Pastoral Support Officer

Job Description

The Sweyne Park School is the lead school in the Rayleigh Schools Trust, working in partnership with a local primary school to provide a 2-19 educational experience for the community.

We are seeking an organised and professional individual with strong administrative experience to join our Pupil Services team. The successful applicant will be detail-oriented, composed, adaptable, and committed to supporting the welfare and wellbeing of pupils in a busy secondary school environment.

Job Purpose

To provide front-line pastoral support to pupils, acting as a first point of contact for welfare and wellbeing matters. The role includes responding to pupil queries, supporting medical needs, liaising with all stakeholders, maintaining accurate records, and assisting Heads of Year with the day-to-day management of pupil welfare.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a first point of contact for pupil pastoral queries.
• Provide First Aid support where necessary (training will be provided).
• Liaise effectively with all stakeholders regarding pupil welfare.
• Maintain accurate pupil records and update management information systems.
• Provide administrative support for pastoral processes.
• Support Heads of Year with non-teaching pastoral duties.
• Maintain confidentiality at all times and adhere to safeguarding policies.
• Contribute to the effective and professional running of our Pupil Services team.

The successful candidate will:

• Be highly organised with strong time management and prioritisation skills.
• Demonstrate composure and decisive action during peak periods and shifting priorities.
• Demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Show sensitivity, discretion and a clear understanding of confidentiality.
• Be proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Outlook, Excel).
• Respond appropriately, compassionately and confidently to vulnerable pupils.
• Be flexible and willing to support wider administrative needs where required.
• Approach tasks with enthusiasm and a personable, engaging demeanour.

This role is central to ensuring that our pupils/students feel safe, supported and cared for throughout the school day.We welcome applications from skilled administrators with experience in Pupil Services or comparable fast-paced, regulated sectors.

Working Hours

37 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 39 weeks per year (term time plus training days), with 30 minutes for lunch. Annual leave must be taken during school holidays.

To apply, please complete the application form provided and forward to Kelly Gelder, HR Manager, at hr@rayleighschoolstrust.com.

Information about the School

Welcome to The Sweyne Park School, we are a larger than average mixed, 11-18 comprehensive school. The School became an academy on 1st April 2013 and opened its Sixth Form in September 2014.

Our school is a safe and happy environment and central to our school is a belief in respect - respect for yourself, respect for others and respect for the environment. We believe that our focus on respect leads to high expectations and excellent discipline, and this in turn leads to the highest possible achievement for each individual pupil. In December 2018 we were the first Secondary School in the East of England to achieve the prestigious Rights Respecting Gold Award.

At Sweyne Park we are determined to provide first class teaching and learning for all our pupils. This aim is supported by our commitment to recruiting and retaining the very best staff, and our nationally recognised programme of staff training. We do our utmost to ensure our pupils achieve strong examination results and progress on to high quality destinations. We provide a broad and balanced academic curriculum with a wide range of cultural, artistic, sporting and social opportunities. We are committed to very strong partnerships between home, school and community members. We believe that the whole community can contribute to motivating and supporting pupils’ progress. In October 2017, the Sweyne Park School and Glebe Primary formed a Multi-Academy Trust, the Rayleigh Schools Trust (“The RST”).