Home Academy Liaison Officer: South London - #2183075

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.

Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the page.

We are looking for a passionate and proactive individual to join us as a Home Academy Liaison Officer, based primarily at Harris Academy Morden and also working with Harris Academy Merton and Harris Academy Purley. In this rewarding role, you will help improve attendance, wellbeing, engagement and outcomes for vulnerable pupils and their families.

Working in partnership with academy leadership teams, pastoral and safeguarding staff, families, local authorities, housing services, charities and other partner organisations, you will identify, support and advocate for disadvantaged students and families, with a particular focus on those experiencing homelessness, housing instability and other barriers to education.

This role is term-time only, and is offered on a 12-month fixed-term contract. The actual salary will be £35,534.27 (38 weeks per year, 37.5 hours per week).

Your responsibilities will include:

• Identifying and supporting students and families facing homelessness, housing instability and other barriers to education.
• Managing a caseload of pupils and families, providing practical support, advocacy and coordinated interventions.
• Building trusted relationships, acting as a key point of contact for students, families and academy staff.
• Assessing needs and developing support plans in collaboration with families, schools and partner agencies.
• Working across multiple academies to provide direct support and strengthen local practice.
• Coordinating early intervention and ensuring timely support for vulnerable pupils and families.
• Developing effective partnerships with local authorities, housing services, charities and other external organisations.
• Monitoring attendance, wellbeing, engagement and progress to evaluate the impact of interventions.
• Identifying trends and emerging barriers affecting disadvantaged pupils and helping schools develop effective responses.
• Maintaining accurate records and contributing to programme monitoring, reporting and impact measurement.
• Sharing best practice across academies and contributing to reports for senior leaders, funders and other stakeholders.
• Ensuring all work is carried out in line with safeguarding, confidentiality, data protection and Harris Federation policies.

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Experience working with children, young people or families facing disadvantage.
• Strong relationship-building, communication and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including school staff, parents and external agencies.
• Experience handling sensitive and confidential information appropriately.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to maintain accurate records.
• A commitment to improving outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people.
• A good understanding of safeguarding and child protection responsibilities.
• The ability to work independently and manage a varied caseload effectively.
• The willingness and ability to travel regularly between Harris academies.

For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.

If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation.

Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.

When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application.

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Our vision, from the start, has been to provide the structure and services needed for our schools to amount to more than the sum of their parts, and to free-up our teachers and leaders to focus on one thing and one thing only: the outstanding education of all their pupils. Our young people and communities are at the heart of everything we do. Our core mission has always been to close the educational gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Our ambition is one where every child ...