assessment will be based on the responsibilities outlined above and judgements will be made against these within the agreed timescale. The Headteacher/Leadership team will manage the person in this post.

At time of applying all job descriptions may, following consultation with you, be subject to change to reflect or anticipate changes in the job, which are commensurate with the salary and job title.

Employees are expected to comply with any reasonable request from the Headteacher or the Leadership Team to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified in this job description.

Sallygate will endeavour to make any necessary reasonable adjustments to the job and the working environment to enable access to employment opportunities for disabled job applicants or continued employment for any employee who develops a disabling condition.

Channels and Choices are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the young people in our care. Staff are all required to adhere to the organisation’s Safeguarding Policies and Procedures. This post will be subject to a clear Enhanced DBS Disclosure, an employment background check, satisfactory references & verification of a right to work in the UK. As part of our commitment to Safer Recruitment, CVs cannot be considered without a completed application form.

Channels & Choices are committed to ensuring that we are always recruiting, retaining, and promoting a diverse mix of colleagues who are representative of the diversity in our local community. We actively celebrate our staff’s different abilities, sexual orientation, ethnicity, faith, and gender. Everyone is welcome to apply for a job with Channels & Choices and our staff are supported in their development at all stages in their journey with us.

Channels and Choices reserve the right to carry out background social media checks on all new applicants.