Job description
Shaw Education Trust
Hours: 37 hours per week, whole year. Working pattern to be agreed.
Contract type: Permanent
Location: St Martins School
St Martins School seeking a dedicated and compassionate Pastoral & Safeguarding Manager (DSL) to join our Senior Leadership Team (SLT). This is a key leadership role for an experienced professional who is passionate about safeguarding, pastoral care and working in close partnership with families and external agencies to ensure the very best outcomes for our young people. If you are passionate about supporting and empowering students with SEND, we would love to hear from you!
St Martins School and Horizons 6th Form is an 11-19 Special School in Derby, with a mixed student profile of children and young people with a range of learning difficulties and additional complex needs; including Autism, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, Social Emotional and Mental Health, as well as other Learning Disabilities and Difficulties.
St Martins shares a site with Noel-Baker Academy in Alvaston, whilst Horizons 6th Form is based in Derby city centre. Our Supported Internship programme for Year 14 students is based at the Royal Derby Hospital. We received our fourth consecutive 'Outstanding' OFSTED in October 2024, and we continue to aspire to the highest standards for students and our staff team.
At St Martins, our aim is to Shape Successful Futures for our students throughout their time in school – whether in the classroom or the playground, and we believe that all time spent in school is a valuable opportunity for personal development. We believe in developing our staff team to help them reach their potential, with opportunities for further development and progression available to all.
Key Responsibilities
• Be a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing strategically to whole-school development
• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for all school sites, ensuring robust safeguarding practice and statutory compliance
• Lead and manage all child protection and safeguarding processes, acting as the day-to-day safeguarding lead
• Lead the Family Support Team, developing strong relationships with families and external agencies
• Serve as the Attendance Lead, driving improvements in attendance and punctuality across the school
• Provide leadership and guidance on pastoral care, behaviour support and inclusion
• Work closely with students, families, staff and multi-agency partners to remove barriers to learning
• Write and contribute to reports, assessments and meetings including CP conferences, Early Help, TAF and Core Groups
• Support staff through advice, training and professional guidance on safeguarding and pastoral matters
About You
You will have:
• Significant experience working with children or young people with complex social, emotional and behavioural needs
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and experience of acting as, or working closely with, a DSL
• Proven leadership or management experience within an education or related setting
• The ability to remain calm, decisive and solution-focused in high-pressure situations
• Excellent communication, organisation and record-keeping skills
• A commitment to inclusion, collaboration and continuous improvement
What We Offer
• A welcoming and supportive school community
• The opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of young people and their families
• A senior leadership role within a specialist school setting
• Ongoing professional development and training
• Staff wellbeing package
All candidates are required to provide a supporting statement on the formal