Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (non-teaching)

Grade: Grade 6, £31,828-£33,772 per annum. Approx £23,757-£25,208per annum, pro rata (0.74641FTE)

About The Role

Avanti Fields is seeking a committed and experienced Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (non-teaching) to join our dedicated team and play a vital role in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils.

Working closely with the Designated Safeguarding Lead and wider school community, you will provide expert guidance, coordinate safeguarding responses and work collaboratively with families and external agencies to ensure that every child feels safe, heard and supported.  

This is an excellent opportunity for someone passionate about making a meaningful difference to children's lives and helping them achieve their full potential.

School visits are welcomed and encouraged. Please contact the school to arrange a suitable time.

What will you do?

• Safeguarding and child protection: Support the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in ensuring the effective implementation of the school’s safeguarding and child protection procedures, including online safety, in line with statutory guidance and Keeping Children Safe in Education.
• Referrals and multi-agency working: Manage and coordinate safeguarding referrals, liaise with children’s social care, police and other external agencies, and contribute to child protection conferences, multi-agency meetings and ongoing support plans.
• Staff guidance and support: Act as a key source of safeguarding advice, guidance and expertise for staff, promoting a child-centred culture in which children feel safe, listened to and supported to share concerns.
• Safeguarding records, training and awareness: Maintain accurate, confidential and up-to-date safeguarding records on CPOMS, support information sharing, promote staff awareness of safeguarding developments and contribute to training, audits and the continuous improvement of safeguarding practice.
• Pupil welfare and pastoral support: Identify and support vulnerable pupils, including those with additional needs or social worker involvement, through appropriate pastoral and behavioural interventions, working collaboratively to promote their safety, wellbeing, engagement and educational outcomes.

What are we looking for?

• Degree or other qualification in education or social work field or equivalent experience
• Experience of working with children or young adults in an education setting 
• Experience of liaising with external agencies and professionals on child protection matters 
• Experience of referring cases of suspected abuse to external agencies including relevant paperwork  
• Commitment to the safeguarding and welfare of all students

Please view the full Job Description for more information on the responsibilities and essential criteria required for this role.

Why should you apply

Avanti Fields School is an all-through, faith-designated (Hindu) state school which welcomed the first intake of Year 7 students in September 2018, and first intake of Nursery and Reception students in September 2022. The school is rapidly expanding and will grow year by year to a full cohort of 1,320. This is an exciting time to join the school as it continues its journey to outstanding.

The staff at Avanti Fields School are passionate about our school and are relentlessly focused on improving the achievement and opportunities for all our students. All staff that work at the school will need to subscribe to our ethos and values and seek to improve and develop their own practice and performance for the benefit of our students.

This is a unique opportunity to work in a school which is driven by three key elements for both students and staff:

• Educational excellence
• Character formation
• Spiritual insight

Avanti exists to help each person become a well-rounded human being through intellectual, moral and spiritual growth, and so make the world a better place.

You will be working in a fantastic environment, with:

• Great opportunities for professional development
• LGPS pension scheme (subject to eligibility)
• O2 discounts, Specsavers corporate eye test vouchers
• Eligible for NUS Card and CSSC membership
• Well-being programs (retreats, yoga, wellness apps)
• Cycle-to-work Scheme

Further information

Pre-employment checks

Avanti Schools Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates are required to have an Enhanced DBS check unless internally appointed and still within the cycle of DBS re-checks.

Any appointment subsequently made will be subject to the receipt of satisfactory references and other pre-employment checks.

Diversity and Inclusion

We want to make sure we are attracting the widest possible range of people and ensure that they are accepted, understood and treated equally when they work here. This means we will work hard to understand that each employee is unique and ensuring that individuals or groups are not treated differently or less favourably on the basis of specific characteristics. 

Such characteristics include (but are not limited to) age, disability, gender including transgender, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, and how the school supports pregnant women and new parents.