Admissions & Referrals Manager / Officer

Tradewind Recruitment LTD.; Accrington; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary up to £35,000 per year

25–28 days holiday plus bank holidays

Company pension

Life assurance

Free on-site parking

Job summary

Tradewind Recruitment LTD. is seeking an organised Admissions and Referrals Officer to oversee pupil intake across its independent provisions in Accrington.

The role connects Local Authorities, caseworkers, families, and school leads to move prospective pupils from inquiry to enrolled start date. Key duties include managing referrals, EHCP casework reviews, statutory timelines, family tours and assessments, and end-to-end enrolment logistics with safeguarding compliance.

Qualifications

• Sector experience in managing admissions or referrals in independent setting or SEN commissioning.
• Solid understanding of EHCP structures and LA consultation procedures.
• Polished stakeholder management with sensitivity to family conversations and LA commissioners.
• Proficiency with school management systems and CRM/pipeline tracking software.

Responsibilities

• Referral & Consultation Management: handle incoming placement referrals from Local Authorities and private applicants.
• EHCP & Casework Review with leadership to assess suitability and support tiers.
• Coordinate timely responses to statutory consultations and draft placement offers.
• Host parent tours, open mornings, and assessment days for prospective pupils.
• Manage onboarding, induction, and ensure medical, transport, and contracts are in place before start date.
• Maintain capacity tracking, roll projections, and waiting lists; report to Executive Board weekly.
• Ensure admissions procedures comply with ISSR, GDPR and safeguarding protocols.

Skills

Admissions experience

Client relations

Stakeholder management

CRM/pipeline management

Commercial awareness

Tools

Engage

SIMS

ISAMS

Arbor

Job description

An established Independent School Trust based in Accrington is seeking an organised, proactive, and commercially astute Admissions and Referrals Officer to oversee pupil intake across its independent provisions. Unlike a standard local authority multi-academy trust, this independent trust manages bespoke placements funded both through Local Authority commissioning (SEN / EHCP consultations) and direct admissions. Operating from central offices in Accrington, you will act as the operational bridge connecting commissioning local authorities, caseworkers, parents, clinical/pastoral leads, and headteachers to steer prospective pupils smoothly from initial inquiry to enrolled start date.

Key Responsibilities

• Referral & Consultation Management: Act as the first port of call for incoming placement referrals from Local Authorities across the North West (Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen, Greater Manchester) and private applicants.
• EHCP & Casework Review: Assess documentation, educational psychology reports, and Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) alongside school leadership and therapeutic leads to establish suitability and support tiers.
• Statutory Timelines & Commissioning: Coordinate timely responses to statutory local authority consultations, draft formal placement offers, and support fee schedule proposals or bespoke costing agreements.
• Family Tours & Pupil Assessments: Arrange and host parent visits, open mornings, and pupil taster/assessment days, providing an informative, welcoming, and reassuring presence throughout.
• Transition & Enrolment Logistics: Manage the complete onboarding and induction process, ensuring all emergency contacts, medical records, transport arrangements, and contractual agreements are finalized prior to the child's start date.
• Occupancy Tracking & Reporting: Maintain accurate live capacity tracking, roll projections, and waiting list data across all sites within the Trust, delivering weekly pipeline reports to the Executive Board.
• Safeguarding & Compliance: Ensure all admissions procedures comply fully with the Independent School Standards Regulations (ISSR), GDPR, and local safeguarding protocols.

Candidate Requirements

• Sector Experience: Prior background managing admissions, student recruitment, or referral casework within an independent school, specialist independent setting, or local authority SEN commissioning team.
• EHCP & Placement Literacy: Solid understanding of EHCP structures, Local Authority consultation procedures, and the funding/commissioning mechanisms typical of independent provisions.
• Client & Parent Relations: Polished stakeholder management skills with the emotional intelligence to navigate sensitive family conversations and the commercial awareness to liaise effectively with LA SEN commissioners.
• Systems Proficiency: High competence with school management systems (Engage, SIMS, ISAMS, Arbor) and CRM/pipeline tracking software.
• Working Pattern: Comfortable with a full-time, all-year-round schedule to ensure admissions coverage during school holidays when key placement decisions and September intakes are finalized.

Package & Benefits

• Full-year salary up to £35,000.
• Generous holiday allowance (25-28 days plus bank holidays).
• Company pension scheme and life assurance.
• Free on-site parking at the Accrington central hub.
• Clear career progression paths within an expanding independent education provider.