Virtual School Inclusion Officer

About the role

Virtual School Inclusion Officer

Fixed Term, Term Time

Up to £37,427 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Closing Date: 24th May 2024

Please note that this is a Term Time only fixed term contract opportunity for a period of 12 months.

The Role

Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of 2 million residents, and has a very successful track record of delivering transformational change. ECC anticipated change was needed in the public sector and has worked to deliver better quality at lower cost. We have an ambitious transformation agenda – one with the scope to reach every part of the council. We are changing the way we think, the way we work, and the ways in which we deliver our services. We are committed to becoming a place where individuals, partners and communities feel proud to play their role and genuinely want to belong. We’re immensely proud of our flexible working options.

The Opportunity

The Virtual School Service work in designated localities with Children in Care (CiC) to improve the attendance and access to education. The Service supports other professionals working with children in their care, by sharing good practice relating to education.

The Virtual Schools Inclusion Officer will monitor suspensions of children in care, supporting or challenging schools and ensuring appropriate provision is put in place. Contributing to cross service arrangements to progress cases, working with other school managers, professionals and partners to remove barriers to education for children in care, reduce NEET and contribute to the Raising Participation Age strategy.

Supporting the work of the Children in Care Council, to ensure young people’s views are listened to and participating in opportunities for children in care to contribute to the planning and delivery of services.

Accountabilities

Partner with designated localities with the Inclusion team for CiC. Accountable for the improvement of the attendance and access to education for children in care within quadrant.
Responsible for monitoring and improving attendance, attainment and reducing suspensions through solution focused casework across designated localities, to narrow the gap in attainment and improve outcomes for children in care wherever they receive their education.
Use attendance data to identify children in care at risk of persistent absence and undertake appropriate casework action to improve their attendance and remove barriers to learning.
Influence school leaders and other professionals to progress individual cases to remove barriers to access to education.
Responsible for managing and escalating complex cases with the assigned quadrant, working closely with the Lead Inclusion Officer (VS) to reduce suspensions, raise attendance and reduce the number of CiC missing Education.
Contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of the compliance and quality of Personal Education Plans with regard to how they meet the needs of the specific child or young person, irrespective of where the child receives their education.
Provide advice, support and challenge to schools and other professionals on individual cases in order to improve attendance, attainment, reduce suspensions and improve outcomes for children in care.
Support the Head of Virtual Schools in driving forward cultural, workforce and other changes necessary to ensure services cohere around children and young people’s needs and secure improved outcomes.
Contribute to ECC’s action plan to support a reduction in permanent exclusions, support reintegration into mainstream education and referrals process where required to support CiC with SEND ensuring education programmes are implemented quickly.
Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

Educated to RQF level 3 (A level) or equivalent by experience with recent learning and development in relation to new initiatives and the needs of children in care.
Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge of legislation, regulations and guidance that relate to education, attendance and suspensions and how it relates to children in care.
Proven knowledge and successful experience of casework management in the area of attendance, access and removing barriers to education.
Successful evidence-based experience of undertaking casework to improve and resolve educational issues through a solution focused approach.
A sound understanding and knowledge of legislation, regulations and guidance that relates to education, attendance and exclusion and how it relates to children in care.
Ability to work in partnership with school managers advocating for CiC, providing advice, support or challenge, whilst maintaining a positive working relationship.
Evidence of working with school managers and governors on establishing and monitoring school improvement plans, including target setting and identifying improvement strategies for individual or groups of children.
Extensive experience of interagency working to achieve best outcomes for children in care.
A sound understanding of safeguarding issues and the SET procedures.

Interviews will be held in person on the 6th and 11th June at Ely House, Basildon.

The proposed start date for the vacancy is 2nd September 2024.

To read more about us please visit:Education

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

Why Essex? Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England’s oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest – Basildon and Harlow – are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

What you should do next

If you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the Working for Essex website.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community.

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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