Pastoral Support Worker

Kedleston Group; Peacehaven; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

An educational organization in Peacehaven is seeking a Pastoral Support Worker to join their team. This role focuses on supporting vulnerable students with social, emotional, and mental health needs. Responsibilities include providing direct support, building relationships with students and families, and promoting wellbeing. Ideal candidates will have experience with children in an educational setting, strong communication skills, and a compassionate approach. This position is vital for fostering a supportive environment where students feel safe and motivated to succeed.

Qualifications

• Must have a strong understanding of safeguarding responsibilities in education.
• Calm, patient and trauma-informed approach required.
• Confidence in undertaking home visits is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct pastoral support to students using trauma-informed approaches.
• Support emotional regulation and social skills of students.
• Build positive relationships with parents and carers.
• Promote a strong culture of safeguarding and wellbeing.

Skills

Experience with children or young people

Understanding social, emotional and behavioural needs

Communication skills

De-escalation skills

Building trusting relationships

Teamwork

Education

Experience in educational or alternative provision settings

Job description

PASTORAL SUPPORT WORKER

Wings School Notts

About the Role

We are seeking a compassionate, resilient and motivated Pastoral Support Worker to join our pastoral team at Wings School Notts. Working under the direction of the Pastoral Manager, you will play a vital role in supporting the wellbeing, engagement and personal development of children and young people with SEMH and ASC needs.

This role is central to ensuring students feel safe, understood and supported both in school and, where appropriate, beyond the school environment. You will work directly with students who may struggle with attendance, behaviour, emotional regulation or engagement with learning, delivering targeted pastoral support that helps them re‑engage and thrive. You will also work closely with families, including undertaking home visits and supporting flexible and personalised learning arrangements.

Key Responsibilities

Student Support

• Provide direct pastoral support to students on a one-to-one and small group basis, using trauma‑informed, restorative and relational approaches.
• Support students with emotional regulation, social skills, behaviour and wellbeing, helping them to access learning successfully.
• Build positive, trusting relationships with students, acting as a consistent and safe adult within the school.
• Support students on flexible learning plans, including reintegration programmes, part‑time timetables or alternative learning arrangements.
• Assist students during periods of transition, crisis or heightened emotional need, using de‑escalation strategies and positive behaviour support.

Attendance, Engagement and Behaviour

• Support the monitoring and improvement of attendance, punctuality and engagement.
• Work proactively with students who are persistently absent or at risk of disengagement, identifying barriers and supporting re‑engagement.
• Contribute to personalised support plans and behaviour interventions under the guidance of the Pastoral Manager.

Working with Families

• Build strong, respectful and trusting relationships with parents and carers.
• Maintain regular communication with families to share progress, concerns and strategies for supporting students.
• Undertake home visits (where appropriate) to support attendance, wellbeing, engagement and safeguarding.
• Act as a supportive link between home and school, ensuring families feel heard, valued and informed.

Safeguarding and Wellbeing

• Promote a strong culture of safeguarding and wellbeing in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.
• Report concerns promptly and accurately in line with school safeguarding procedures.
• Support students with identified safeguarding or wellbeing needs, working closely with the DSL team.

Collaboration and Multi‑Agency Working

• Work closely with teaching staff, the Pastoral Manager and wider school team to provide consistent and joined‑up support.
• Contribute to meetings, reviews and planning around students’ pastoral and learning needs.
• Support liaison with external professionals and agencies as required.

School Community

• Model positive behaviour, professionalism and high expectations at all times.
• Promote inclusion, respect and equality, challenging discrimination in all its forms.
• Contribute to a nurturing, calm and supportive school environment.

What We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience working with children or young people, ideally within an educational, SEMH, ASC or alternative provision setting.
• A strong understanding of the social, emotional and behavioural needs of vulnerable learners.
• The ability to build positive, trusting relationships with students who may be anxious, disengaged or distressed.
• Experience working with families, including confidence in undertaking home visits.
• A calm, patient and trauma‑informed approach, with effective de‑escalation skills.
• A good understanding of safeguarding responsibilities within an education setting.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Resilience, flexibility and a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for young people.

Our School Community

At Wings School Notts, relationships are at the heart of everything we do. We are proud of our inclusive, therapeutic approach and our close partnership with families. The Pastoral Support Worker will play a key role in ensuring students feel supported, understood and empowered to succeed, both academically and personally.

Join Us

We are committed to safeguarding and protecting children and we expect all colleagues to share this commitment. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work with children are recruited to work for us. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020 and is subject to a range of vetting checks including a criminal records disclosure.

We are a disability confident committed and equal opportunities employer, welcoming applications from all sections of the community.

If you are passionate about supporting vulnerable young people, committed to inclusive practice and eager to make a meaningful difference in students’ lives, we would be delighted to hear from you.

This job description is current at the date shown, but, in consultation with you, may be changed to reflect or anticipate changes in the job commensurate with the grade and job title.