About the School
Harris Academy Battersea is a mixed state secondary school serving a truly comprehensive community in the heart of London. We are an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ school with a strong track record of delivering fantastic outcomes year on year for our students. In 2023, Ofsted judged us as remaining ‘outstanding’, commenting on our highly ambitious curriculum and the exceptionally high quality of education provided, noting that behaviour in the school is very strong.
Home Academy Liaison Officer (HALO) – Overview
We are looking to appoint a Home Academy Liaison Officer (HALO) to oversee educational welfare across the academy. The role is a mid‑senior level, full‑time position with a salary of £29,641–£30,516 (39 weeks per year, 37.5 hours per week). If you’re looking for an opportunity to grow, inspire and develop, this may be the role for you.
Main Areas of Responsibility
* Oversee educational welfare across the academy.
* Manage a caseload of ‘at risk’ students, where attendance falls below 85% and implement strategies to improve attendance.
* Monitor and improve the attendance of most vulnerable students.
* Ensure compliance with statutory duties, including reporting persistent and severe absenteeism.
* Conduct home visits to engage families and address barriers to school attendance.
* Maintain accurate attendance records and prepare reports.
* Represent the academy at external meetings such as Social Services Case Conferences, Child in Need Meetings, and LAC Reviews.
* Communicate effectively with all external agencies, including possible alternative providers.
* Ensure effective communication and consultation with parents of students.
* Lead legal interventions for non‑attendance where necessary.
* Coordinate appropriate and tailored alternative provision for students unable to thrive in mainstream education.
* Support the school’s inclusion strategy.
* Maintain the alternative provision tracker and monitor student progress.
* Build and maintain partnerships with external providers, agencies, and support networks.
* Ensure safeguarding and health and safety standards in alternative provision settings.
* Act as a liaison between the academy, external providers, students, and families to ensure seamless support and transition to alternative placements.
* Ensure compliance with local and national policies relating to alternative provision and safeguarding protocols.
* Regularly review alternative provision placements and provide feedback to stakeholders.
* Maintain confidential records of support.
* Prepare reports and maintain records relating to student referrals and subsequent counselling or support.
* Provide support to the attendance team.
* Provide administrative support to coordinate internal meetings.
Qualifications & Experience
* Qualifications to degree level or equivalent.
* Knowledge of behaviour for learning policies.
* Knowledge of the range of barriers to learning that students face.
* Training in child protection and safeguarding procedures.
* Basic knowledge of first aid (e.g. emergency first aid course).
* At least three years’ experience of working in an inner‑city school or educational establishment in a pastoral capacity.
* Experience of dealing successfully with a range of issues influencing poor attendance.
* Experience of working with staff to ensure excellent standards of attendance and punctuality.
* Experience of working with families.
* Experience of working with challenging students and parents, and finding ways to meet their needs more successfully.
Professional Development & Benefits
We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top‑quality training programmes delivered at every level. Along with opportunities for career development and progression, we offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, a generous pension scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan, an electric car scheme, 26 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays) for staff working across the full year, and many other benefits.
Safeguarding Notice
The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.
Equal Opportunities
The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.
Next Steps
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation. Before applying, download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.
Location: London, England, United Kingdom
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