Virtual School Advisor

Hours per week: 14.8

About us

At Cheshire East Council we are resident, and partner focused with a vision to enable prosperity and wellbeing for all. People really are at the heart of everything we do and that starts with our incredible workforce. We promote a culture of high performance where people can aspire, thrive and flourish, where we strive to deliver best value in everything we do.

For us, success isn't just about what we achieve, but how we achieve it together. We promote curiosity, excellence, innovation and continuous improvement.

We are values led and committed to wellbeing and inclusion for all, where our employees co-created our values of drive, integrity, respect and collaboration which inform all that we do.

We are proud to work for Cheshire East Council and believe you would be too!

Join us on a meaningful journey in Children's Social Care at Cheshire East Council

We're on a meaningful journey in Children's Social Care and we'd love for you to be part of it. Joining us means becoming part of a supportive, forward-thinking team that's passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children and young people. Everything we do is about putting them first, helping them grow, thrive and reach their full potential so they can build brighter futures.

If this sounds like the kind of impact you want to make, we'd be delighted to hear from you. Come and join us in shaping positive change for our young people.

About the role

Virtual School Advisors play a crucial role in assuring the educational experiences of children in the care of Cheshire East Local Authority. The tasks and duties assigned to Virtual School Advisors are diverse, ranging from quality assuring termly Personal Education Plans and attending statutory meetings alongside colleagues in social care, to supporting schools to think creatively about overcoming barriers and providing professional challenge to colleagues' practice.

The role itself is varied and, although no two days are the same, key responsibilities include supporting colleagues and foster carers to identify suitable education settings and navigate application processes, and working with SEND professionals to support children with Education, Health and Care Plans. Working as part of a multi-agency team is essential to our success. The successful candidate must be experienced in collaborating with colleagues from a range of sectors and able to present information with clarity and transparency. Knowledge and experience of working within an education setting, alongside an understanding of current developments in education, are also desirable.

Virtual School Advisors oversee a caseload of young people and are allocated to a specific locality within the 'Families First' model. They must build and maintain positive relationships with a range of education settings, including EYFS, primary, secondary, and specialist provisions. The role also involves delivering training to Designated Teachers, social workers, school governors, and other professionals.

This is just a snapshot of some of the exciting aspects of the role. To find out more about the full range of responsibilities, please refer to the attached job description.

About you

You will be personable, approachable, resilient, and dedicated, with the ability to build positive relationships with young people and professionals from a range of backgrounds, often during times of crisis.

You will be able to:

• Manage a caseload in the region of 100 children and young people across the local authority.
• Travel across Cheshire East and work in a range of locations and situations.
• Support children in care who may be struggling to access education.
• Work creatively with colleagues to meet the needs of young people.

To find out more about the essential and desirable criteria for the role please view the attached job description specification document.

What we offer in return

• A competitive salary - Between £43,149 pro rata per annum- £49,658 pro rata per annum (CEC NJC - Grade 10) with guaranteed yearly pay increases!
• Enhanced annual leave - Start with an impressive 34 days of annual leave (including bank holidays) from day one, and watch it grow to 39 days after just five years of service
• Purchase of annual leave - Want more time off? You can purchase up to 10 extra days of annual leave each year, giving you the flexibility to balance work and life just the way you want (Pro-rata for part-time staff)
• Flexible working pattern - Enjoy a 14.8-hour work week with the added perks of flexitime and hybrid/remote working arrangements where possible. Your work-life balance just got a whole lot better!
• Salary sacrifice green car scheme - Drive green and save green! Lease a brand-new electric or hybrid car through our salary sacrifice scheme. There're no credit checks, no deposits, just significant savings and exclusive offers on a three-year lease
• White goods salary sacrifice scheme - Upgrade your home with ease. Purchase home and electronic items through our salary sacrifice scheme, spreading the cost of big-ticket purchases like appliances, computers, and tech gadgets directly from your salary
• Enhanced public pension - Secure your future with our career average pension, where contributions are built at a rate of 1/49th of your yearly pensionable pay
• Cycle to work scheme - Save up to 25-39% on the retail price of bikes and safety equipment through Income Tax and National Insurance savings. Get fit and save money!
• Employee assistance programme - Access a completely free and confidential assistance service to help manage, reduce, and overcome life's challenges, both at work and in your personal life
• Discounted gym membership - Stay active and healthy with corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure, including:
• Gym, Swim and Group Fitness at all 16 facilities
• Off-Peak Racket Sports
• Athletics Tracks
• Sauna/Steam/Spa

How to apply

We're delighted that you're considering applying for this role!

As an equal opportunities' employer, we warmly welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We believe that a diverse workforce helps us better reflect and serve our local communities, and together, we can build something truly special.

To join our team, simply click 'Apply for this job' at the bottom of the page. If you'd prefer an informal chat first or have any questions about the role, feel free to reach out to David Hemlock at: david.hemlock@cheshireeast.gov.uk, they will be happy to hear from you! Please remember to include the job reference so we know which role you are interested in.

Once you've applied for the position, please keep an eye on your email inbox (including your junk and spam folders), as we'll send any correspondence there to stay in touch with updates about your application.

If you haven't heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, it likely means we weren't able to move forward with your application at this time but please don't let this discourage you as your interest means a lot to us, and we'd truly love to hear from you again in the future!

For any technical enquiries please email sourcingteam@ecwip.co.uk.

We wish you all the best in your application.

Cheshire East Council is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults across the Borough. As such, any cautions, convictions, reprimands or final warnings that are 'not protected' as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) order 1975 (as amended in 2013) relating to the non-disclosure of spent convictions do not apply to this job. You must therefore, disclose whether you have any previous convictions where prompted to do so within the application process.