- School type
- Academy, ages 4 to 19
- School size
- 173 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Dysart School website
Family Engagement & Advocacy Practitioner (Family Support) – Dysart School
More than one location, Orchard Hill College Academy Trust24 days remaining to apply
Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
19 April 2026 at 11:59pm
Date listed
26 March 2026
Job details
Job role
- Pastoral, health and welfare
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Full time: 36 hours a week, term time only. Across school with home liaison
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- £31,155.00 - £33,983.00
What skills and experience we're looking for
We are seeking a Family Engagement & Advocacy Practitioner to join our team.
The role aims to:
build and strengthen relationships between home and school, reducing some of the pressures and stressors for parents and carers, knowing that this in turn positively impacts the pupils’ wellbeing, engagement and quality of life.
To ensure a smooth and welcoming transition into Dysart School, and again, out of Dysart when students move on from the school onto possible college placements.
To work with external agencies surrounding the pupils to promote inclusive, joined up working.
Key Responsibilities:
Advocate for parents in meetings and support preparation and follow-up.
Support inclusive communication and access to information through relational drop-ins: supporting and reassuring, offering guidance, and signposting families to appropriate services.
Recognise safeguarding concerns and escalate appropriately.
Assisting the SLT and class team in welcoming new families to the school through open mornings and transition meetings, ensuring a smooth transition into Dysart School.
Class visits, including lunch duties, to see students within their learning environments to inform conversations with families and further understand and experience the school environment.
Key Requirements:
Essential Experience/Knowledge
GCSE grade 9–4 (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics
Commitment to working alongside families with dignity and respect, understanding that reducing family stress supports positive outcomes for pupils
Proven experience working effectively with children and young people
Understanding of safeguarding, equal opportunities and relevant legislation, aligned with PBS values of dignity and respect
Awareness of barriers families may face in accessing school activities
Essential Skills and abilities
Confident supporting groups, events or workshops
Ability to organise own work, manage time effectively and work with appropriate guidance
Confidence contributing specialist insight to multidisciplinary meetings, reviews and planning
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with families and professionals with the ability to manage sensitive or complex conversations
OHCAT is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:
What the school offers its staff
Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme, Employee Car Lease Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme)
Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme,MyGymDiscounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme
Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)
Further information about the job
The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.
Visas cannot be sponsored.
If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applying for the job
Apply for the job by following the link below.
CVs will not be accepted for this application.
View advert on school website (opens in new tab)Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Orchard Hill College Academy Trust
- Type
- Multi-academy trust
- Email address
- llewis2@orchardhill.ac.uk
Orchard Hill College (the College) and Orchard Hill College Academy Trust (the Trust) together form Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust (OHC&AT), a family of specialist education providers for pupils and students from nursery to further education across London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire. As an Outstanding provider (Ofsted 2019) and Academy sponsor, Orchard Hill College has a strong track record for making a positive impact within the local communities it serves.
Pupils and students within the OHC&AT family have a wide range of learning abilities and additional needs including autistic spectrum disorder; speech, language and communication difficulties; social, emotional and mental health; profound and multiple disabilities; and physical disabilities including multi-sensory impairment and complex health needs.
Our ambition is to contribute further to improving the education offer for all pupils and students in our communities, including those with SEND. The College offers specialist educational programmes for students aged 16 and over in College centres and satellite provision in London and the South. The Academy Trust enables us to build on and extend scope of our work in these geographical areas, so that Academy pupils can also benefit from our expertise and access a greater range of opportunities arising from our strong community and stakeholder networks.
Supporting our College and Academies, OHC&AT also operates a range of services and support including Quality and Standards, Learning Support and Business Support.
School Details
Dysart School
Arranging a visit to Orchard Hill College Academy Trust
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email llewis2@orchardhill.ac.uk.
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