THE REACH FOUNDATION
30,842 - 38,000 per year (pro rata)
Feltham
Full-time
9th November 2025
Attendance Champion (with possibility of Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) - Trustwide Reach Schools Welcome, Everyone at Reach Schools believes—passionately and immovably—that every child can and should go on to enjoy lives of choice and opportunity. This core belief drives everything we do. We draw purpose from it, it provides us with a shared vision for every child we work with, and it fuels our tenacity to work together to make it so. We have the most brilliant, kind and passionate team you could ever wish to work with or have your child grow into adulthood under the guidance of. We are up for doing exciting things, taking calculated risks, and championing the children who need it the most. Rebecca Cramer CEO, Reach Schools Every Reach school exists to serve this shared purpose. Every Reach school strives to ensure that every single pupil will leave us with the skills, attributes and academic qualifications to go on to enjoy lives of choice and opportunity. To do this, Reach Schools bring their respective communities together to affirm a shared dedication and commitment to do whatever it takes to secure successful outcomes for the children we love and care for. All Reach schools hold the highest academic expectations while maintaining a loving, family-focused culture. All Reach schools aim to know every pupil as an individual; harnessing the power of family relationships and all-through knowledge to ensure that we can tailor our curriculum, support and resources to meet each child's needs and desires. We believe in the transformational power of strong, trusting relationships—and we know that every great relationship depends upon great communication. We need somebody who really knows their stuff on attendance. You will be able to make every child feel like their attendance at school really matters. We need timely, slick processes which support our children to attend school every day - you will lead these. We are looking for someone who understands that attendance is a key part of safeguarding every child and is able to support the broader safeguarding team as DDSL (training can be provided). You will CHAMPION ATTENDANCE across the two schools in the trust and be confident to share your expertise more broadly. You will be flexible, able to work under your initiative, thrive under pressure and have the ability to prioritise to meet the need and demands of the role. In the following pack, we hope to do the following: ● ● ● Share some background information about the evolution and direction of Reach Schools; Provide a description of the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead role and an indication of the types of skills and attributes we’re looking for; and, Provide information about how to apply for the role, if interested. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact us at recruitment@reachacademy.org.uk Best wishes, Rebecca About us Reach Schools Reach Schools Reach Schools is the (new) name of our multi-academy trust. It belongs to a wider ecosystem of organisations based in Feltham that works to incubate ideas and improve outcomes for our community in Feltham—and beyond. Reach Schools works in partnership with the Reach Foundation to deepen our impact locally and expand the impact of our pioneering work nationally. The following pages provide a quick overview of our schools and some related activities. Further information about Reach Schools’ evolution can be found here. est. 2012 est. 2022 est. 2024 Our first all-through school. We’ve created a community of pupils, parents and teachers united by the highest expectations of what every young person can achieve and the commitment to do whatever it takes to help them get there. Our pioneering sixth-form college. Feltham College is the the first sixth-form college in the country to be founded by a partnership of education, business, and health service providers whose sole focus is broadening choices and opportunities for young people in Feltham. Our new all-through school. Opened in September 2024, Reach Academy Hanworth Park will serve 1,080 pupils in Feltham; located on a site adjacent to Reach Academy Feltham. In addition to running our three schools in Feltham, Reach Schools provides Initial Teacher Training (in partnership with SWTT) and Teaching Internships. About the role Attendance Champion and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, Reach Schools Role overview We are seeking an Attendance Champion with the potential for additional Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead responsibilities to support all children across our trust to attend school every day. The successful candidate will understand the importance of excellent attendance and the statutory role they have to play to ensure that all pupils are attending school regularly. The candidate will understand attendance is a key part of safeguarding every child and will be able to support the broader safeguarding team. They will have the skills to maintain oversight of children from complex backgrounds including those with child protection plans, looked-after children, or those with additional needs and ensure that they have the support they need attend school and go on to enjoy to live a life of choice and opportunity. They will share the school’s vision and the belief that all young people can achieve academically and that this is not dependant on their background. We need somebody who really knows their stuff on attendance. The successful candidate may have been an Education Welfare Officer in a local authority, or done an attendance lead or safeguarding role in a school and is looking for their next exciting career move. Role responsibilities ● Be the strategic lead on attendance across two schools and ensure procedures and policies are ● embedded in both schools; Track and analyse data and use this to identify students who need support with their attendance and highlight any potential child protection concerns; ● Advise the school on strategies to promote the regular and punctual attendance of all pupils and assist ● with the implementation of agreed strategies; Establish productive working relationships with students, with a focus on children with poor attendance and social care involvement; ● Work flexibly to provide support for students who are struggling to attend school and access their learning; ● Draw on external expertise and knowledge, both locally and nationally, to help Reach Schools become a leading hub of excellence on attendance; ● ● Advise the school on strategies to promote the regular and punctual attendance of all pupils and assist with the implementation of agreed strategies including the leading of specific initiatives to raise good school attendance across the whole school; Provide feedback to students in relation to their progress, achievement, behaviour and attendance; Provide pastoral support and guidance to selected students and assist in their behavioural, emotional & social development; and ● ● Have the confidence to address conflict and challenging behaviour; ● Respond to safeguarding issues appropriately and in a timely manner; ● Be the lead professional on CINs and CP plans where needed. Other ● Build a network for attendance champions locally and nationally to share best practice; ● Support the Inclusion team with specific group work and workshops for both students and parents. Personal specification Required: ● GCSE Maths and English at Grade B/6 and above ● Experience of working with young people from complex backgrounds; ● A history of continually improving the outcomes of pupils; ● Have a desire to work in a pioneering environment; ● Be able to represent the school externally with parents and other stakeholders; ● Be able to be adaptable in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced environment; and ● Possess qualities necessary to create strong relationships with colleagues, pupils and parents. Desired: ● Knowledge of local safeguarding protocols and understanding of multi-agency collaboration, including education welfare, social services, police, and healthcare providers; ● Knowledge of statutory attendance procedures and experience in analysing attendance data; ● Experience of liaising with external agencies and professionals on child protection matters; ● Awareness of signs and indicators of abuse or neglect, including specific risks like online safety, mental health issues, and child exploitation; ● Strong ability to communicate with children, parents, and colleagues sensitively, empathetically, and effectively; and ● Have the ability to identify potential risks to children and vulnerable individuals and take proactive steps to minimise them. Role details Reports to: Trust Designated Safeguarding Lead Start date: September 2025 Salary: £36-38k FTE (Pro rated for term time £30,842-£32,555) Contract term: Permanent, term time only Location: Feltham We embrace flexible working and welcome applications from those wishing to work flexibly*. *we also acknowledge that there are times of day which are particularly important for staff presence in relation to attendance e.g. the start of the school day. About the process How to apply How to apply 1. 2. 3. 4. Please read our ‘Safer recruitment’ statement on the following pages below. Follow this link to complete an online application form. ○ The deadline for applications is Sunday 9th November 2025 at 5pm. We actively encourage early applications. Applications will be reviewed as and when they are received. Suitable candidates will be contacted and invited to attend a virtual/telephone screening. In-person interviews will be held during the weeks following and preceding the application deadline detailed above on a rolling basis. If you would like to have an informal conversation to discuss the role, please contact recruitment@reachacademy.org.uk. Safer recruitment Reach Schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. In order to meet this responsibility all candidates will be subjected to a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants. This process is outlined below. Please do not hesitate to contact the school if further detail is required. Disclosure This post is classified as having substantial access to children, and appointment is subject to an enhanced police check of previous criminal convictions (DBS). Applicants are required, before appointment, to disclose any conviction, caution or binding over including ‘spent convictions’ under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020). Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar individuals from employment – this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. The amendments to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020) provides that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected'. This means that they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website. Interview Candidates will be subject to an in-depth, in-person interview and assessment, along with a telephone interview in some circumstances. At each stage of the process candidates will be asked to address any discrepancies, anomalies or gaps in their application form or arising from information gained at the previous stage of the recruitment process. Reference checking References from the previous and current employers will be taken up for shortlisted candidates, before interview, and where necessary employers may be contacted to gather further information or address any discrepancies, anomalies or gaps in the reference provided. Online searches Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) asks schools to carry out online searches on shortlisted candidates as part of the process of assessing suitability. Probation All new staff will be subject to a probation period (which may, in certain circumstances, be extended). The probation period is a trial period, to enable the assessment of an employee’s suitability for the job for which they have been employed. It provides Reach Schools with the opportunity to monitor and review the performance of new staff in relation to various areas, but also in terms of their commitment to safeguarding and relationships with pupils. Equal opportunities Reach Schools are dedicated to providing equal opportunities and will monitor the recruitment process rigorously to ensure fair access and opportunity for all. Reach Schools are committed to ensuring our workforce is reflective of our diverse student population and is therefore committed to increasing representation of staff of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds across all roles and at all levels. If you require assistance in reading this information or in completing the application form, please contact recruitment@reachacademy.org.uk.