Education Welfare Officer

Education Welfare Officer (EWO)

📅 Start date: 2nd November or as soon a possible thereafter
🗓️ Closing date: Wednesday 14th October
📍 Location: Kettering Science Academy
💰 Salary: £34,842 - £36,906 FTE
⏰ Hours per week: 37 Hours, term time only (39 weeks)

👣 Presence matters. Relationships matter. Attendance follows belonging.

At Kettering Science Academy, we believe that children do well if they can. Attendance, engagement, and behaviour are not stand-alone issues. They are deeply connected to relationships, safety, consistency, and how seen and supported a young person feels.

We are seeking a committed and relational Education Welfare Officer to join our inclusion and safeguarding team. This is a key role within the academy, working closely with families, students, pastoral leaders, and external agencies to improve attendance, reduce persistent absence, and remove barriers to learning.

🧭 You will be joining KSA at a time where we are strengthening our approach to attendance through three clear principles: belonging, early intervention, and shared responsibility. We are ambitious for our students and realistic about the complexity of their lives. Our approach is firm, fair, and human.

This role is not about chasing figures. It is about understanding context, building trust, holding boundaries, and helping families navigate challenges so that children can access education consistently and safely.

The role will involve:
👥 Building strong relationships with students and families, including home visits where appropriate
📊 Monitoring attendance data and identifying patterns of concern
🤝 Working closely with pastoral teams, safeguarding staff, and senior leaders
🏛️ Liaising with external agencies including the Local Authority, Early Help, and social care
📝 Supporting statutory processes where required, with professionalism and care
🎯 Contributing to a culture where attendance is everyone’s business

What we offer:
🤝 A supportive, values-led leadership team
🏫 A modern school environment with strong pastoral systems
📚 High-quality CPD and professional support through the Brooke Weston Trust
🥐 Daily allowance for breakfast and lunch
🌱 The opportunity to make a genuine difference to children and families

We are looking for someone who:
🌟 Understands that attendance work is relational as well as procedural
💬 Communicates clearly, calmly, and respectfully with families
🧠 Can balance challenge with empathy and consistency
📋 Is organised, reflective, and confident working with data and systems
🌱 Shares our belief that every child deserves unconditional regard and high expectations

If you are motivated by impact, believe in early and thoughtful intervention, and want to work in a school where inclusion is lived rather than stated, we would love to hear from you.

About Kettering Science Academy

Kettering Science Academy was delighted to receive a Good Ofsted rating in July 2023. This report recognised the work which has been done over many years in relentlessly focussing on providing stimulating learning experience for all our students. We actively encourage students to participate in all areas of academy life, motivating and inspiring them to unlock their potential and realise their ambitions. We believe education is about more than achieving success in exams; it is about preparing students for the challenges and demands of life beyond education. Staff have an uncompromising commitment to this and work closely with one another to support and develop students as well as one another.

Our students come from all walks of life, and we want our staffing body to be reflective of the communities we work within. Brooke Weston Trust does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, nationality, culture, age, disability, marital status or socio-economic backgrounds. We encourage and welcome applications from minority groups and foster a work environment that is inclusive as well as diverse, where people can be themselves.

We are a thriving community of equals dedicated to creating a great place to work and learn; students and staff are happy and proud to be part of Kettering Science Academy's journey to being the best that we can be and we would like to offer you the opportunity to jump aboard and join us for this journey!

If you think you can contribute to our organisation we welcome your application. Applicants are required to complete an application form as CVs will not be accepted.

The Benefits at Brooke Weston Trust we can offer you:

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 25 days annual leave per year, plus bank holidays. An additional 3 days after 5 years’ service and the ability to purchase up to 10 days additional leave per year.

One wellbeing day a year, in addition to your annual leave

Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.

Employee discounts with local and national retailers, covering high street supermarkets, days out and holidays, health and beauty, dining out plus lots more.

A freshly prepared breakfast and hot or cold lunch each day in term time, when you work in one of our Trust schools

Payment of professional subscription / membership - If your role requires you to be a member of a professional body, BWT will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees.

Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Your Care, an independent, external organisation. Your Care is available for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, both face to face and online.

Additional health benefits including aHealth Care cash plan and access to an online GP

Cycle to Work scheme.

Ongoing opportunities for training and development and access to the BWT Centre for Professional Development

Collaborative and Ambitious colleagues with the support of a committed team who work to maintain high standards and expectations

Be the difference - At Brooke Weston Trust we believe every child deserves the best possible start, giving them a "ticket for life." If you want to use your skills with an organisation committed to making a difference and improving lives, this is the place for you

About Brooke Weston Trust

Our Trust was formed more than 30 years ago with a simple and clear mission - to transform educational performance in all of our communities. Working in some of the most challenging contexts, we improve our students’ achievements by making long term commitments to the community and championing new approaches to improve the life chances for young people.

Our members of staff are essential to realising this vision, and a happy, motivated and supported team will deliver the best possible experiences for our young people.

We place great emphasis on creating a supportive and collaborative working environment in all our schools, where all staff can share best practice through our colleague networks. Brooke Weston Trust staff have access to first class professional development through our Centre for Professional Development, which is also home to the Northamptonshire Teaching School Hub.

How to Apply

If you think you can contribute to this role and to our organisation, we welcome your application.

Completed applications will be passed to the recruitment panel for shortlisting and will be reviewed against