About Oak Activities
Oak Activities is a leading Alternative Provision education provider based across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, supporting young people through a holistic and blended learning approach. With 8 sites and over 100 staff, Oak is making a tangible difference in the lives of children and young adults in our communities. Oak Activities is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children. We abide by our Safer Recruitment policy strictly including right to work checks, identification checks, referencing checks and DBS checks.
Site Overview
The Comberton team delivers bespoke educational programmes for secondary-aged pupils who are unable to access mainstream education due to SEN, SEMH needs, medical needs, or while awaiting placement in a specialist setting.
The provision is focused on supporting pupils to re-engage with education through flexible, personalised approaches. Delivery takes place across three settings: within pupils’ homes, on the Comberton site, and in mainstream secondary schools, ensuring support is responsive to individual needs.
Pupils may access a combination of 1:1 and small group sessions, designed to help them achieve their individual outcomes. These often include successful reintegration, preparation for post-16 pathways, and the completion of accredited qualifications.
Core Responsibilities
- Manage the day-to-day operations within the team, being a visible leader in a changeable environment, and challenging staff and pupil behaviours. Leading on unpicking behaviours and interventions with the team to ensure a safe and purposeful environment is created.
- Oversee pupil referral process, pupil allocation and timetabling.
- Manage pupil and site risk assessments.
- Overseeing and implementing successful onboarding processes for all young people that attend the setting.
- Review and implement company policies and those relating accredited qualification administration and management.
- Oversee development of Cambridgeshire Therapeutic Thinking practises and Sherwood RPI processes.
- Support the appointed Champions (Curriculum and Emotional Literacy) on site to develop staff awareness, training, planning and preparation for young people.
- Ensure the delivery on site of a range of subjects, and lead the team in any training or developments in the delivery, planning and administrative requirements for accredited qualifications.
- Alongside your team and management, explore and implement strategies to raise young peoples aspiration and better prepare them for adulthood.
- Recruitment of team members, including creation of job descriptions and managing the hiring process alongside HR and Groups Operations Director.
- Oversee the implementation and development of any new systems or initiatives within the setting.
- Oversee the Safeguarding on site, ensuring that accurate documentation is completed to effectively safeguard staff & students.
- Overseeing on-boarding process for new employees, to ensure they are clear as to the requirements/responsibilities of their role.
- Complete annual employee performance reviews for all members of the site, with support from the Groups Operations Director.
- Complete any internal and external compliance requests and visits for the site.
- Managing resources within the site budget, ensure standards are maintained and business targets are met/exceeded.
- Overseeing staff training and professional development. Identifying staff training needs, arranging training, and monitoring the impact of these training interventions.
- Alongside other AP Managers, build on existing relationships with Schools and Local Authorities with a view to strengthening the working relationships and maintaining excellent communication channels.
- Identify and help to develop new opportunities to grow business
- Oversee the attendance of professional’s meetings for young people, with support from the company DSL.
- Keep the Groups Operations Director fully informed on the performance of the team, any issues and any opportunities as they arise.
- Attend AP Manager meetings as required.
- Work with Oak recruitment agency partners and manage agency staff.
You may be expected to carry out other duties commensurate with the post as directed by the Group Operations Director.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- 5 GCSEs including English and Maths - Essential
- Evidence in involvement in continuing professional development activities - Essential
- Degree - Desirable
Successful experience of:
- Working alongside schools and Local Authorities in the education sector to successfully support students - Essential
- Supporting students with ACEs through a trauma-informed approach - Essential
- Forming positive relationships with young people and parents - Essential
- Liaising with external agencies to support a young person - Essential
- Raising the attainment of SEND and/or alternative provision students through positive interventions - Essential
- Team management, particularly in a remote working environment - Essential
- Delivering functional skills and or BTEC’s - Desirable
- Supporting young people in the role as a DSL or DDSL in an education setting -Desirable
- Implementing the principles of Cambridge Therapeutic Thinking - Desirable
- Leading a successful Alternative Provision team - Desirable
Knowledge and skills
- Leading on child-safeguarding and implementing successful measures that promote and ensure the safeguarding of children - Essential
- Business development and associated financial literacy skills - Essential
- The ability to motivate and inspire team members - Essential
- Excellent organisational and communication skills - Essential
- Ability to form effective working relationships and demonstrate successful client care skills - Essential
- Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or Deputy DSL training - Desirable
- Understanding of emotional literacy - Desirable
Personal attributes
- Reflective practitioner with a creative approach to problem solving - Essential
- Able to demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills - Essential
- Honesty and integrity - Essential
- Strong team player - Essential
Benefits
As a valued employee of Oak Activities, you will receive:
- Training and development opportunities
- Access to an Employee Assistance Programme
- Independent mortgage advice
- Generous bonus schemes such as performance-linked and refer a friend.
- Death in Service
Further Information
Oak Activities does not discriminate on the grounds of age, gender, race, colour, religion, disability or sexual orientation, and we welcome applications from all sections of the community.
All applicants should be aware that they must undergo child protection screening appropriate for each job role. It’s an offence for any organisation to offer employment that involves regular contact with young people under the age of 18 to anyone who has been convicted of certain specified offences, or those who are included on lists considered unsuitable for such work held by the Department of Education.
It is also an offence for people convicted of such offences to apply for work with young people. If you are successful throughout your application, you will be subject to satisfactory completion of an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. Further information about the Disclosure and Barring Service can be found at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service.
Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website. Oak Activities employees are expected to abide by the Company’s safeguarding policy, code of conduct, and will attend Safeguarding training.
Oak Activities reserves the right to invite successful candidates to interview prior to the closing date. Therefore, we encourage interested candidates to submit their applications without delay.
Thank you for your interest in working at Oak Activities.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From £40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Free flu jabs
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Referral programme
Work Location: In person
