Pastoral Support

Ideally, we want to find someone who is an experienced pastoral leader, who can demonstrate success in a similar role, and who understands the challenging national picture we are facing in education. However, even more important for us, is finding the right person with the right values and ethos – someone who shares our school values, who cares about children, and who enjoys spending time with them. Someone who is able to work positively with young people who may have difficult lives, who may find school difficult, and who is able to provide them with the caring boundaries and effective support that they need in order to reach the high expectations we have of them.

MAIN PURPOSE

The post holder will be part of the pastoral team that will take responsibility for the welfare and behaviour of students; supporting and addressing the needs of students to overcome the barriers to learning in order to achieve their full potential. Some aspects of day-to-day practice will be timetabled in order to support student development whilst maintaining a degree of flexibility in student and staff support.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

To identify and remove those barriers to learning that prevent individuals from achieving their full potential.

To work effectively with students, parents/carers, teachers and external agencies, providing a coordinated approach to overcoming barriers to learning and engaging those parents deemed to be ‘hard to reach’.

To offer 1:1 and small group support to remove barriers to learning.

To offer in-class support where applicable to support improved behaviour for learning and promote the school’s ethos.

To provide support to the Vice Principal and Designated Safeguarding Team to ensure that students are kept safe from harm.

To build positive relationships with external agencies and make appropriate referrals (supported by the Vice Principal) to ensure the correct support is in place for students and their families.

To liaise with other members of the Pastoral Team to ensure that intervention and support is communicated to each other, staff and outside agencies.

JOB DESCRIPTION - PASTORAL SUPPORT STAFF

To ensure that any intervention is recorded on the school system for monitoring purposes, and take an active role in supporting careful analysis of this.

To support restorative justice and promote smooth reintegration.

Support the induction of new students to the school including the Year 6 transition period and in-year-applicants.

Attend and contribute to regular pastoral team meetings.

To be highly visible around the school maintaining a high profile with staff and students.

To support, advise, and assist Year Leaders and the Behaviour and Welfare Manager; including the collection of incident statements; analysis of incidents and giving reminders to students about meetings, detentions and interventions.

To participate in Continued Professional Development, to increase skill base to complement and support the interventions offered by the team.

IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS

When working with students on a 1:1 or small group basis; personalised intervention should aim to:

promote a positive attitude to learning, develop students’ confidence as learners to develop their self-esteem, resolve behavioural and attendance difficulties, support organisational skills including the completion of homework tasks and having the correct learning kit/uniform, improve students’ participation in school life, encourage high aspirations, use restorative justice as a means to build positive relationships; and provide a positive role model promoting the school’s ethos. NB: The job description is to be reviewed annually under the guidance of the Vice Principal in charge of Pastoral.

PERSON SPECIFICATION - PASTORAL SUPPORT

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE:

Good basic literacy skills.

Ability to work with all key stages.

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE:

Experience working with young people.

Experience providing pastoral support.

Experience working with young people who can at times display challenging behaviour.

Experience building positive working relationships with parents, colleagues and external agencies.

BEHAVIOUR AND SKILLS:

A ‘can do’ attitude.

Excellent listening skills and high levels of emotional intelligence.

Strong organisational and time-management skills.

Resilience and optimism to lead through day-to-day challenges while maintaining a clear strategic vision and direction.

The ability to take personal responsibility, a readiness to reflect and self-evaluate and the ability to change, improve and develop.

Confidence and self-motivation.

High levels of honesty and integrity.

Ability to communicate fluently in accurate spoken and written English.

Application Details

Please apply to PA@chalfonts.org Oor send applications in the post to Miss A Shaw, The Chalfonts Community College, Narcot Lane, Chalfont St Peter, Bucks SL98TP