Pastoral Practitioner

Full Job Description

How would you like to be paid for five days but only work four*?

Our colleagues’ wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do at OFG, so we’re always looking for new ways to improve everyone’s work/life balance. We’re taking part in a trial of the 4-Day Working Week, meaning that you could be working one day less a week (or equivalent).

If the trial is a success, we’ll be rolling the 4DWW out across the Group – so there’s never been a more exciting time to join #teamOFG!

Job Title:   Pastoral Practitioner

Location:   Dibden Park School, Southampton SO45 5TD

Salary:       Up to £25.000.00 per annum depending on experience (not pro rata)

Hours:       40 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Contract:   Permanent, Term Time Only

UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.

As part of our continued growth, we now have a fantastic opportunity for a Pastoral Practitioner to join our close-knit team at Dibden Park School, part of Acorn Education.

About the role

The purpose of the Pastoral Practitioner is to work alongside teaching staff, parents/ carers and pupils; providing a 1:1 mentoring and/or tutoring role to specific pupils.  The underpinning value of the work is to ensure that every pupil achieves their potential through the provision of targeted support and intervention, working with the school’s Senior Leadership Team. 

 Key Task Areas and Responsibilities

• Safeguard and promote the welfare of all students
• Liaise with the Senior Leadership Team to ensure pupils who are identified as being in need of support receive appropriate help.
• Assisting and supporting pupils during learning sessions, break time and lunchtimes, this will involve; managing pupil behaviour, lunchtime activities and rewards etc.
• Take part in any relevant meetings to assist with pupil welfare e.g. review meetings with parents/carers and external agencies.
• Management of rewards and sanctions for pupils: suitable and consistent interventions put into place as needed.
• Feedback and liaison with parents/ carers where applicable.
• Offering support and advice to parents/ carers where necessary and signposting to available services.  

Who we are looking for

You will be a passionate practitioner with the following attributes/qualifications

• At least 12 months experience as a Pastoral Support in a school or education provision where supporting with challenging behaviour is a key part of the role
• Experience working with Young People with SEN
• Ability to lead and model positive behaviour management,

About Us

Dibden Park School is a brand-new school based in Southampton. Dibden Park School will place 60 students and will cater to students with social and emotional mental health and other complex needs. This is an exciting opportunity to grow and develop with a new staff team in a newly established independent special school.

Acorn Education is the UK’s leading independent provider of specialist education. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in setting and delivering new approaches that provide measurable outcomes for those in our care.

We are really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.

Why join Acorn Education?

Benefits

Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks

And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:

• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.

And that’s not all, we place the outcomes of the pupils in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

*You’ll work 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, giving you more time to do the things that make you happy. 4DWW is subject to successful completion of probation and is not a contractual benefit

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