About Us

Virtual School Advisory Teacher (Children with a Social Worker)
£40,854 - £49,503 per annum (PO3)
Fixed Term (until 31 March 2025)
Full Time (36 Hours)        
Wandsworth

Are you an experienced teacher who enjoys partnership working with schools and providing targeted advice, guidance and training to social workers and multi-agency practitioners? Wandsworth Virtual School has responsibility for ensuring that all looked after children and care leavers aged 3 to 25 years are supported to achieve academic success and progress in their learning. When joining Virtual School, you will be part of a dynamic area of work supporting the extended duties of the Virtual School Headteacher in relation to promoting education outcomes for children who are subject to a child in need or child protection plan aged 0-18 years. Can you work closely with social workers and practitioners to support these children and young people to be in school every day and achieve academic success? 

About the role
Reporting to the Senior Advisory Teacher, you will draw on your strong knowledge of safeguarding in schools and education interventions to enable the attainment gap for vulnerable learners to be narrowed. This will also ensure that strengthened partnership working between key partners and schools secures better planning for vulnerable pupils. You will apply your proven experience of working alongside schools in raising attainment for children with a Social Worker, including those with special educational needs. 

As a dynamic professional with excellent knowledge of safeguarding in schools, you will navigate the multi-professional network to overcome barriers to learning and progress. You will challenge professionally across the network where pupils are at risk of under-achievement or insufficient access to appropriate education opportunities.

You will be mainly based in Wandsworth although you may be required to travel across London. Part of your role will include leading and co-facilitating training or wider enrichment that may take place after school and occasionally on weekends.

Essential Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• You will have Qualified Teacher Status and be educated to degree level 2:2 or above.
• Have proven knowledge of education systems in schools, assessment frameworks and how to challenge under-achievement.
• A strong understanding of child development, attachment, trauma and its impact.
• Clear understanding of the barriers children with a Social Worker may experience in accessing their learning.
• Effective team player with the experience of compiling professional reports for a variety of audiences and ability to meet deadlines.
• Effective communication and presentation skills and with the ability to develop positive relationships with vulnerable children, young people and a range of professionals.

For more information or an informal conversation about the role please contact Nova Levine at nova.levine@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

If you thrive in a dynamic working environment, supporting children and young people to build bright and stable futures and you meet the criteria set out in the job profile, we welcome you to apply for this opportunity. 

Closing Date: 11:59pm on Tuesday 7th May 2024
Shortlisting Date: Thursday 9th May 2024
Interview Date: Thursday 16th May 2024

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. 

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, please let us know. 

We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Some posts may be exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to these posts will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

We offer a wide range of benefits designed to attract, develop, and reward our employees such as 40 days annual leave (including Bank Holidays), flexible working and a generous pension plan. 

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils