Family Liaison Officer

Thomas Bewick School

Linhope Road

West Denton

Newcastle Upon Tyne

Tyne and Wear

NE5 2LW

Are you looking for an exciting new role to support pupils and families?

Thomas Bewick School is seeking to recruit an enthusiastic and highly motivated Family Liaison Officer to join the team. As Family Liaison Officer you will, under the direction of senior leaders and alongside admin staff, follow daily attendance procedures in school and collate attendance data. Some key aspects of the role include supporting parents in encouraging their children to maintain full and regular attendance and punctuality alongside external agencies where necessary.

You will be required to cover duties in school across the school day supporting children as required, as well as being involved in organising and attending school events when parents are invited.

• Level 4 qualification in education/ social care/ health
• Experience of working with and supporting pupils with SEND and their family

• Build positive relationships with children and families
• Develop parental engagement with the school and other key outside agencies
• Support parents and work with families, school staff and other support agencies to overcome any potential barriers, working in partnership to set clear and measurable targets to enable engagement and progress where necessary

You will have good written and oral communication skills and be able to manage competing priorities and work under pressure, as well as being required to understand and follow safeguarding procedures and to keep appropriate and confidential written records. You will oversee a caseload of pupils who have multi‑agency involvement e.g. Children’s Social Care, Health, Attendance as well as supporting senior leaders to manage a caseload of pupils who have a higher level of multi‑agency involvement e.g. Child protection / Children in Care.

A strong working knowledge of autism / SEND and experience working in a specialist school would be beneficial.

Thomas Bewick School is a specialist provision for autistic children and young people. We cater for children and young people aged 3‑19 years with a range of abilities and differences associated with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and all of our pupils have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The school is arranged over four different sites:
Sites 1 and 2 are based in West Denton, we also have 2 satellite sites based in Denton Burn and Kenton (site 3 and site
4). Our relevant, exciting and challenging curriculum is taught and supported by a team of caring, friendly and dedicated staff who are trained in a range of ASC specific approaches and strategies. All of our pupils have access to an autism specific environment with a range of specialist facilities and activities available to support different aspects of their learning and development.

Prosper Learning Trust was established in January 2018 to help vulnerable young people succeed against the odds. Four core values underpin everything we do as a Trust, these are Aspiration, Integrity, Resilience and Kindness. We are looking for staff who share those values and want to support our young people. The Trust currently has 5 schools in the region:

• Newcastle Bridges School – Alternative Provision academy offering education to pupils unable to access mainstream school due to medical needs including hospitalised children and young people (3‑19 years)
• Mary Astell Academy – Alternative Provision academy offering education to permanently excluded pupils and pupils who are struggling in mainstream school (11‑16 years)
• Thomas Bewick Special School – Special School academy for pupils with a diagnosis of autism (3‑19 years)
• Harry Watts Academy – Special School academy for pupils with a diagnosis of autism (5‑16 years)
• Gilbert Ward Academy – Special School academy for pupils with SEMH or a diagnosis of autism (11‑16 years)

Prosper Learning Trust was also recently named as the lead partner in the opening of a new Free School in Jarrow, South Tyneside. This school will be a Special…