Education Manager (Pupil Support)
Application Deadline: 18 July 2025
Department: Education
Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time
Location: Balerno, Edinburgh
Compensation: £52,158 - £57,429 / year
Description
Harmeny Education Trust is a charitable organisation providing therapeutic care and education to children who have experienced early years trauma through abuse, neglect and family disruption, referred from all over Scotland. We currently work with children and young people aged 5-18, both on a day and all-year-round residential basis.
We are currently seeking anEducation Manager (Pupil Support) to join the organisation. Working closely with the Head and Deputy Head of Education, the Education Manager will be responsible for managing a team of education support staff to ensure the highest quality learning experiences and outcomes for children placed at Harmeny, which is based on a highly relational and experiential model of learning. The postholder will also be responsible for leading on, and delivering a Personal and Social Education programme to our S1 learners upwards. They will work closely with local partners and providers to ensure our children are able to access activities and networks which will support a positive destination. They will also play a key role in supporting those aspects of the 24-hour curriculum that assist children in developing their social skills, as vital components of lifelong learning. This will require them be part of a team who provide on-call throughout the week and one weekend in seven.
With the supervision and guidance of the Head of Education, the Education Manager will be responsible alongside the Deputy Head of Education, Service Managers (Residential) and Day Service Manager for the effective leadership, management and development of our core service, Harmeny School. These managers constitute the Harmeny School Management Team (HSMT), which is jointly chaired by the Head of Care and Head of Education.
The post-holder will play a role in the strategic direction and growth of the organisation, working closely with the other members of HSMT and the Senior Management Team (SMT), to maintain Harmeny's excellent provision and help us to implement our new services for young people up to the age of 18.
Harmeny is a values-led organisation and a good fit with our ethos is as important to us as having relevant experience.
Harmeny is situated in a beautiful 35-acre woodland estate, which includes residential and education accommodation, community garden, orchard, wildlife habitats and children’s play areas. Harmeny is located in Balerno on the outskirts of Edinburgh, at the foot of the Pentland Hills; we are easily accessible by bus and there is on-site parking available.
We offer benefits and opportunities that promote wellbeing, work-life balance, staff development and security. Benefits include:
* On site wellbeing spaces and free massage therapy
* Free gym membership and cycle to work scheme
* Access to wellbeing app and counselling
* Access to discounts on shopping and events
All staff receive a comprehensive induction package, and access to a range of learning and development opportunities throughout their career with us.
More information on the benefits of working at Harmeny, plus a fuller job description and person specification can be found at www.harmeny.org.uk/jobs.
For more information about the role, please contact Mandy Shiel, Head of Education, on 0131 4493938.
To apply, please complete the application form via our recruitment section at www.harmeny.org.uk/jobs.
Closing date : 18 July 2025
Interview date : 23 July 2025
Key Responsibilities
Organisational / Trust-wide
1. Promote and support a positive ethos consistent with Harmeny’s vision, purpose and core values, with a particular emphasis on the learning and developmental needs of children.
2. Play a key role, alongside management colleagues, in encouraging the ongoing development and implementation of a therapeutic community approach, designed to ensure the wellbeing, equality and inclusion of each child and member of staff. This includes active participation in Harmeny and wider community events.
3. Implement SMT and HSMT decisions, consistent with the Harmeny Strategic and Business Plans, and regularly report progress to the Head of Education.
4. Lead on specific strategic developments as directed by SMT.
5. Deputise for the Head of Education in their absence, as directed by the Chief Executive or another member of SMT.
6. Implement and develop effective relationships between the Care and Education teams, to ensure a joined-up approach to the care and education of our young people.
7. Share responsibility for the day-to-day running and ongoing development of the organisation, alongside Harmeny School Management Team (HSMT).
Work With Children and Families
1. Create and maintain a highly nurturing environment for children, taking responsibility as delegated by the Head of Education, or other members of SMT, for managing resources (including staff and finances) to meet the educational, emotional and social needs of children.
2. Responsible for the care and welfare of children and staff, reporting any safeguarding or health and safety issue immediately, in line with relevant Harmeny policies and procedures, national care and education standards and child protection guidelines.
3. Provide class cover where necessary as directed by the Head of Education.
4. Oversee approaches which encourage positive behaviours from children, including the use of diversion and de-escalation, and where required (as a last resort) to implement physical intervention techniques in line with CALM training.
5. Oversee the coordination of assessments, plans and interventions which meet the individual care, educational and therapeutic needs of children, in line with national policies such as GIRFEC and CfE.
6. Ensure that regular effective contact and consultation is maintained with parents, carers and professionals involved with the children.
7. Assist the Head of Education and Head of Care with referral, admission and transition processes for children and liaise with all relevant external professionals regarding these.
8. Ensure that children have a voice regarding all aspects of their care and education.
9. Ensure that the highest possible standards of professional practice are maintained.
10. Lead and deliver a Personal and Social Education programme for our secondary school learners
11. Make links with local partners and providers to ensure our children make informed choices around a positive destination.
12. Lead our Acorn 3 programme, working closely with 3 local High Schools to deliver a vocational curriculum for 6 young people attending Harmeny, 2 days a week.
People Management
1. Provide highly effective and supportive leadership and management of staff, promoting a multi-disciplinary approach to working with children and their families, and ensuring that support for our children and young people is of the highest standard.
2. Support and develop the practice of the education support team in relation to the Harmeny Way (therapeutic practice model), using discussion on theory, research and practice, with a particular emphasis on children’s social and emotional development and self-regulatory skills within a learning environment.
3. Support the recruitment and deployment of staff, ensuring that effective cover arrangements are in place when necessary.
4. Ensure effective systems of line management, professional supervision and development of staff.
5. Arrange regular team meetings with staff and ensure effective systems of communication.
6. Ensure, along with HSMT and SMT, that expectations in terms of policy and practice are clearly communicated to staff and that staff have a voice in such matters.
Quality Assurance, Out of Hours and Other Duties
1. Adhere to the requirements of the SSSC Codes of Practice, GTCS Standards, or other professional equivalent.
2. Take responsibility for ongoing post-qualifying training and learning, in line with professional registration requirements, and the delivery of appropriate continuous professional development.
3. Engage fully in Harmeny’s approach to supervision and annual performance review, including undertaking individual supervision and an annual programme of continuing professional development, as agreed with the Head of Education.
4. Provide daytime, evening and weekend leadership for the organisation, including involvement in the on-call rota, as directed.
5. Work alongside the Education Management Team to ensure the ongoing development and compliance of quality assurance / self-assessment systems including an annual School Improvement Plan, and to support the development of the curriculum.
6. Organise and manage the weekly Education Plan in order to meet the requirements of the timetable and staffing needs.
7. Ensure that all recording systems and procedures are kept up to date, bringing to the attention of the Head of Education or another SMT member any issues of concern at the earliest opportunity.
8. Ensure that timely and accurate information is provided by education support staff to assist the Assessment and Planning Team with the preparation of children’s. and young people’s assessments and reports.
9. Undertake any other duties delegated by the Head of Education or other Senior Management Team member, which are consistent with the role.
Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Qualifications
Essential
1. A practice qualification enabling registration with the SSSC, GTCS, or other equivalent professional body.
2. A relevant management qualification or willingness to work towards.
3. Significant management experience within an education setting.
4. Experience of handling competing priorities and a challenging workload within a highly pressurised working environment.
5. Excellent planning and problem-solving skills, with experience of finding workable and pragmatic solutions to problems that arise.
6. A working knowledge of Curriculum for Excellence, GIRFEC and The Promise
7. Extensive experience of leading, motivating, supporting and developing staff.
8. Knowledge and understanding of child development and care guidance, legislation, and best practice related to children with complex social, emotional and behavioural needs.
9. Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, with a track of record of communicating with, influencing and negotiating with direct reports and third parties such as social workers and regulators.
10. Emotional intelligence, the ability to understand the needs of others, and a commitment to reflective practice.
11. A full driving licence and the ability to drive fleet vehicles and transport children as required.
Desirable
1. Evidence of further training in therapeutic work with children and young people.
2. A first aid qualification.
3. Experience of developing and delivering training.
4. Experience of preparing and delivering reports to a Senior Management Team, Board, or equivalent.
5. Service development and project management skills.
Benefits
* A competitive salary of £52,158 - £57,429 depending on qualifications and experience
* Enhanced sick pay of up to 13 weeks (after probation)
* Pension scheme
* Policies and practices that promote health and wellbeing, including massage therapy, access to fitness equipment and a wellbeing space
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