ACE Exeter, Reach South Academy Trust is seeking to appoint an experienced Pastoral Lead to join the school 01/09/2026.
Post: Pastoral Lead
Location: ACE Exeter
FTE Salary Range: NJC Grade G, PT 26-29, £37,280 - £39,862
Actual Salary Range: £33,175 - £35,473
Contract Type: Permanent, full time / term time only (39 weeks per year)
Contract Hours: 37hrs per week, Monday to Friday
To see more about the school please see our applicant pack - ACE Schools Applicant Pack
About the role
To work alongside teaching and support staff in the day-to-day case management of a specific cohort of pupils, managing behaviour, providing interventions for pupils and staff and supporting parents.
The post holder will also need to attend various multi agency meetings to help provide the support these pupils need and be the voice of the pupils in many cases.
The post holder will have to keep up to date records, lead on delivery, tracking and CPD linked to the specialist curriculum strand and monitor and track pupil behaviour and attendance. Supporting at EHCP reviews, PEP, CP and CIN meetings and completing legal paperwork for these are key daily parts of the job.
Use a trauma informed approach to positive management of behaviour in an environment of mutual respect which allows students to feel safe and secure and promotes their self-esteem and allows them to be Ready, Respectful and Safe.
Use motional data linked to pupils past trauma to create resources for staff, plan and deliver CPD and create bespoke interventions linked to the data outcomes form data drops.
The job involves working within recognised procedures, which leaves some room for initiative.
To be the DSL for a specific cohort of pupils within ACE and ensure that the outstanding culture of safeguarding is maintained and upheld.
The post holder will also pick up a safeguarding specialism and provide resources and advice or all bases and pupils at ACE.
To work alongside the teaching staff to provide an environment that is conducive to teaching and learning.
Represent ACE at a variety of Multiagency meetings and communicate the needs of the pupils effectively so informed decisions can be made on interventions and external support.
Manage and develop a group of staff in various roles within the school and base.
Have direct impact on the wellbeing of the young people supported by ACE Schools by applying and leading on the specialist curriculum strand. This will be achieved through the assessment of pupil’s needs and the implementation of the appropriate personalised interventions and referrals to support pupils.
Daily monitoring and input into our safeguarding systems and take appropriate action to safeguard pupils.
Work as part of the on-call team to help offer support to pupils throughout the school day.
Arrange and conduct admissions meetings for new pupils
Support pupils reintegrating back to school, or other placements.
Have input on bespoke timetables for pupils with differing needs
Support the deployment of staff effectively
Providing support and advice to parents
Work in partnership with other agencies Careers Southwest, Social Services, YOT, police, CAMHS etc
Communicate needs of pupils to all ACE Staff and be responsible for the outcomes in the specialist curriculum strand.
Undertaking a range of administration duties including record keeping, report writing, and assessing the work of pupils.
Handling and processing some personal information of young people being supported by the service.
Committed to a policy of diversity and inclusion that recognises the potential of all young people to make progress and achieve.
Undertake home visits as necessary and cover at other ACE sites.
Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade of the post.
Supporting pupils to become Ready, Respectful and Safe
About the successful candidate
As Pastoral Lead, you will be responsible for monitoring and supporting our learners’ behaviour, attendance and be the base DSL.
You will be directly responsible for the delivery/planning/tracking/analysis of data and CPD planning of the specialist curriculum stand. You will work alongside the base lead teacher in co-producing the base SEF and present the findings to SLT.
The specialist stand of the ACE 3 strand curriculum has just been recognised as an area of excellence by challenge partners and is key to shaping the lives and educational outcomes of the children who attend ACE.
In conjunction with the team on the base, you will play a key role in ensuring each young person’s safeguarding, attendance and behavioural needs are met, and they are provided with an enriching curriculum and extra-curricular experiences.
You will be pivotal in the planning of high-quality delivery programs for each child by providing targeted interventions through a trauma informed approach to the pupils on the base. These interventions will be data driven through the motional data analysis which asses the trauma of each pupil through twice yearly data drops.
We welcome applications from staff who specialise in trauma-informed approaches, have a keen interest in safeguarding and working with vulnerable pupils, have a good understanding of multi-agency working and a working knowledge of what agencies can support our pupils.
We are keen to meet candidates from special and mainstream settings that want to take on the challenge of supporting young people whose needs can only be met by the exceptional staff at ACE.
You will be at the forefront of making life changing differences to a group of young people who deserve the same high level of education as their peers.
About the School
Welcome to ACE schools. At ACE we are proud to provide education to young people aged from 4-16 who are not currently accessing mainstream or special school provision.
Our school supports young people from all over the region with provisions in Cornwall, Plymouth and Exeter. Our school prides itself on providing a trauma informed approach to all of our young people ensuring that everyone’s learning is tailored to them as individuals.
Our provisions are tailored to the specific needs of our young people with highly trained staff delivering group teaching, one to one support, and outreach into the community ensuring that we have an adaptability that makes us specialists in our field.
About the Trust
We are a family of schools working in partnership for the benefit of all our pupils and students. We believe our charitable aim, to advance education, is best achieved through collaboration, both within the Trust and beyond.
We operate 21 academies across Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, serving learners aged 3 to 19. Alongside our primary, all-through and technical provision, we are proud to include a strong and integral network of seven special schools and one alternative provision setting.
These settings are a vital part of our community, providing inclusive, high-quality education for pupils with a wide range of needs, including complex learning profiles, autism, and social, emotional and mental health needs, as well as those who benefit from a more personalised approach. Together, we are committed to helping every young person thrive.
Those we recruit those who can demonstrate that they share our values, are highly motivated to work with colleagues, within and beyond their school, to continuously develop their skills and pursue professional excellence.
Next Steps
If you think this role may be for you and want to be involved at this exciting time in our development and have any questions about the position, please get in touch by calling the Recruitment team on 07759365064 or emailing us at [email protected].
Closing date: for applications is 14th July 2026
Shortlisting date: 15th July 2026
Interview Date: Interviews are provisionally booked for 17th July 2026
To apply for this opportunity, please complete our online application form by clicking ‘apply now’ on the advert.
We reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to the closing date. Therefore, an early application is strongly advised.
Opportunities and Benefits
We offer a competitive salary plus LGPS pension, great career progression and development opportunities, access to our Employee Assistance Programme with many other benefits. We’re proud of how we support our staff in order that you have high levels of job satisfaction, are aware of the difference you are making for the children and families you work with and can see your contribution towards our community. There are regular opportunities for professional development and training, and a wider community of staff to network with within Reach South Multi Academy Trust. You will have the chance to visit other local schools, work alongside a range of outside professionals and take part in a variety of e-learning and face-to-face training.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Each post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.
Reach South Academy Trust has an Equal Opportunities Policy for selection and recruitment. Applicants are requested to complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring section of the application form before submitting.
