Virtual School Education Officer - Internal applicants only

What will you be doing?

As a Virtual School Education Officer, you will play a key role in improving the educational outcomes, attendance, attainment and aspirations of children in care and care leavers across Northamptonshire. You will work collaboratively with schools, education settings, social care professionals, carers and partner agencies to ensure that children and young people receive high-quality educational support and are able to fulfil their potential.

You will provide support, challenge and professional advice to schools and education settings, helping them to meet their statutory responsibilities and deliver effective provision for children in care and care leavers. You will monitor and quality assure Personal Education Plans (PEPs), ensuring that educational planning is ambitious, child-centred and focused on improving outcomes.

You will champion the voice, views and aspirations of children and young people, ensuring these are reflected within educational planning and decision-making. Working closely with professionals and carers, you will identify and help remove barriers to learning, engagement and progression.

You will develop positive relationships with schools, carers, social workers and partner agencies, promoting best practice and driving improvements in educational achievement, attendance and wellbeing. You will also contribute to projects, interventions and enrichment opportunities designed to enhance educational engagement and support successful transitions into post-16 education, employment and training.

In addition, you will design and deliver training, advice and guidance to professionals, sharing effective practice and increasing understanding of the educational needs of children in care, including the impact of attachment and trauma on learning and development. You may also provide leadership and line management support within the Virtual School, contributing to service development and continuous improvement.

About you

We are looking for a passionate, motivated and solution-focused professional who is committed to improving the life chances of children in care and care leavers. You will have experience of working within education, children's services or a related field and a strong understanding of the factors that influence educational outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.

You will need:

• A degree-level qualification or substantial relevant experience supporting vulnerable children and young people within education or related services.
• Significant knowledge of education systems and settings, with the ability to provide effective support, challenge and advice to education professionals.
• Knowledge and understanding of the experiences, needs and entitlements of children in care and care leavers, including the impact of trauma and adversity on learning and development.
• Experience of successfully improving outcomes for vulnerable learners, particularly children in care and care leavers.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage effectively with children, carers, social workers, schools and partner agencies.
• The ability to review educational provision critically, identify areas for improvement and work collaboratively to secure positive change.
• Experience of delivering training, guidance or professional development opportunities to a range of audiences.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data and use evidence to drive improvement and report on outcomes.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• A commitment to safeguarding, inclusion and ensuring every child has the opportunity to achieve their potential.

Our benefits

Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we’re transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people.

You’ll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you think!

Why choose us?

We offer a vibrant working environment with:

• a competitive salary
• a pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.
• lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council
• generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days
• hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work-life balance.

We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.

About us

Our Values and Behaviours

Our values define who we are and how we operate, by forming the foundation for how we interact with our customers, colleagues and provide our services. They are also at the forefront of our decision making and delivery and are:

Customer-focused
Respectful
Efficient
Supportive
Trustworthy

Our key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.

Disability Confident Employer

We are proud to be a recognised Disability Confident Employer and is committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.  

Our Employment and Disability Service provides bespoke support to individuals facing barriers to employment, helping them work towards their goals to start, stay and succeed in employment. For further information please click here The Employment and Disability Service (EADS) | North Northamptonshire Council

Armed Forces Community 

The council obtained the Gold status award for the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS).

Further information can be found at Jobs and careers | North Northamptonshire Council (northnorthants.gov.uk)