Job Introduction
Caterham High is on a journey to excellence – are you coming?
If you believe passionately in the importance of strong safeguarding and pastoral care that keeps children and young people safe, we would like to hear from you.
Are you a recent graduate who wants to work in education? Have you experience of working in schools or EYFS? Have you worked previously with vulnerable young people?
We are looking for a talented and ambitious individual to make a substantial contribution to safeguarding all of our young people.
You will be able to work as part of a team but also on your own, you will be proactive and have a strong work ethic. This is an opportunity to play an active part in our school development. We want a dedicated, caring individual with a passion for changing the life chances of young people in a diverse, multi-cultural environment.
This is an Assistant role and offers an opportunity for a committed, motivated and passionate individual to train “on the job” to develop their knowledge and understanding of safeguarding within a school environment. The successful candidate will be trained in all aspects of becoming a competent safeguarding professional. The role offers the successful candidate a challenge that will be both rewarding and fulfilling. We welcome applications from those who are looking to further develop their career.
Caterham High School is on the next stage of our journey in pursuing excellence in every area of school life. If you would like to join us, working in an exciting period of development and change, then we would like to hear from you. We strive to achieve aspirational outcomes and provision for our children and young people, set within a culture of inclusion and high expectations.
We are justifiably proud of our recent ‘Good’ Ofsted judgement which recognised our positive learning environment, caring community and ‘strong culture of safeguarding’. Our high aspirations for all students were recognised by Ofsted through our commitment to provide an exceptional education for all of our students. We believe that every student has the potential to succeed, and we work hard to create an environment that fosters academic excellence and personal growth.
We are a values-driven community that upholds five core values as part of The Caterham Way: Believe, Connect, Innovate, Persevere, and Excel. These values serve as a guiding force for both staff and students, shaping the culture and environment of the school.
A key strength of Caterham High is our community. As an East London school we celebrate our diversity rigorously promoting inclusivity and equality. We believe that every student should feel valued and supported, and we work hard to create an environment where everyone feels safe and comfortable. Our students “conduct themselves in a calm and orderly manner around school and behave well in lessons” (Ofsted, June 2022).
We look to provide development and training opportunities for all staff. Appropriate training and guidance will be provided for this post holder so that they can fulfil all aspects of the role.
Caterham High School is well-equipped and has good facilities. We continually invest in technology and resources. We have excellent sports facilities, music rooms, and art studios; and classroom environments and staff areas are continually improved. We have two Provisions: one for Deaf children and one for children with Autism. We believe that our facilities are an essential component of our students' education, and we take pride in maintaining them to a high standard.
Our staff are well known as friendly and welcoming. The senior team seeks to support good health and wellbeing for all staff. There are staff activities such as football, badminton and textiles. Staff have free access to our fitness suite and free parking.
Main Responsibilities
- Be committed to the safeguarding of students, staff and the community, implementing best practice to do so
Support the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in all areas of safeguarding Promote safeguarding to the school community following school policy, procedure and practice
Act as a champion of the school’s inclusive ethos supporting other groups of staff as appropriate Develop understanding of, and be alert to, the specific needs of vulnerable students and encourage a culture of listening and considering students’ wishes and feelings To keep up to date with current safeguarding school policy, procedure and practice
- To support the cascading of information accordingly and under the direction of the DSL or DDSL
- To liaise with pastoral teams in school (e.g. Heads of Year and the Pastoral Care Centre) as part of the ongoing monitoring and support for students when there has been a safeguarding concern
- To act as a first point of contact for staff and external agencies for any safeguarding or protection concerns, providing timely, relevant support and advice as appropriate or with guidance from the DSL
Please see job description for full details
The Ideal Candidate
Caterham High School expects all staff to work effectively as part of a team or teams, delivering high quality education and support to staff and students. As a minimum this requires dealing with people politely and tactfully, communicating with colleagues and students both formally and informally (but professionally), offering guidance and information in accordance with school guidelines, policies and procedures when requested and contributing to the maintenance of the school environment. In order to do this, staff are expected to make themselves aware of the relevant policies and procedures. All staff are required to maintain confidentiality as required.
Please note, the school will assess applications immediately on application and reserves the right to interview and appoint a suitable candidate before the closing date, and/or shortlist via online activities.
The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Offer of a position is subject to receiving satisfactory references and an Enhanced DBS Clearance.
In accordance with KCSiE, Safer Recruitment Guidelines and Data Protection Guidelines, we reserve the right to use social media as part of our recruitment processes. Further details are available from the LGA guidance note. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact the School.
About the school/organisation
Caterham High School is a fantastic and fulfilling place to work. Staff here work tirelessly to ensure that the students in our care are happy, rounded individuals who achieve the best outcomes they can. We are a truly inclusive community school that believes in high aspirations for all. We seek to nurture children’s talents and abilities, and to help our young people become confident, mature and responsible members of society who are able to fulfil their ambitions.
Caterham High is in an exciting period of development as we look to challenge ourselves to excel in all areas of the curriculum and provision. We are ambitious to become an Outstanding school, building on our own best practice and also looking outward for innovation and advancement. We encourage our staff to develop their skills and proficiencies and so we have in place a strong CPD and professional development programme.
We have high expectations of our students in terms of behaviour, learning and achievement from our youngest students through to our mature sixth formers. Our thriving Sixth Form caters for the diverse community that we serve providing a range of subjects and qualifications to suit all abilities including engaging vocational and demanding academic qualifications.
If you relish the opportunity to join us in our expectations of excellence, if you welcome opportunities for innovation and challenge, if you are excited to make a difference to children’s lives, then we welcome your interest and look forward to your application.
Belinda Chapple, Headteacher
Package Description
Salary GBP £24,745 - £25,997 per year(LBR 5 scale points 12 to 15) plus benefits including:-
- Free on-site parking
- Free access to fitness suite
Hours of Work: 36 hrs per week / term time plus 10 directed days