Student Support Lead

S Knights Recruitment; Bury St Edmunds; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

S Knights Recruitment is seeking a Student Support Lead for a Study Programme role in Ipswich. You will oversee pastoral care, safeguarding, attendance and wellbeing, while directly supporting learners and leading a dedicated Student Support team.

You will develop and implement strategies to improve learner welfare, engagement and progression, working with education staff and external partners to ensure inclusive, safe learning environments.

Qualifications

• Experience in student support, pastoral care or learner welfare.
• Experience in education, FE, post-16, or Study Programme environments.
• Strong safeguarding, wellbeing, and attendance intervention skills.
• Ability to lead a team and manage safeguarding and welfare records.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Student Support team with coaching and reviews.
• Provide direct pastoral support covering personal, academic, financial and wellbeing concerns.
• Monitor safeguarding and welfare concerns with appropriate referrals and records.
• Analyse learner attendance and implement interventions to reduce absence.
• Collaborate with delivery teams on learner engagement and induction.
• Chair regular Student Support meetings and contribute to policy updates.

Skills

Pastoral care

Student support

Safeguarding

Attendance management

Team leadership

Communication

IAG/CEIAG

Stakeholder collaboration

Job description

Student Support Lead - Study Programme & Pastoral Care

Location: Ipswich, Suffolk

Salary: £14 - £16 Per Hour

Contract: Full-Time

The Opportunity

We are looking for an experienced Student Support Lead to provide and oversee high-quality pastoral support for learners undertaking Study Programmes.

This is a hands-on leadership role combining student support, pastoral care, safeguarding, attendance, wellbeing and team management. You will provide direct support to learners while leading the Student Support team to ensure concerns are identified, managed and followed through effectively.

The role would suit someone with experience supporting young people in an education, FE, post-16, Study Programme or pastoral environment, who can build strong relationships with learners while confidently managing safeguarding, attendance and welfare concerns.

About the Organisation

Our client operates within the education and skills sector, supporting young people through Study Programme provision and helping learners access the support they need to succeed.

The organisation places strong emphasis on learner welfare, safeguarding, inclusion, attendance and positive outcomes, with a collaborative approach across education, delivery and student support teams.

The Role

• Lead and manage the Student Support team, providing guidance, one-to-ones, reviews, CPD and ongoing support.
• Provide direct pastoral and student support covering personal, academic, financial, disability, learning difficulty, mental health and wellbeing concerns.
• Monitor and respond to safeguarding and welfare concerns, ensuring appropriate actions, referrals and records are completed in line with policies and procedures.
• Monitor, analyse and report on learner attendance and punctuality, identifying trends and implementing interventions to reduce persistent absence.
• Work closely with the wider delivery team on learner engagement, interviews, initial assessment, induction and ongoing support.
• Provide information, advice and guidance (IAG/CEIAG) throughout the learner journey and attend EHCP reviews and relevant meetings.
• Build effective relationships with external agencies including Social Workers, Young Persons Workers, Family Support and Mental Health services.
• Chair regular Student Support meetings covering attendance, punctuality, safeguarding, wellbeing and learner concerns.
• Work with the Head of Education and DSL to ensure student support, safeguarding and related policies and practices remain effective and up to date.
• Contribute to learner progress reporting, support materials and the wider development of an inclusive, safe and positive learning environment.

The Ideal Candidate

• Experience in student support, pastoral care, learner support, student welfare or a similar role within education or training.
• Experience supporting young people, ideally within post-16, FE, Study Programme or a similar educational environment.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding, Prevent, wellbeing, equality and diversity and the support needs of young people.
• Experience managing or supporting groups of students and dealing sensitively with welfare and pastoral concerns.
• Experience monitoring attendance, punctuality and learner engagement, with the ability to implement appropriate interventions.
• Strong communication, listening, coaching, influencing and problem-solving skills.
• Experience managing or developing a team, including one-to-ones, performance support and CPD.
• Understanding of SEND and EHCPs, with experience working alongside families and external support services desirable.
• Good administrative, ICT, organisational and reporting skills, with the ability to work independently and as part of a wider education team.

Why Apply?

• Lead a dedicated Student Support and Pastoral Care function within Study Programme provision.
• Combine hands-on learner support with team leadership and development.
• Make a direct impact on learner wellbeing, attendance, engagement and educational inclusion.
• Work across key areas including safeguarding, SEND, attendance, wellbeing and CEIAG.
• Opportunity to contribute to continuous improvement and the development of learner support practices.
• Work within a collaborative education environment focused on learner welfare and positive outcomes.