Education Welfare Officer

Academy: King Edward VII Academy

Category: Education Support (School Based)

Start Date: January/February 2026

Closing Date: Fri, Jan 9, 2026

Job Weeks: 39 Weeks

Hours: 37 hours per week

Type: Permanent, Full Time

Job Reference: DEC

Salary: Support Staff Pay Scale G: £27,702 to £29,601 pro-rata per annum (Actual) (£31,537 - £33,699 full time/full year equivalent)

Working Weeks: 39 weeks

Start Date: January/February 2026

King Edward VII Academy is seeking a reliable and responsible Education Welfare Officer to help drive the attendance strategy at the school.

The role involves working with pupils, their families, staff and external agencies to unlock barriers to attendance and ensure that all pupils can engage with school as fully as possible.

What You'll Be Doing

To identify those children in need of support by reason of their behaviour, absence from academy, family dysfunction, disability, social or emotional needs or any other special educational needs and to support children whose education is at risk

To assess need, plan interventions, implement effective action and evaluate outcomes against agreed objectives, whilst involving service users in decisions whenever possible

To work with parents and other stakeholders in relation to student support.

To assist the Academy to safeguard students through joint work with partner agencies

To maintain appropriate records and prepare reports as necessary

About You:

The ideal candidate for this post will be organised, professional, able to establish good relationships with pupils and their families, act as a role model and be innovative in their responses to the attendance challenges that they discover. In addition, the ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills, be able to confidently present information when required and possess excellent IT skills.

You will need to be able to manage their time effectively, work under their own initiative as well as contribute to the attendance team as a whole and work with team members to implement attendance initiatives for individuals and across the school. You will be required to monitor and manage an ever changing caseload and monitor the impact of actions that are taken.

Essential:

First degree or NVQ Level 4 in social work, teaching, counselling, psychology or youth and community work or other work related to work with children and/or relevant experience

Training on safeguarding

Experience of using social work or counselling approach to working with parents and children

Knowledge of school systems and pastoral systems

Ability to undertake assessments and write reports to a high standard

Desirable:

Experience of working in the education system and in multi-agency settings

Why Join Inspiration Trust

At Inspiration Trust, we believe in the power of education to transform lives. You'll be joining a supportive, forward-thinking organisation that values professional development, collaboration, and innovation. We provide opportunities for growth and empower you to make a real impact in schools across Norfolk and north Suffolk. As part of our thriving network of talented teachers, leaders, and support staff, you'll receive a varied professional development programme designed to help you be the best you can be.

We offer:

Generous annual leave, and access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with excellent employer contributions

Health Plan and Employee Assistance Programme, including 24/7 virtual GP access, mental health support and claim-back options for healthcare costs *

Cycle-to-work scheme, retail and theatre discounts (including discounted shopping vouchers, dentist and gym memberships), and salary sacrifice options (including home technology). *

Free parking at most sites

Personalised CPD and development programmes

A structured and specific induction programme.

• Terms and conditions apply. Some benefits are only available following successfully passing probation.

About Us

King Edward VII Academy is a large, diverse, and comprehensive 11-18 school with a rich and prestigious history. Thousands of students have walked the halls of this magnificent building, all in pursuit of the excellence that the academy continues to strive for today.

In October 2024, Ofsted rated King Edward VII Academy and Sixth Form as Good overall, recognising the rapid positive changes across the school. Inspectors highlighted the academy's ambition and high standards: "The school expects high standards of pupils' work and behaviour. It reminds pupils that every minute counts in meeting these standards. Pupils are rising to this challenge. They know that they attend an inclusive school that has improved rapidly. In the past, academic outcomes have been low. Now, however, the sense of ambition is abundantly clear. Lessons are engaging and focused. Pupils learn well."

The report also praised the school's curriculum and teaching: "The school's curriculum is ambitious and ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access learning alongside their peers. The curriculum sets out what pupils will learn and the order in which it is taught. High-quality training and support from the Trust have led to precise teaching. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to present new concepts clearly. Staff are invested in the school and the community. They feel well supported by leaders who manage their workload with sensitivity. They want the very best for pupils and are proud to work at the school."

To view the report please visit the Ofsted Information page on the school website.

King Edward VII Academy is calm, orderly, and purposeful. Its culture is built around high expectations and consistent structures and routines, enabling teachers to focus on their subjects with expertise and passion.

We are part of the Inspiration Trust, twice ranked as the country's top family of comprehensive schools for pupil progress, and strongly believe in the importance of giving the widest educational opportunities to all young people, regardless of their background. We have strong networks across the Trust, with opportunities to work with a diverse range of schools and partners. We are committed to offering excellent professional and learning opportunities for our staff, with a busy programme of continuing professional development courses delivered by some of the country's best educational thinkers and practitioners.

The Inspiration Trust is a Multi Academy Trust, committed to delivering the very best educational experience for the young people of Norfolk and Suffolk, across 17 schools. We are ambitious for our schools and communities and want to create Britain's highest performing federation of 3-19 schools and transform education in the East. Inspiration Trust specialises in transforming schools in disadvantaged areas and taking academies from failing to outstanding.

For information on what it is like to live and work in Kings Lynn click here.

Next Steps

Before applying, please read the attached Recruitment Pack and Job Description, for more details about the role. We ask that you read this pack carefully, especially the "Planning your application" section from page 11. This will support your application ensuring you have the opportunity to tell us about your relevant skills, experience and qualifications that relate to the job description and person specification in addition to details of your references covering the last 5 years.

If you would like to know more about this exciting opportunity, then please contact Joanne Wiseman, PA to Principal ).

To apply for this role please click the Apply button to complete the online application form.

When you start your application, you will receive several emails from our application provider, Vacancy Filler. Please be aware that some email providers may mistakenly mark these messages as spam. To avoid missing important updates, we recommend checking your spam or junk folders regularly throughout the application process and marking these emails as safe.

Closing date for applications: 12pm on Friday 9th January 2026

Interview date: Monday 19th January 2026

Safeguarding and Equal Opportunities

Inspiration Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All staff appointments are subject to satisfactory references and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks. We are an equal opportunities employer.