Education Officer

Education Officer

Salary: £27,897.50 per annum

Contract: Full time, permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (Core working hours are Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, with evening and weekend cover needed to meet the service user needs)

Benefits: 30 days' Annual Leave (rising to 35 days' with length of service) + Bank Holidays, Company Pension, Life Assurance x 2 & Employee Discount Scheme

Base Location: Mansfield, working a hybrid model of 2 days per week mandatory office days.

(Please note this is a Community Role so although the office base is Mansfield you need to able to travel to the below locations)

Covering Locations: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire & Derby

About Us

Polaris Children's Services are an established children's services provider that delivers innovative and outcomes-based services, offering real value and building brighter futures for as many children, children and families as possible.

Working across Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and Derby, STARS provides intensive support to children and children to step down from residential to fostering placements, to stabilise existing fostering placements, to support reunification home, and to divert children and children from the edge of care.

Responsibilities

• To facilitate and support the educational attainment of children by liaising with the relevant professional bodies, and maintain regular contact with all schools, colleges and other settings as appropriate.
• To support the placement of a child whether that is with parents or foster carers, supporting them with their relationships with the school system
• To offer advice and support with education related issues - including bullying, assessments, learning challenges, homework and other related education issues
• To support the school staff to respond to and contribute to collecting the outcomes for the child.
• To compile and maintain educational records within the child's file, including development and implementation of robust tracking processes so that individual progress and participation can be monitored and evidenced.
• To ensure that those children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCPs) are having their needs met, that reviews are being held annually and, where appropriate, the Local Authority have adopted the EHCP.
• To liaise and inform all relevant teams members regarding the current educational progress of the child.
• To monitor and support educational attainment through oversight of education reports, exam results and other achievements.
• To regularly monitor all educational placements and attend/advise those reviews and meetings that require educational input.
• To identify those children who may be especially vulnerable and advise on preventative strategies and approaches. This will include working with the Local Authority Virtual School Head teacher to plan, and deliver where needed, extended learning opportunities, non-term time initiatives.
• To be involved in the development and training on educational issues for staff and partners.
• To network with local schools, colleges, academies and education departments.
• To maintain an updated knowledge of all education initiatives and legislative changes.
• To actively find opportunities to share good practice and learning across internal and external stakeholders.
• To comply with safeguarding procedures, throughout all work within the Company, keeping the Service Manager, or designated manager, informed of work in progress and inform immediately of any child protection matter or serious complaint.
• This is not an exhaustive list of tasks and additional tasks can be undertaken that are commensurate with the post.

Essential Criteria

• Minimum of 2 years' experience in supporting children in an educational setting.
• Experience of working as part of a multi-agency team including Local Authority teams, especially Virtual Schools.
• A good understanding of IT and Microsoft office, and experience of using Excel.
• Experience and understanding of children's needs regarding SEND and trauma informed practice.
• Knowledge and experience of child protection practices.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Experience of multi-agency work.
• A commitment to improving the educational opportunities for children.
• Able to demonstrate an understand of the challenges faced by children, children and families facing a variety of issues e.g. family conflict, parenting approaches, disability, mental health and domestic abuse.
• Be based in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire or Derby to support community visits in the area.
• Have a full UK driving licence with unrestricted access to your own car.

Polaris Children's Services is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to complete an enhanced DBS Check, cost of which will be met by Polaris Children's Services. Polaris Children's Services is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates.