Virtual School Education Officer – SO1

Job Title : Virtual School Education Officer – SO1
Job Category : Education (qualified)
Location : London Borough of Hillingdon, Uxbridge, London
Hours Per Week : 35.00
Start Date : Immediate Start
Start Time : 09:00
End Time : 17:00
Salary: £176.89 per day
We are looking to appoint a dynamic practitioner who has experience of working with vulnerable young people preferably in an education setting. We are seeking candidates who can demonstrate experience of working across the age range 2-18 and preferably have knowledge of working with Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children, those with Special Educational Needs, Children Missing from Education or those who are NEET. This is an exciting opportunity for a professional experienced in working with young people, to try something different, fulfilling and rewarding.

You will be in charge of a caseload of approximately 35 young people in the care of Hillingdon Local Authority and your job will be to ensure they have the support to overcome barriers to their learning so they achieve their full potential.

You will track and monitor their progress and attendance; you will lead their Personal Education Planning meetings and agree targets and action plans to support their education. In doing so, you will liaise closely with and support foster carers and residential home key workers, social workers, personal advisors and designated teachers/student support services in schools and colleges.

The successful candidate will have good knowledge of the English education system, including assessment across the Key Stages and post 16 pathways.

We are seeking someone who is passionate about enabling Looked After Children and Care Leavers to progress educationally in line with their non-looked after peers.
Our ideal person sticks to deadlines, thinks on their feet, is hardworking, supportive of staff and the team around the child, approachable and friendly. They will be excellent at managing a very busy schedule, organised and pro-active, especially in setting up enrichment activities for our young people. In relation to this role there may be occasional evening and weekend work and there is a need to travel depending on the location of the young people on your caseload.

ROLE PURPOSE:

To work closely with the Hillingdon Virtual School team and Headteacher to:

• Raise the attainment of Looked After Children and Care Leavers via a focus on admissions, attendance, attainment, progress, tuition, enrichment and promoting inclusion
• Hold a caseload of Looked After Children (placed in and out of borough) as decided by the Virtual School Headteacher
• Track the attainment and progress of all Looked After Children (from Nursery to age 18) on their caseload
• Raise the attainment of Looked After Children by chairing and producing high quality, timely Personal Education Plans (PEPs) and monitoring the progress and outcomes of PEP targets.
• Promote a multiagency approach to working with Looked After Children and Care Leavers, particularly in regards to their education
• Advise and support Care Leavers still in education, employment or training, as required
• Contribute to the provision of enrichment and extra-curricular learning activities for Looked After Children and Care Leavers
• Pro-actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with other agencies to ensure joined up services for Looked After Children and Care Leavers

Please note, the successful candidates will be employed on a term-time only basis.