Head of Safeguarding

Witherslack Group; Bristol; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

A specialist educational provider in England seeks a Designated Safeguarding Lead. This role focuses on child protection and safeguarding within the educational environment, working closely with staff, parents, and external agencies. Candidates must have over 3 years' experience in a similar position, a comprehensive CPD portfolio, and strong interpersonal skills. The position comes with a competitive salary, full school holidays, and various benefits including training and pension contributions.

Benefits

Full induction and on-the-job training

Flexible benefits including life insurance

Wellbeing tools and advice

Medical cover for optician and dentist

Discounts on facilities

£1,000 referral bonus

Matched contributory pension scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in a Designated Safeguarding Lead role is essential.
• Ability to develop strong relationships with children and parents.
• Knowledge of child protection procedures.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for safeguarding within the school.
• Liaise with agencies on matters of wellbeing and child protection.
• Support and advise team members on safeguarding.

Skills

Empathy

Interpersonal skills

Problem resolution

Safeguarding knowledge

Education

3+ years in Designated Safeguarding Lead role

Portfolio of CPD related to Safeguarding

Full UK driving license

Job description

Up to £45,091 + excellent Benefits

Please note the closing date for applications is Sunday 1st February, with shortlisting on Monday 2nd February. Interviews are currently scheduled for Friday 13th February, though these may be moved to Wednesday or Thursday.

Those Huge Small Victories

For children with complex, challenging needs, the level of care and education must go above and beyond and that’s what drives us here at Witherslack Group. With our high staff‑to‑child ratio and in‑house clinical teams, we’re proud to have won a reputation for excellence. Our aspirational homes, schools and ethos help us achieve the best possible outcomes. In short, we’re enhancing life opportunities. Our Designated Safeguarding Leads are a huge part of making sure our children and young people’s needs are fully recognised and comprehensively met.

Get out what you put in

You will work as part of the leadership team and report directly to the Head Teacher for this crucial role. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other members of the Witherslack Group team in different locations to enable you to progress and develop your skills and knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Take responsibility for safeguarding within the school, liaising daily with statutory and non‑statutory agencies, parents/carers and staff on matters of wellbeing, child protection and safeguarding.
• Provide great sources of support, advice and expertise to the team.

About the School

Our new Castlefell School is a purpose‑built, state‑of‑the‑art school, catering primarily for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs but also providing for children with autism who have moderate learning needs. The school provides education for up to 50 children aged 8 to 16.

This new exciting opportunity serves Rudgeway and the wider communities; you are at the heart of its development. Our aim is to ensure that every pupil has an outstanding educational experience with individual pupil progress and care at the heart of what is offered.

Benefits

We know you’re going to do great things. For your hard work and commitment, we reward you with the best salary and benefits package in the education sector. With us, you’ll get to bring learning to life and make a genuine difference to the lives of our young people – plus you’ll get:

• Training: A full induction and on‑the‑job training.
• Holiday: Full school holidays.
• Flexible benefits: Life insurance and other benefits that can be increased or decreased.
• Wellbeing: A host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance.
• Medical cover: Claim back the cost of optician or dentist appointments.
• Discounts: Beautiful working environments with the very best facilities.
• Refer a friend: £1,000 bonus every time.
• Pension: Contributory pension scheme – matched up to 5%.

Diversity and Inclusion

Bring your whole‑self to work. Our young people and their families come from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds and with different needs – and our workforce reflects that diversity, so that our teams can engage, encourage and inspire our young people to be themselves. As well as having at least 3 years’ experience in a Designated Safeguarding Lead role, we will also look for:

• A comprehensive portfolio of CPD related to Safeguarding and Child Protection.
• Outstanding interpersonal and problem resolution skills.
• A genuinely empathetic approach.
• Full UK driving licence.

Interested in joining us?

At Witherslack Group, inclusion is part of who we are. We’re committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, valued and that they truly belong.

As a specialist provider of education and care for children and young people with special educational needs, we understand the importance of embracing individuality and championing difference‑especially when it comes to neuro‑diversity. We celebrate diverse perspectives, lived experiences and the unique strengths that each person brings to our community.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and abilities. We are proud to be recognised as an inclusive employer and are committed to making our recruitment and workplace practices inclusive and accessible. If you need any adjustments to support you through the recruitment process or in the workplace, we’ll be there every step of the way.

By building a diverse and inclusive team, we’re better able to support the children, young people and families we serve and ensure every member of our team can thrive, grow and be their authentic self.

We are an equal‑opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (we will cover the cost) and an online search.