Job Description

Reference:
25-28372
Job title:
Schools Support Officer (Secondary)
Directorate:
Education
Service:
Management Unit
Closing date:
30/05/2025 12:00
Job type/Hours:
Permanent | 37 Hour
Salary:
See Job Advertisement
Pay Scale:
21-24/27
Location(s):
Caernarfon

Gwynedd Council offers an attractive employment package, for more information please click on this

Information Pack

SALARY 68,811 - 72,507 / 76,263

Permanent position, 37 hours per week (secondment considered for up to one year)

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Gwynedd Council operates internally through the medium of Welsh, and offers all its services bilingually. The applicant will be required to reach the linguistic level noted as one of the essential skills in the Person Specification.



We encourage everyone who applies for a job with Gwynedd Council to submit job applications in Welsh or bilingually.


(Applications submitted in English only or Welsh only will always be treated equally, but we ask applicants to consider carefully what the linguistic requirements of the job in question is and if it would be more appropriate to submit an application in Welsh.)



For further information about this post please contact Alison Halliday on 01286 679958 or via e-mail: AlisonHalliday@gwynedd.llyw.cymru


Application forms and further details available from Support Service, Gwynedd Council, Council Offices, Caernarfon, LL55 1SH


Tel: 01286 679076


E-Mail: Swyddi@gwynedd.llyw.cymru

CLOSING DATE: 12.00 PM, 30/05/2025.

Interviews will be held on 09/06/2025.

The Council will request a Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service for the successful candidate.

If you are successful to be short listed for an interview you will be contacted by E-MAIL using the address provided on your application form. You need to ensure that you check your email regularly.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

ESSENTIAL

Able to think and work innovatively, independently and strategically. To think in an organised, correct and clear manner, especially under pressure and when facing conflicting priorities, as well as managing time effectively. Strong collaboration skills with the ability to show strong partnerships and collaborate with: School Staff, Headteachers, Governors, Regulatory Bodies, Elected Members and wider Local Authority Officers. Able to work in a sensitive manner and jointly with a range of partners and stakeholders to ensure positive change. Place the learner's needs at the centre in education. Has ambition for children and young people and the determination to improve their results.

DESIRABLE

RELEVANT QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING

ESSENTIAL

Qualified teacher status. Senior leadership experience at a relevant education location. Ability to show the strategies used to: ensure high levels of consistency in the quality of the teaching and learning; and motivate improvements in standards.

DESIRABLE

Evidence of further study e.g. masters qualification in leadership or education. Managerial qualification.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL

Experience of substantially improving school performance (in a leadership role in a school or as a professional worker in a Local Authority or Regional Consortia). Has made a wider contribution to educational developments which has contributed to a substantial sustainable improvement. Experience of managing budgets and vast experience of managing people. Have provided guidance and used management skills effectively at a senior level to support schools. Managed school interventions successfully which contributed towards significant sustainable improvement. Able to identify key themes to develop and implement from self-evaluation evidence and ensure that needs are fulfilled. Experience of making extensive contribution to educational developments. Able to evaluate the effect and implementation of local and national strategies towards further school performance improvement. Extensive experience of using and applying performance data. Able to challenge school performance, tracking procedures and setting targets and dealing with under-performance. Able to challenge bad practice and failure to transfer agreed necessary operations and hold senior managers and governors accountable. Evidence of being able to manage and maintain change for improvement by fulfilling the role skilfully. Able to think and work flexibly, innovatively, independently and strategically while also possessing strong cooperation and logistical skills. Able to work under pressure and meet a tight schedule. Be prepared to work outside usual working hours as required.

DESIRABLE

Experience of school improvement beyond own school or having been a professional education improvement worker at the time with significant leadership function in a school or local authority. Vast experience of budget and staff management.

SKILLS AND SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE

ESSENTIAL

Knowledge and understanding of the implications of legislation and current educational frameworks, especially those that focus on improving schools and to interpret various regulations/guidelines to provide advice and relevant guidance to service users. Knowledge and understanding of the implications of legislation and current educational frameworks


including improving schools facing difficulties. Robust knowledge of what impacts quality in educational provision, the characteristics of effective schools and the strategies for improvement of effective teaching practice and pupils' successes. Robust understanding of what is effective school management, including employment law, equal opportunities and disability legislation, personnel and finance. Knowledge and understanding of equal opportunities legislation and the matters relating to achieving different groups of pupils. Show the ability to understand, analyse, evaluate and implement principles and quality assurance systems usage, including self-evaluation and school performance management. Possess knowledge on how to cooperate with key partners, agencies and support services contributing towards the improvement of schools. Able to work with others and show willingness to share skills, expertise, information and ability whilst acknowledging professional boundaries. Able to show commitment to improving education by developing successful partnerships and collaboration. Able to resolve problems and show diplomacy when dealing with sensitive matters. Skilful when evaluating and analysing performance indicators and note the factors which promote or hinder progress. Contribute towards the Business Planning of the Educational Service which includes noting targets and risks, as well as monitor its implementation. Able to create connections and establish partnerships, including community partnerships and with other relevant services. Good knowledge and understanding of information technology.

DESIRABLE

Experience of dealing with trade unions to encourage change and positive support for schools and leaders.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Listening and Speaking

Able to present all aspects of the job verbally and confidently through the medium of Welsh and English to the same standard.

Reading and Comprehension

Able to use and interpret any information from various sources correctly in English and Welsh in order to fulfil all aspects of the post.

Writing

Able to present information in writing through the medium of Welsh and English in a confident manner and use the most appropriate language and method for the subject and audience.

Purpose of Post

Ensure that the people of Gwynedd are at the heart of everything we do. Ensure effective and efficient teaching and learning, standards, management, leadership and governance of Gwynedd schools. Ensure high-quality education for every child and young person across the county by working with others to contribute towards school effectiveness, improvement and development. Provide appropriate support for schools to promote and maintain improvement and ensure an effective challenge to meet the statutory duties of the Local Authority. To be a contact point for continuous support for the Headteachers of a specific number of schools. Lead on aspects in relation to standards, provision and leadership to support statutory and non-statutory education aspects at every location allocated under instruction. Contribute towards the highest possible attainment standards for everyone by providing appropriate support for schools to promote and maintain improvement and ensure an effective challenge to meet the statutory duties of the Local Authority. Work in partnerships locally and regionally to provide advice and guidance to schools and the Authority on education. Contribute to providing positive support which is supportive and challenging for all Gwynedd schools. Advise and support schools and stakeholders (including parents and governors) on leadership matters and education management.

Responsibility for Resources. e.g. staff, budgets, equipment

Responsibility for maintaining standards, leadership, governance and the management of a number of specific schools.

Computer and mobile phone.

Main Duties

The School Support Officer is expected to have thorough knowledge of the schools that they support, paying due regard and implementing in accordance with the need on a full range of aspects which ensures that pupils achieve the expected progress.


The School Support Officer is expected to support Gwynedd Headteachers by working alongside them to overcome a vast range of challenges which our schools face on a daily basis. The School Support Officer is expected to be available and respond promptly and offer quality guidance.


The School Support Officer is expected to lead and be responsible for providing support and a professional challenge to schools across the county and across key fields, namely: Leadership and Management, Teaching and Learning, Planning and Supporting the Curriculum, Behaviour for Learning, the Progress of each Learner.


The School Support Officer is expected to be a key part of fostering the culture where schools support each other, with everyone's focus on ensuring that the children of Gwynedd are making progress and reach their full potential.


The School Support Officer is expected to fulfil the post by referring directly to the Education Acts, the School Improvement Framework, Regulations, Codes of Practice and the associated legislation relating to the post.


It is a challenging post, and the School Support Officer is expected to have high levels of specialist knowledge, interpersonal skills, communication and leadership, as defined by the National Standards.


The post-holder could be asked to adopt responsibility and strategic management on a whole service level of some aspects in terms of the education services in Gwynedd as appointed by the Head of Education and the Assistant Head of School Support.



To be effective, the School Support Officer needs to:

have relevant experience and credibility that comes from successfully leading in a school; relate well with others, reflecting the culture that we wish to foster in Gwynedd; show the ability to influence and persuade others to act, and also show promotion skills at a high level, often under challenging circumstances, and exhibit the standards required to manage and support the individuals and the teams to deliver the general aims of the education service in Gwynedd.

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Responsibilities and Duties

To have direct responsibility for an allocated number of schools which will be appointed by the Assistant Head of School Support annually.


To act as a contact point for the schools that they support for a wide range of enquiries. Headteachers' enquiries could relate to a variety of aspects relating to running a school, namely human resources, finance, governance and school improvement.


Ensure guidance to Headteachers' enquiries in an effective and efficient manner. The School Support Officer is not expected to be an expert in every field as there will be expertise within the team of School Support Officers.


Promote formal collaboration between schools to implement good and excellent practice by promoting the concept of a learning establishment.


Offer support and provide a challenge for learning and teaching in the classroom (pedagogy) in an allocated number of schools by providing support and advice on learning methods, teaching and skills, and evaluating the quality of the learning and teaching, as well as noting effective learning and teaching practices that could be shared within and across Gwynedd.


To have direct responsibility for coordinating curriculum support by setting a challenge and strategic support to learning and teaching strategies and developing the curriculum (including within a specific subject field).


To be responsible for providing support and a professional challenge within an allocated number of schools across key fields, namely:

The progress of each Learner (including groups of learners namely ALN, FSM etc.). Leadership and Management Governance Teaching and Learning Planning and Curriculum Support.
Offer guidance on aspects of the Additional Learning Needs, Inclusion and Well-being field, ensuring the input of specialists where appropriate.


Responsibility for ensuring that the Local Authority fulfils its statutory duties by supporting an allocated number of schools through the self-evaluation, improvement and quality assurance processes.


Whether directly, or through the medium of support commissioned as appropriate, contribute towards resolving specific matters relating to matters associated with the subject/curriculum.


Ensure quick and effective implementation when monitoring standards and progress in schools and to broker additional effective support for schools, as required. This includes leading on support plans for schools that were agreed on.


Lead an agreed attitude on improving schools across Gwynedd and, if required, Isle of Anglesey. The specific field will be agreed based on experience and expertise across the team.


Maintain and develop effective work relationships with national strategies and other external bodies, prepare and present information for external monitoring as appropriate.


Maintain and develop extremely important partnership work with Headteachers and Governing Bodies to ensure that development is enriched by the expertise already present in schools.


Provide advice and recommendations on appointment, performance management and mentoring Headteachers, including supporting governing bodies with the above processes.


Contribute to school modernisation plans, ensuring that these are fulfilled effectively. Support schools and school leaders through processes relating to the field of modernisation.


Contribute to planning and providing a Professional Learning Offer to ensure School Improvements across Gwynedd in response to local, regional and national priorities.


Work with the Assistant Head of School Support and school leaders to prepare for Estyn visits (school and Local Authority) and contribute to them, and to support any relevant follow-up activity.


Ensure that complaints/enquiries are dealt with efficiently and advice is given to Headteachers, Governors, stakeholders and members of the public in an appropriate and timely manner.


Every School Support Officer will be responsible for aspects of the service on a county level which will be appointed by the Assistant Head of School Support and / or the Head of Education.

?Additional

The nature of the work means that the post-holder will deliver work outside normal working hours. Responsibility for self-development. The post-holder may be required from time to time to attend training courses, conferences, seminars or other meetings as necessary due to his/her training needs and Service needs. Ensure compliance with Health and Safety rules in the workplace in accordance with the responsibilities noted in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Council's Health and Safety Policy. Operate within the Council's policies in relation to equal opportunities and equality. Responsibility for managing information in accordance with the Council's information management standards and guidelines. Ensure that personal information is treated in accordance with Data Protection legislation. Commitment to reducing the Council's carbon emissions in accordance with the Carbon Management Plan, and to encourage others to act positively towards reducing the Council's Carbon Footprint. Undertake any other reasonable duty which corresponds to the salary and responsibility level of the post. Responsible for reporting any concern or doubt that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused.

Special Circumstances e.g. the need to work unsociable hours, special working arrangements etc.

The need to work unsociable hours.


The above is only an outline of the duties of the post to provide an idea of the responsibility levels associated with the post. This job description is not comprehensive and the duties of the post could change from time to time without changing its basic nature and level of responsibility.