Job Description
Please visit our website for the application pack and application form. https://www.westfieldacademy.co.uk/about-us/vacancies.htm
Main Purpose of Job
- Create a distinct identity for the Year Group to which students feel a sense of belonging, identity and pride.
- Be responsible for the day-to-day pastoral care of students within a Year.
- Work with subject leaders, teachers and tutors to maintain high expectations of students behaviour and endeavour and academic progress.
- Ensure good communication exists between school and parents.
- Guide the students through year specific events. e.g. Transition, Options, GCSE Exams and Prom.
Main Responsibilities and Duties
Create a distinct identity for the Year to which students feel a sense of belonging, identity and pride
- As part of the Head of Year team, and in conjunction with other members of staff, devise and support a range of year group events.
- As part of the Head of Year team, and in conjunction with the SLT, organise and support reward events.
- Lead the Year Assembly Programme.
- Celebrate success of students whether academic, sporting, aesthetic or other, through recognition in assemblies, reports on the school website, through displays, letters to parents etc.
- Regularly remind students of key expectations about attendance, behaviour and commitment to learning (ABC) and disseminate key messages to students via assemblies and Year notice boards.
Be responsible for the day-to-day pastoral care of students within a Year
- Guide and support students in order to establish good standards of attendance and behaviour and positive attitudes to learning.
- Encourage students to become “successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens”.
- Ensure safeguarding and the Every Child Matters agenda are fully embedded in the work of the Year Group.
- Ensure student records are accurate and kept up to date.
- Monitor patterns of attendance and behaviour within the Year and seek ways of improving these.
- Use a range of positive behaviour management strategies to ensure inappropriate behaviour is challenged.
- Record incidents and interventions on students’ behaviour log.
- Contact parents with any concerns and seek their support.
- With the reports administrator, ensure tutors report effectively to parents.
- Implement appropriate sanctions for unacceptable behaviour, including detentions and internal isolations.
- Implement suspensions as necessary, consult with the Head of Pastoral Care, who will discuss further with the Headteacher.
- With the SLT, be “on duty” before school, at break and lunch times to supervise students.
Support the learning of students within the Year Group
- Act as a “key worker” for vulnerable students, including those new to the Year, poor attenders, school refusers and students facing challenging temporary circumstances, for example bereavement, illness or injury.
- In conjunction with the SEN team, support the learning of students on the SEN code of practice where appropriate.
- Formulate and implement Pastoral Support Plans and Medical Care Plans to address identified behaviour, attendance and medical concerns.
- Undertake 1:1 and small group work with students designed to improve the social and emotional aspects of learning.
- Develop effective links with external agencies, including the Education Safeguarding Officer (ESO), Careers South West, the Police, Children’s Social Care, the School Nurse, the PFSA and FIS (Family Intervention Service).
Ensure good communication exists between school and parents.
- As part of the Head of Year team, manage the arrangements for Parents’ Evenings.
Facts and Figures
- Supporting around 220 students from within your Year Group.
- Responsible to the Head of Pastoral Care
- Working with 8 form tutors within the Year but will have no line management responsibility.
- Working with 4 other Heads of Year to deliver 1:1 and small group work according to their particular expertise.
- Working with a Deputy Head of Key Stage and an Academic Head of Year
SUPPORTING PROCESSES
Problem Solving and Creativity
- Ability to think creatively and find solutions to the concerns of individual students, within the context of school policy and available resources.
- Ability to make holistic assessments and work with staff, students and parents to devise and implement action plans linked to their assessed needs.
- Be ready to explore new opportunities and innovative ideas for supporting the attendance, behaviour and achievement of students.
- Ability to work with competing deadlines and changing demands, prioritising and planning time carefully to focus on the outcomes that will have most impact on students’ personal development and well-being.
- Readiness to deal with unexpected and urgent situations on a daily basis.
- Ability to work independently, taking responsibility within agreed boundaries.
- Ability to work with external services to deliver coherent and effective support for students and their families.
- Ability to analyse attendance, behaviour and performance data and identify patterns.
- Work will often be reactive, dealing with urgent sudden issues, but will need to find time to develop planned programmes. Will need to understand the limits of the role and when to refer.
Decision Making
- To make day to day decisions about priorities and workload.
- To make decisions related to meeting the social, emotional and health needs of students.
- Collate and analyse information on attendance, behaviour and performance and work with others to make decisions on actions to take to improve achievement.
- Identify appropriate support and ensure it is put in place.
- Anticipate any difficulties that may arise and take preventative action.
Physical Effort and Working Conditions
- Office based but will spend much of time walking the school.
- Will be expected to be a visible presence and high profile around the site.
- Will need to use IT effectively for the recording of data.
Contacts and Relationships
- Work closely with students in Year, Tutors, Deputy Head of Year; Academic Head of Year. Leader of Year Heads, Attendance Officer, SEN team, Referral Room Supervisor, RJ Co-ordinator and Work Experience Co-ordinator to provide advice, guide, mentor, monitor, praise, sanction and take action as required.
- Communicate with parents and carers, supporting them as necessary to understand and meet the needs of their children.
- The postholder will need to meet and communicate verbally and in writing with a number of people.
Additional Information
NOTES:
- The normal working week is 37 hours, paid all year round, however flexibility is required to meet the needs of the role, including attending evening events and being on call during school holidays.
- The annual salary will be paid at Grade 11 (£32,597 - £36,363).
- The appointment is subject to the general conditions of service for Westfield Academy staff.
- Professional development is an integral part of the post. The post will be subject to an annual process of Performance Review.
The post will be entitled to 29 days holiday, which must be taken during the school holidays. However it is recognised the post will involve the need for evening work and extended working hours during term time, and it is anticipated these additional hours will be taken in lieu during holiday periods.
This job description is current as of May 2026. It is not necessarily a comprehensive definition of the post and it may be subject to modification or amendment at any time after consultation with the holder of the post.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Please see the person specification in application pack on our website for the full details.
Westfield Academy is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and follow best practice procedures to ensure their safety.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £32,597.00-£36,363.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Yeovil, Somerset: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Work Location: In person
