Education Welfare Officer

Salary: Support Staff Pay Scale G: £27,702 to £29,601 pro-rata per annum (Actual) (£31,537 - £33,699 full time/full year equivalent)

Working Weeks: 39 weeks

Start Date: September 2026

Thetford Academy is seeking a reliable and responsible Education Welfare Officer to help drive the attendance strategy at the school.

The role involves working with pupils, their families, staff and external agencies to unlock barriers to attendance and ensure that all pupils can engage with school as fully as possible.

What You’ll Be Doing

• To ensure children attend school regularly and to support families and schools in removing barriers to education.
• To identify those children in need of support by reason of their behaviour, absence from academy, family dysfunction, disability, social or emotional needs or any other special educational needs and to support children whose education is at risk.
• To assess need, plan interventions, implement effective action and evaluate outcomes against agreed objectives, whilst involving service users in decisions whenever possible.
• To work with parents and other stakeholders in relation to student support.
• To assist the Academy to safeguard students through joint work with partner agencies.
• To accurately complete admission and attendance registers, as well as to regularly monitor data to identify patterns and trends and understand which pupils and pupil cohorts to focus on.

About You:

The ideal candidate for this post will be organised, professional, able to establish good relationships with pupils and their families, act as a role model and be innovative in their responses to the attendance challenges that they discover. In addition, you will have excellent communication skills, be able to confidently present information when required and possess excellent IT skills.

You will need to be able to manage your time effectively, work under your own initiative as well as contribute to the attendance team as a whole and work with team members to implement attendance initiatives for individuals and across the school. You will be required to monitor and manage an ever changing caseload and monitor the impact of actions that are taken.

Essential:

• First degree or NVQ Level 4 in social work, teaching, counselling, psychology or youth and community work or other work related to work with children and/or relevant experience
• Training on safeguarding
• Experience of using social work or counselling approach to working with parents and children
• Knowledge of school systems and pastoral systems
• Ability to undertake assessments and write reports to a high standard

Desirable:

• Experience of working in the education system and in multi-agency settings

Why Join Inspiration Trust

At Inspiration Trust, we believe in the power of education to transform lives. You’ll be joining a supportive, forward-thinking organisation that values professional development, collaboration, and innovation. We provide opportunities for growth and empower you to make a real impact in schools across Norfolk and north Suffolk. As part of our thriving network of talented teachers, leaders, and support staff, you’ll receive a varied professional development programme designed to help you be the best you can be.

We offer:

• Generous annual leave, and access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with excellent employer contributions
• Health Plan and Employee Assistance Programme, including 24/7 virtual GP access, mental health support and claim-back options for healthcare costs *
• Cycle-to-work scheme, retail and theatre discounts (including discounted shopping vouchers, dentist and gym memberships), and salary sacrifice options (including home technology). *
• Free parking at most sites
• Personalised CPD and development programmes
• A structured and specific induction programme.

*Terms and conditions apply. Some benefits are only available following successfully passing probation.

About Us

Thetford Academy is a remarkable place to work and sits at the academic and cultural heart of its community. Our pupils follow a curriculum designed to prepare them for future challenges while fostering a deep appreciation and understanding of the world. They are supported in developing strong values and habits that empower them to make meaningful contributions to their community and beyond.

Joining Thetford Academy means becoming part of a committed, supportive, and ambitious team. Staff benefit from excellent professional development opportunities, collaborative networks, and the chance to make a real difference in the lives of young people. If you are passionate about education and inspiring students to achieve their full potential, this is the place to grow your career.

We are part of the Inspiration Trust, twice ranked as the country’s top family of comprehensive schools for pupil progress, and strongly believe in the importance of giving the widest educational opportunities to all young people, regardless of their background. We have strong networks across the Trust, with opportunities to work with a diverse range of schools and partners. We are committed to offering excellent professional and learning opportunities for our staff, with a busy programme of continuing professional development courses delivered by some of the country’s best educational thinkers and practitioners.

The Inspiration Trust is a Multi Academy Trust, committed to delivering the very best educational experience for the young people of Norfolk and Suffolk, across 17 schools. We are ambitious for our schools and communities and want to create Britain’s highest performing federation of 3-19 schools and transform education in the East. Inspiration Trust specialises in transforming schools in disadvantaged areas and taking academies from failing to outstanding.

For information on what it is like to live and work in Thetford, click here. In its 2025 inspection, Ofsted confirmed that The Thetford Academy has continued to provide a high-quality education, with excellent behaviour, a well-sequenced curriculum and impressive personal development opportunities. Pupils are proud to attend the school, feel safe, and benefit from committed staff and strong leadership.

Next Steps

Before applying, please read the attached Recruitment Pack and Job Description, for more details about the role. We ask that you read this pack carefully, especially the “Planning your application” section from page 11. This will support your application ensuring you have the opportunity to tell us about your relevant skills, experience and qualifications that relate to the job description and person specification in addition to details of your references covering the last 5 years.

If you would like to know more about this exciting opportunity, then please contact Ilona Haye, PA to Principal (ilonahaye@inspirationtrust.org).

To apply for this role please click the Apply button to complete the online application form.

When you start your application, you will receive several emails from our application provider, Vacancy Filler. Please be aware that some email providers may mistakenly mark these messages as spam. To avoid missing important updates, we recommend checking your spam or junk folders regularly throughout the application process and marking these emails as safe.

Closing date for applications: 12pm on Monday 6th July 2026

Interview date: Week commencing 13th July 2026

Safeguarding and Equal Opportunities

Inspiration Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All staff appointments are subject to satisfactory references and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks. We are an equal opportunities employer.