Safeguarding Officer

Inspiration Trust Ltd; Hethersett; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS pension

Health plan

Free parking

CPD opportunities

Job summary

Hethersett Academy is seeking a Safeguarding Officer to lead safety and welfare initiatives across the school, ensuring compliance with statutory and OFSTED safeguarding requirements. The role involves advising senior staff, monitoring safeguarding arrangements and coordinating multi-agency training.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to child welfare, confidentiality, and collaborative engagement with parents and external authorities.

Qualifications

• Experience of safeguarding practice and national legislation.
• Experience of multi-agency working.
• Excellent initiative and communication skills.
• Ability to deal methodically with unexpected problems and situations.

Responsibilities

• Promoting the safety and welfare of children.
• Promoting good safeguarding practice across the school and ensuring OFSTED-compliant safeguarding requirements.
• Providing advice and challenge on safeguarding arrangements to SLT and staff.
• Monitoring safeguarding training for staff at all levels.
• Attending safeguarding meetings as required.

Skills

Safeguarding practice

Multi-agency working

Initiative & communication

Problem solving

Education

GCSE English & Maths (C or above)

Job description

Job Overview

Hethersett Academy is seeking an inspiring, innovative and dedicated Safeguarding Officer to join our team; a leader who shares our belief that all pupils have the right to succeed and have access to the very best education.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Promoting the safety and welfare of children
• Promoting good practice in safeguarding across the school and ensuring compliance with statutory and OFSTED safeguarding requirements
• Ensuring and monitoring the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements, providing advice, support and challenge as appropriate
• Providing support and advice to SLT and designated staff on aspects of safeguarding case work and practice
• Monitoring and tracking safeguarding and multi-agency training for staff at all levels
• Attending safeguarding meetings as required

The successful candidate will be deeply committed to child welfare, offering a non-judgmental, caring presence so that vulnerable students feel safe enough to share sensitive disclosures. You must be able to maintain confidentiality while remaining an open figure students and staff feel comfortable confiding in. You will also be able to navigate difficult conversations with parents, staff members, and external authorities, while keeping a polite, reasonable, and highly collaborative approach.

Essential

• Minimum GCSE English and Maths (grade C or above) or equivalent
• Experience of safeguarding practice and national legislation
• Experience of multi-agency working
• Excellent initiative and communication skills
• Ability to deal methodically with unexpected problems and situations

Desirable

• Designated Safeguarding Training or appropriate training for Child Protection
• Experience of delivering training

At Inspiration Trust, we believe in the power of education to transform lives. You’ll be joining a supportive, forward-thinking organisation that values professional development, collaboration, and innovation. We provide opportunities for growth and empower you to make a real impact in schools across Norfolk and north Suffolk. As part of our thriving network of talented teachers, leaders, and support staff, you’ll receive a varied professional development programme designed to help you be the best you can be.

Hethersett Academy is one of East Anglia’s top-performing schools, rated Outstanding by Ofsted in all areas. Inspectors have highlighted how much pupils value their education at the academy – “Pupils flourish at this school. They attend regularly, arrive on time and present themselves impeccably. Pupils respect each other and their surroundings. Bullying is rare. Pupils know that if bullying does happen, staff deal with it effectively and promptly. Pupils have very high expectations of their own and others’ behaviour. They value every minute of learning time.” A growing village school with a strong history in the local community, Hethersett Academy is conveniently located just off the A11, making it a popular choice for families in Wymondham, south Norwich, and the surrounding areas. We are part of the Inspiration Trust; a thriving family of schools across Norfolk and North Suffolk, recognised nationally for pupil progress and excellence in teaching and leadership. We believe every young person deserves the best education, regardless of background. Inspiration Trust specialises in transforming schools in disadvantaged areas and taking academies from failing to outstanding. The Trust offers extensive networks and opportunities to collaborate with a diverse range of schools and partners. We are committed to delivering outstanding professional and learning opportunities for all staff, supported by a rich programme of continuing professional development led by some of the country’s leading educational thinkers and practitioners. Hethersett Academy is rated Outstanding by Ofsted. The academy inspected in January 2016 when it was ranked as Outstanding in every area assessed. Since then, the school has doubled in size and a Section 8 inspection in September 2022 resulted in another Outstanding rating.

Salary: Support Staff Pay Scale E: £24,376 to £25,982 pro-rated per annum (Actual) (£27,274 - £29,071 full time/full year equivalent) Permanent Full Time: 37 hours per week over 5 days from Monday to Friday Working Weeks: 40 weeks Start Date: December 2026 or January 2027, Generous annual leave, and access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with excellent employer contributions - Health Plan and Employee Assistance Programme, including 24/7 virtual GP access, mental health support and claim-back options for healthcare costs

• - Cycle-to-work scheme, retail and theatre discounts (including discounted shopping vouchers, dentist and gym memberships), and salary sacrifice options (including home technology).
• - Free parking at most sites - Personalised CPD and development programmes - A structured and specific induction programme.