Pastoral Leader

North East Combined Authority; Sunderland; Hybrid; GBP 33,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave increasing to 28

Local Government Pension Scheme access

Training and development opportunities

Cycle to work scheme

Job summary

Aspire North East Multi Academy Trust is seeking a committed Pastoral Leader to join the Pastoral team and support pupils across Key Stage 3 and 4. You will work to ensure positive welfare, attendance, and personal development, collaborating with staff across the Trust.

The role emphasises safeguarding responsibilities, leadership of a proactive team, and building strong relationships with students, families and local partners.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a pastoral team in a school or trust setting.
• Commitment to safeguarding and cross-agency working.
• DBS checks and safeguarding procedures knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Pastoral team to support pupils in Key Stage 3 and 4.
• Maintain high standards of attendance, achievement, behaviour and attitudes to learning.
• Collaborate with staff across academies to improve life chances for disadvantaged pupils.

Skills

Pastoral leadership

Team leadership

Safeguarding

Education

Experience in safeguarding training

Job description

We are a family of academies who share one vision:

To provide the highest quality education for young people in the communities we serve.

Our vision goes beyond our own Trust. We want to contribute to the broader regeneration of our region by empowering our students to have high aspirations, achieve excellent outcomes and enjoy learning.

We aim to achieve our vision by being an excellent employer who ensures that all staff within and across our academies work together with high levels of moral integrity. We base every decision around one fundamental question: how will things improve for our young people as a result of this?

Our Academies share one vision and implement the same policies, but we are proud that each has its own unique identity. Staff collaborate within and across academies. We are committed to continually developing all staff so that they have high levels of satisfaction and are motivated to provide the best possible teaching and support to our students. We have the organisational expertise to support our academies and to support the sustainable growth of the Trust.

We are committed to the recruitment, retention and development of excellent staff, who are passionate about building positive relationships and improving the life chances of our young people.

Our academies recognise the huge potential in our students; we have high expectations and insist on high standards for all. Both academies have significant strengths which have been celebrated by Ofsted:

Southmoor (Ofsted September 2022):

Leaders at Southmoor Academy have created a welcoming culture with high ambition for the pupils. Pupils and teachers get along very well. Behaviour in school is positive. There is very little low-level disruption. This means that teachers can teach uninterrupted. Staff enjoy working at the school and they are proud to work here. There is a strong sense of teamwork. Staff recognise the efforts that leaders have made to manage workload.

Southmoor 16-19 study:

Students are mature and sensible. Current students in Years 12 and 13 are making good progress on their chosen courses because teaching is consistently good and members of staff are on hand to support them every step of the way.

Sandhill View (September 2025):

Pupils, including the most vulnerable, speak powerfully and with warmth about the positive impact of the school’s work. Trust and school leaders act in pupils’ best interests. Leaders are high profile around the school. They are welcoming to pupils and model the positive, consistent approach that they expect of staff. This has helped leaders to build a staff team that fully embraces the trust and school ethos that if ‘you get it right for the most vulnerable you get it right for everyone’. Pupils appreciate the support and care that they receive. As one pupil commented, ‘No matter who you are, you get support at this school.’

Post: Pastoral Leader

Starting date: As soon as possible

Salary: Scale Point 18 - 22 £32,578 - £34,811 per annuum

Location: Southmoor Academy

Contract type: Full-time

Contract Term: Permanent

We are seeking a committed and proactive professional to join our Pastoral team in supporting pupils in Key Stage 3 and 4. This crucial post involves ensuring positive outcomes for pupil welfare and personal development.

Maintaining high standards of attendance, achievement, behaviour, and attitudes to learning are key priorities. The position would be suited to someone with proven experience of leading a team and working with young people in a pastoral capacity in a school environment. However, a genuine interest in making a real difference to the life chances of disadvantaged youngsters and the resilience required to do so, is more important than school experience. Teachers or non-teachers are welcome to apply.

We can offer:

• 25 days annual leave increasing to 28 days leave with 5 years continuous service


• access to Local Government Pension Scheme and associated benefits with options for Additional Voluntary Contributions


• access to training and development opportunities


• cycle to work scheme

Closing date for receipt of applications is 9.00 am on Monday 16th November 2026

Aspire North East Multi Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to appropriate safer recruitment and pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check with children's barred list information where appropriate.

This post carries safeguarding responsibilities as outlined in the job description and person specification and is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Certain convictions and cautions are protected and do not need to be disclosed, in accordance with the relevant filtering rules.