Virtual School Officer - London Borough of Hillingdon : Job Details

Job Title: Virtual School Officer

Location: Uxbridge, London

Salary: £37,068 - £38,058 per annum

Job type: Full Time, Fixed Term

Hours: 36 Hours per week

About the role:

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the London Borough of Hillingdon as a Virtual School Officer. We are looking for a committed and passionate individual to work collaboratively with the Virtual School team and Headteacher to improve educational outcomes for children known to Social Care. The role will focus on key areas including admissions, attendance, attainment, progress, tuition, enrichment, and promoting inclusion.

You will be responsible for managing a caseload of Looked After Children, tracking their educational progress from Early Years through to post-16 education, ensuring they receive the necessary support to achieve their potential.

Key Responsibilities:

· Drive improvements in attainment and progress for children known to Social Care, ensuring their access to high-quality education and support.

· Oversee key areas including admissions, attendance, tuition, enrichment activities, and inclusion initiatives.

· Manage a caseload of Looked After Children, tracking their progress and attainment to inform targeted support and intervention.

· Support the development and implementation of policies and procedures that promote the educational success of children known to Social Care.

· Deliver training and guidance to school staff, social workers, foster carers, key workers, and wider stakeholders to enhance their understanding of the needs of Looked After Children.

· Plan and coordinate enrichment and extra-curricular learning opportunities to support the holistic development of children and young people.

· Build and maintain effective working relationships with partner agencies, ensuring a joined-up approach to service delivery for children known to Social Care.

· Provide support to Virtual School Lead Practitioners in delivering their specialist areas of responsibility.

· Contribute to the ongoing development and strategic direction of the Hillingdon Virtual School.

About You:

Qualifications and Experience:

· A degree or equivalent qualification.

· Minimum of one year's experience within the UK education system, Virtual School, or an education support service.

· Experience of working with vulnerable children or young people, including those with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and/or English as an Additional Language (EAL).

· Strong understanding of the key issues affecting the education of children known to Social Care.

· Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Access.

Skills and Competencies:

· A proactive and positive approach to problem-solving with a "can-do" attitude.

· Ability to work flexibly and respond effectively to changing priorities.

· Strong teamwork and communication skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with a range of stakeholders.

· A commitment to excellent customer service and engaging with key client groups to support children's education.

· Ability to engage directly with children and young people, providing support within their educational settings.

About Us:

We value our employees and are committed to ensuring that they enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career with us. We understand that a happy and motivated workforce is essential for the success of our organisation. That is why we offer a wide range of employee benefits to enhance your work-life balance, financial wellbeing, health, and professional development.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement:

At the London Borough of Hillingdon, we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace.

This commitment means that all employees, job applicants and others who work for us will be treated fairly.

The aim is for our workforce to be representative of all sections of society and Hillingdon residents so we welcome applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds.

We strive to ensure that our recruitment process is free from discrimination and bias, and we are dedicated to providing reasonable adjustments to applicants with disabilities.

Join us in building a workplace where everyone feels respected, able to give their best and be themselves at work, whilst contributing meaningfully to our organisation's success.

Additional Information:

Due to an expected high volume of applications, we could close this role early, we therefore recommend you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Please click APPLY to be redirected to the council's website to complete your application.

Candidates with experience or relevant job titles of; Social Care, Adult Social Worker, SEN Support, Educational Needs Support Officer, Learning Assistant, SEN Support, Virtual Learning may also be considered for this role.