Fair Access Officer

The Opportunity

Salary: NJC Grade 8£30,296 - £33,024 per annum, pro rata for part time & term time only £13,050 - £14,225

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: 18.5 hours per week, Term Time Only (39 weeks). Your working days will be agreed with you.

Location: Bridge House, Worthing

Interview date: 10 April 2024

Do you enjoy researching and interpreting information?

Do you have experience or knowledge of schools and the education system?

Are you passionate about supporting your community?

As a Fair Access Officer, you will be working in the Fair Access Team who is responsible for the implementation of the Fair Access Protocol in West Sussex. The protocol addresses the admission of specific students to schools and alternative provision.

Your responsibilities include giving advice and guidance on the exclusion process, representing the local authority at Governor’s Disciplinary Committees, ensuring a fair distribution to schools of pupils meeting the Fair Access Protocol, assessing, and managing referrals for alternative provision and monitoring the pupils attending our commissioned alternative provisions.

The work within this role is varied, including:

• Preparing statistical data on trends and patterns in school exclusions.
• Responding sensitively to complex child-centred casework.
• Establishing and maintaining relationships.
• Influencing and challenging across the organisation, within a political environment.
• Ensuring senior schools’ staff and governing bodies comply with the statutory guidance on exclusion from school and the Fair Access Protocol under the School Admissions Code.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone committed to good outcomes for vulnerable pupils and wishing to further their career.

Ideally you will have some knowledge or experience of working with schools and in partnership with other agencies.

Our team is passionate and dedicated to positive outcomes for young people. As a team member you will demonstrate strong communication skills, commitment, ability to prioritise, make decisions, problem solve, all with due regard to statutory guidance.

Skills and Experience

Key Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in order to effectively exchange complicated or sensitive information.
• Excellent verbal communication skills including the ability to effectively participate in more appeal hearings.
• Comprehensive research skills, ability to interpret information and to use this to draft letters, reports and documents with guidance, as needed.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to work to deadlines.
• Skills in providing instruction, advice and on the job training in order to effectively support colleagues.
• Ability to work as part of a team and to have a flexible and adaptable approach to working to varied tasks and subject areas.

Qualifications and experience:

• Degree level, or equivalent, qualification or equivalent level of significant experience which demonstrates that level of applied knowledge in researching, analysing and evaluating arguments and information.
• Relevant qualification or equivalent experience demonstrating good working knowledge of IT systems / procedures.
• Relevant theoretical, practical and procedural knowledge of systems, policies and practices associated with operating the service.
• An understanding of Fair Access, alternative provision or school exclusion.
• Demonstrable experience of working, applying specialist knowledge and providing advice in a Fair Access, alternative provision, school exclusion or similar Local Authority process.
• Evidence of a high level of understanding of the school / education system.
• Experience of preparing detailed information in order to produce specialist reports for analysis.
• Experience of competently handling a full caseload of varying subjects without supervision and providing robust and professional advice.

About us

The West Sussex County Council Education and Skills department delivers the County Council’s statutory and strategic duties in relation to education through working in partnership with other council services, school leaders, sponsors, Trusts, and Diocesan leads.

The Fair Access Team sit within the wider SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) and Inclusion Special Advisory Teaching Service, carrying out all statutory and strategic functions relating to children and young people who have been excluded from school, are at risk of exclusion, or have a health need which prevents them from attending school.

The team ensures the County Council’s functions, relating to exclusion from schools, are delivered and supported by stakeholders and independent providers. This ensures that West Sussex has a full range of alternative educational provision available to best support its learners.

Additionally, the team are responsible for managing the West Sussex Fair Access Protocol (FAP), and the placement of any pupils who meet FAP criteria.

Benefits

As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance, and are rewarded for the work they do. Upon joining us you will have access to a range of benefits including the following:

For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further information

The reference number for this role is CAFHE05039.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Sara Hughes, Fair Access Manager, at Sara.Hughes@westsussex.gov.uk

• This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and an occupational health check.

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter.

In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

Equity, inclusion, and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application helppage.

Job Reference: CAFHE05039