Pastoral Lead

How would you like to get paid for five days, but only work four?

At Outcomes First Group, we believe in better work/life balance - and we're putting wellbeing first.

That's why we're proud to be part of a 4-Day Working Week (4DWW) trial, where you can work one day less each week (or equivalent hours), while still receiving your full-time pay.

Many of our schools have already introduced the 4DWW - and others are preparing to roll it out as soon as they reach full staffing. So, whether it's already in place or just around the corner, now's the perfect time to join .

Job Title: Pastoral Lead

Location: Park School, Chipping Norton, OX7 5QH
Salary: Up to £31,500.00 per annum dependent on experience and qualifications ( not pro rata )
Hours: 37.5 hours per week Monday to Friday
Contract: Permanent, Term-Time Only
Start: January 2026

UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship

Park School is seeking an experienced and compassionate Pastoral Lead to develop and lead our pastoral and wellbeing provision. This pivotal role ensures that pupils are supported emotionally, socially, and academically, helping them thrive in a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment.

Working closely with the Senior Leadership Team, you will provide strong leadership, oversee interventions, and implement consistent strategies that promote positive behaviour, emotional wellbeing, and engagement in learning.

About the Role

As Pastoral Lead, you will guide a team of pastoral staff, acting as a key point of support for pupils and colleagues. You will monitor and respond to behaviour and wellbeing needs, oversee interventions, and help maintain a positive, structured, and supportive school environment.

Your leadership will influence not only pupils' personal development but also the overall culture of the school, helping create a space where every student can feel safe, understood, and empowered.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the school's pastoral team, ensuring high-quality support for all pupils
• Promote pupil wellbeing, positive behaviour, and personal development
• Support and model effective implementation of school policies and behaviour strategies
• Provide responsive, flexible support to pupils and staff throughout the school day
• Contribute to and oversee the implementation of Positive Support Plans (PSPs) and Risk Assessments (RAs)
• Act as on-call support for pupils with additional or complex needs
• Monitor, record, and analyse behaviour incidents; report patterns and interventions to SLT
• Manage escalating behaviour, including restrictive physical intervention, in line with training and policy
• Lead student and staff debriefs following incidents to promote reflection and improvement
• Communicate professionally with parents, carers, and external agencies
• Identify resource needs, advise SLT on priorities, and support pastoral resource development
• Ensure school environments are safe, accessible, and supportive, including spaces for pupils in crisis
• Act as a positive role model, maintaining professionalism and high expectations at all times
• Engage fully with appraisal processes and take responsibility for ongoing professional development

Experience and Qualifications

• Experience working with pupils with ASC, SEN, and complex needs
• Proven experience delivering pastoral interventions and leading initiatives to improve pupil outcomes
• Previous pastoral leadership experience within a school setting

At Park School, you'll be part of a nurturing, forward-thinking team dedicated to helping every child reach their potential. We value creativity, collaboration, and compassion - and we'll support you to grow as an educator while making a meaningful impact every day.

About us

Park School is an independent specialist day school for boys and girls aged from 7 to 18, catering for pupils with a wide range of social, emotional and mental health needs. Our dedicated team work together to ensure successful outcomes for pupils who often arrive at the school with a troubled view of education and life.

We pride ourselves in steering pupils in the right direction, nurturing aspiration to progress them both academically and socially to encourage them to take pride in their achievements. Socially, we build confidence in our students, so they are able to have a greater understanding of the wider community in which they live.

We are part of Acorn Education and can offer plenty of challenges along with a wide range of opportunities to develop your career. Acorn Education is the UK's leading provider of specialist education for children and young people with special educational needs. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in creating and delivering innovative approaches that achieve measurable outcomes for those in our care.

We are really proud to say that in 2025, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a 'Great Place to Work' for the sixth year running.

Why join Acorn Education?

We place the outcomes of the pupils and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you'll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

We are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

Benefits

Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you'll get an exceptional reward package including:

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• "Your Wellbeing Matters" - access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks

And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that's right for you, including:

• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100's of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

You'll work 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, giving you more time to do the things that make you happy. 4DWW is subject to successful completion of probation and is not a contractual benefit

Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.