Career & Work Experience Lead and DSL; KEYBC)

Salary:
Grade 10 Pay Point 23-26 (Approximate starting salary of £26,462.64)

Contract Type:
Permanent

Hours:

31.25 hours weeks per year and 39 weeks per year. ( Term Time at 38 weeks, plus INSET days and additional one week)

We’re searching for an inspiring Careers & Work Experience Lead who will also serve as part of our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) team. This pivotal role shapes our all‑through careers programme, opens doors to meaningful experiences with local employers, and leads best‑practice safeguarding across the school.

• Provide impartial careers information, advice and guidance
  —supporting students to explore options, set realistic action plans and develop employability skills.
• Design and deliver group learning through seminars, workshops and tutorials that bring the world of work into the classroom.
• Act as the key contact for college/university applications
  , ensuring timely, accurate support.
• Organise work placements and maintain strong partnerships with local businesses; ensure documentation and resourcing are in place, and coordinate staffing for Work Experience Week.
• Champion safeguarding
  —keep SLAs, QA and Risk Assessments up‑to‑date; ensure visibility of safeguarding information off‑site; lead audits and maintain robust records on CPOMS
  ; and represent safeguarding at relevant meetings.
• Support behaviour strategies and deliver purposeful 1:1 sessions
  .
• Lead Project Weeks
  : link KS4 activity to National Careers Week and embed careers themes across KS3 projects.
• Coordinate mock interview training and suitable programmes (e.g., through Leicestershire Cares).
• Maintain productive relationships with the Leicester & Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) and undertake quarterly monitoring using Compass Plus
  ; attend relevant meetings and conferences.
• Track destinations
  —oversee checks on leavers and monitor progression using a RAG‑rated database, raising concerns in line with procedure.
• Keep our careers website up‑to‑date as a central hub for guidance, resources and monitoring.
• Engage with the Employment HUB/DWP to unlock apprenticeships, training and progression opportunities, coordinating staff involvement to build employability skills.
• Lead transition to college or APS: develop robust plans, use tools such as PS‑16
  , track and support student progress, and maintain safeguarding documentation.
• Liaise with external partners and schools to identify companies offering placements and deepen employer links.
• Coordinate family support
  —manage referrals to multi‑agency services and maintain CPOMS updates, monitoring and analysis for SLT.

Keyham Lodge is a vibrant and diverse special school for KS3 and KS4 students, welcoming both girls and boys. Every student has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), and many have experienced disrupted education before joining us. We are relentless in removing barriers to learning, closing attainment gaps, and providing an inclusive
, child‑centred
, learning‑focused environment. Our aim is to ensure the academic, personal and social development of all students so they can fulfil their potential in school and in the wider community.

We celebrate individual talents and believe education extends beyond the core curriculum and the classroom. Our curriculum is adapted to prepare students for their next stage
, whether in further education or the workplace
. Our diverse intake—from a wide range of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds—enriches our unique values and ethos and strengthens our commitment to belonging and ambition for every child.

“The school continues to train teachers to use the most effective teaching methods. This…