Head of Year (Non-Teaching)

Airedale Academy; Wheldon; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Airedale Academy within Castleford Trust seeks a dedicated pastoral leader to work with Year Leaders in shaping the pastoral system and supporting the Year Group. You will engage with assemblies, parental events and safeguarding commitments, while promoting pupil wellbeing and high standards of conduct.

You will collaborate with teams across the academy to monitor attendance, behaviour and rewards, and you will foster aspirational progress for every pupil.

Qualifications

• Strong pastoral skills and safeguarding awareness.
• Ability to form effective working relationships with pupils, parents and staff.
• Emotional resilience when engaging with challenging behaviours.
• Commitment to academy values and aspirational progress for every pupil.

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to the strategic leadership of the pastoral system across the Academy.
• Act as a role model for the designated year group and support parent events and communications.
• Monitor attendance, behaviour for learning and rewards in partnership with Year Leaders.
• Promote safeguarding and child protection policies and uphold health and wellbeing of pupils.
• Support pupils to make aspirational academic and personal progress.

Skills

Pastoral skills

Emotional resilience

Relationship building

Teamwork

Job description

The successful candidate will:

• Work alongside Year Leaders to contribute towards strategic leadership of the pastoral system across the Academy.
• Act as a figurehead for the designated year group, supporting assemblies, organisation of parents’ evenings and after-hours meetings where the important relationship between the Academy and home is at the forefront of activities taking place.
• Work alongside Year Leaders in the strategic planning, leadership and decision making for the Academy/Trust and to liaise with the relevant teams across the Academy to monitor attendance, rewards, behaviour for learning and to foster positive competition between form groups.
• Encourage pupils to interact and work cooperatively and engage all pupils with their learning.
• Undertake safeguarding training to Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) level and actively contribute as a member of the academy safeguarding team.
• Support all pupils to make aspirational academic and personal progress as specified by baseline data and other information.
• Assume pastoral responsibility for the Year Group.
• Act as a role model in terms of conduct, dress and professionalism and set the highest possible standards of expectations.
• Uphold and promote the Academy’s child protection and safeguarding policies and procedures and ensure they are adhered to by all staff.
• Promote the health, safety, and wellbeing of pupils.

You will be:

• Able to work flexibly and constructively as part of a team, understanding Academy roles and responsibilities and your own position within these.
• Able to form strong and effective working relationships.
• Positive and have a caring approach to pupils and excellent pastoral skills.
• Able to demonstrate emotional resilience when working with challenging behaviours and still retain a sense of humour.
• Committed to Airedale Academy values.
• Committed to achieving the best for every pupil.
• Supportive of the Academy’s ethos and values at all times both within the Academy and the wider community.
• Able to provide an active contribution to the wider part of Academy life.

As a valued colleague within our Trust, you can expect:

• Unwavering support and a culture of collaboration: you will benefit from exceptional support from our executive leaders, leadership teams and dedicated Trust specialists across key areas including curriculum development, safeguarding, inclusion, governance, HR, finance, estates, IT and compliance. At Castleford Trust collaboration is at the heart of everything we do - your success is our shared success.
• Wellbeing and Community: from Day 1 your wellbeing matters to us. You will have access to our Employee Assistance Programme for you and your family members. Throughout our local community you will be able to join local fitness and swimming facilities at a discounted rate, and each year be able to take advantage of our onsite health checks. We regularly review and update our services to meet the needs of colleagues at all stages in their life and careers.
• Working together to achieve excellence for all: all the academies within the Trust have a strong moral purpose and seek to have a positive impact on the communities that they serve and to support families to overcome any social disadvantage. We are deeply committed to our values of Care, Aspire and Succeed and have very high expectations and aspirations for pupils and colleagues alike.

Closing date for Applications:

Providing suitable interest, the closing date for applications is 8.00 am on Monday 2nd November 2026 with interviews taking place on Friday 6th November 2026.

References:

References will be taken up shortly after shortlisting and prior to interview using the contact details you supply on your application.

Equal Opportunities:

Castleford Trust is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnership. Castleford Trust welcomes applications from anyone who meets the criteria for the role.