Head of Safeguarding, Attendance, Behaviour and Culture

This is a Trust-wide leadership role.As Head of Safeguarding, Attendance, Behaviour and Culture, you will provide Trust-wide leadership for safeguarding and child protection, ensuring strong practice, consistent systems and a child-centred culture across all academies. Alongside this, you will lead the development and implementation of SJCMAT’s Trust-wide attendance and behaviour strategy. Working alongside leaders across the Trust, you will help academies remove barriers to attendance, reduce persistent absence, and embed consistent, high expectations for behaviour—ensuring pupils can learn and thrive. Your work will have a direct impact on pupil outcomes, particularly for our most vulnerable children and young people.

Key responsibilities (highlights)

• Safeguarding leadership (Trust DSL):lead and quality assure Trust-wide safeguarding and child protection practice, ensuring a strong culture of vigilance, timely action and child-centred decision-making across all academies.
• Compliance, audits and assurance:ensure policies, procedures and record-keeping meet statutory requirements and best practice; lead regular safeguarding audits and follow up actions, reporting risk, gaps and improvements to Trust leaders and governance.
• Expert advice, supervision and multi-agency working:provide specialist guidance and supervision to academy DSLs; support complex casework and escalation; build effective partnerships with families and external agencies to secure the right help at the right time.
• Training and professional development:plan and deliver high-quality safeguarding training (including updates linked to statutory guidance), and create resources that strengthen practice and consistency across the Trust.
• Strategic leadership:set and drive Trust-wide priorities for safeguarding, attendance, behaviour and culture, aligned to SJCMAT’s mission, values and improvement strategy.
• Insight and reporting:establish and oversee data tracking and reporting systems to inform intervention, policy and professional development; provide clear updates to Trust leaders and governance.
• Attendance excellence:develop and embed policies and systems aligned to the DfE framework for securing full attendance; work with academies to remove barriers and reduce persistent absence.
• Line management:lead and support Trust attendance officer(s) to ensure statutory processes are followed consistently and effectively.
• Behaviour culture:develop and implement a Trust-wide behaviour strategy that promotes high standards, inclusion, safety, wellbeing and belonging.
• Impact evaluation:track, monitor and evaluate interventions; analyse safeguarding, behaviour and attendance information and report on impact.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for a leader with:

• A strong personal commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, with the confidence to challenge where practice falls short.
• Proven experience leading safeguarding and child protection practice at senior level (including acting as a Designated Safeguarding Lead), with the credibility to support and quality assure DSLs across multiple settings.
• Strong working knowledge of statutory guidance and education legislation relating to safeguarding, child protection, information-sharing and safer recruitment.
• A commitment to SJCMAT’s Catholic ethos and a belief that every pupil deserves an excellent education, regardless of background.
• A proven impact improving attendance and leading behaviour at Trust-wide level or within a senior leadership role.
• Confident use of data and tracking systems (e.g., Arbor or equivalent MIS) and safeguarding systems (e.g., CPOMS or equivalent) to inform policy, practice, targeted intervention and assurance.
• Excellent relationship-building, influencing and multi-agency working skills—able to collaborate with pupils, families, leaders and external partners to secure timely support and improved outcomes.
• The ability to prioritise competing demands, work with discretion, and lead through change in a fast-paced environment.
• An education to degree level (or equivalent experience) with GCSE English and Maths (or equivalent) at grade C/4 or above.
• A full clean driving licence and access to a vehicle for business use (travel across Trust sites required).