Virtual School 3-16 Education Advocate

Plymouth City Council; Plymouth; Hybrid; GBP 17,000 - 23,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Hybrid work model

Career development

Job summary

Plymouth City Council's Virtual School is seeking an Education Advocate to champion education for children in care.

You will manage a caseload of pupils across local and national schools, coordinate with schools, social care and youth professionals, and ensure Personal Education Plans are tailored to each child's needs.

The role is 14.8 hours weekly over 42 weeks, with hybrid working and a driving licence required.

Qualifications

• Sound understanding of the phases of education.
• Experience in school, social care or youth work.
• DBS check requirement (Children’s Barred List & Adults’ Barred List) or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of a caseload of pupils in local and national schools and ensure access to the right education.
• Collaborate with schools, social care and youth professionals to prioritise children's best interests.
• Manage financial resources to support schools and measure impact of the support.

Skills

Education advocacy

Caseload management

Stakeholder collaboration

Job description

• Please note, this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and we can only consider applicants with existing right to work in the UK.

• Please note, this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and we can only consider applicants with existing right to work in the UK.

Are you a passionate, knowledgeable, and pragmatic problem solver who’s ready to champion the education of children in care? The Virtual School is looking for a dedicated Education Advocate to join our team.

In this exciting role, you’ll take ownership of a ‘caseload’ of pupils who are attending schools both locally and across the country. Your mission? To ensure every child has access to the right education, is making strong progress, attending well, and benefits from a top-quality Personal Education Plan tailored to their needs.

You’ll be the driving force behind supporting these learners, working closely with schools, social care, and youth professionals - sometimes challenging them to put children’s best interests first. Plus, you’ll manage financial resources to back schools’ efforts and track the impact of this support to ensure it’s making a real difference.

If you have a sound understanding of the phases of education, the qualifications and experience in school, social care, or youth work, and you’re ready to make a positive impact, we’d love to hear from you!

This position is for 14.8 hours a week (across 3 days) and is for 42 weeks of the year (salary is pro-rata) aligning with term time working. The role requires a hybrid of home, office and educational setting working so a full driving licence and car access is required.

The Disclosure & Barring Service Check requirement for this post is: DBS Children’s Barred List & DBS Adult’s Barred List.

We are a flexible employer and provide a variety of working arrangements tailored to the needs of each role.

Plymouth City Council is an equal opportunities employer. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of age, care experience, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion/belief, sex or sexual orientation.

As part of our commitment to promoting equality we offer guaranteed interviews to those who meet the essential criteria and are considered disabled, care experienced or are an Armed Forces Service Leaver within the last two years.

We are a flexible employer and provide a variety of working arrangements tailored to the needs of each role.

Plymouth City Council is an equal opportunities employer. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of age, care experience, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion/belief, sex or sexual orientation.

As part of our commitment to promoting equality we offer guaranteed interviews to those who meet the essential criteria and are considered disabled, care experienced or are an Armed Forces Service Leaver within the last two years.

Plymouth City Council is proud to be an Age Friendly Employer. We encourage applications from talented people at every stage of their career.

For more information or an informal discussion please contact Joanna Burke, Deputy Headteacher of Virtual School - [e-mail]

Closing date: Monday 19 October 2026