Relational Support Worker and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL)

Brook Academy, Gloucester, GL3 4ZN

12 days remaining to apply

• Job start date

  1 September 2026

• Closing date

  21 June 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  9 June 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Pastoral, health and welfare
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: Actual Annual Salary: £33,065 - £36,567

Relational Support Worker and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) job summary

Job Title: Relational Support Worker and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL)

Actual Annual Salary: £33,065 - £36,567 (Based on hours and weeks worked)

Full Time Equivalent Salary: £35,852 - £39,649 (CLF Grade E, based on 37 hours per week, all year round)

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37 hours per week, Term Time Only + INSET days + 3 additional weeks

Additional role info: Working Pattern = Monday to Friday with 30-minute lunch.

Based at The Brook Academy, Brockworth (GL3 4QF), with occasional travel for meetings, partnership working and home visits.

Provisional Start Date: 01 September 2026

Your opportunity to make a meaningful difference in safeguarding and student wellbeing:

We are seeking a committed and highly skilled Relational Support Worker and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) to join The Brook Academy. This is a key role in ensuring the highest standards of safeguarding and child protection, supporting vulnerable students and their families, and promoting positive outcomes for all learners.

You will play a vital part in building a culture where safeguarding is a priority, working closely with senior leaders, pastoral teams, external agencies and families. Through your work, you will help ensure that every child feels safe, supported and able to thrive in their education.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone passionate about safeguarding, inclusion and relational practice to contribute to improving the life chances of young people.

About you:

You will have:

• strong knowledge and understanding of safeguarding legislation, guidance and current practice, including child protection, KCSIE and multi-agency working.
  
• experience of working with children or young people, including those with additional needs and vulnerabilities.
  
• the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with students, families, staff and external agencies.
  
• excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to handle sensitive and complex situations professionally.
  
• experience of working collaboratively across services and contributing to safeguarding processes and interventions.
  
• strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, maintain accurate records and work effectively under pressure.
  
• the ability to analyse information, make informed decisions and support appropriate referrals and safeguarding actions.
  
• a commitment to promoting equality, diversity, inclusion and the wellbeing of all students.
  
• resilience, professionalism and a proactive approach to improving outcomes for young people and their families.
  

Applicants are advised to refer to the full requirements of the role in the attached job description and person specification, prior to submitting an application.

About Brook Academy:

The Brook Academy is a special school in Gloucester with supporting young people with social, emotional and mental health as the primary need for students, and speech, language and communication need as a secondary need. Our mission is to consistently deliver excellent educational experiences for young people aged 11-16, improving their life chances and serving our communities.

The school community core values are equity, resilience, and togetherness. This drives our reflective practice of making positive impact to meet the need of every child.

We aim to provide all our students with opportunities for widening participation and strengthening developed relationships to ensure high expectations in their behaviour and attitudes for personal development and achievements in their academic and vocational learning. We aim to empower all our staffing team in their roles to develop high quality CPD to enable them to carry out their roles faithfully to meet the needs of the school community and trust wide commitment to equity through education. We will be delighted to welcome colleagues inspired by our vision to join us.

Why work at CLF?

We are a diverse and inclusive community of 36 academies across five cluster regions in the South West that is committed to excellence and making a positive impact. Our people bring unique perspectives, but we’re all driven by a shared moral purpose and a passion for making a positive impact, whether in a teaching, leadership or support role. We’re proud to foster a culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and make a meaningful difference to the lives of others.

We are an equal opportunity employer and proud to serve a diverse student population and our communities. We strongly believe that representation matters and so encourage applications from underrepresented and global majority groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.

We aim to remove any barriers to employment, ensuring everyone can compete on equal terms. Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.

What we can offer you:

• Access to a generous pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
  
• Generous annual leave.
  
• A comprehensive induction and ongoing commitment to wellbeing and career progression, through a range of training, apprenticeships and in-role/wider-trust development opportunities.
  
• Well-being support through an Employee Assistance Programme.
  
• Health benefits, including wellness sessions, gym discounts, and flu jabs.
  
• A range of generous family leave options, including above industry average occupational maternity pay.
  
• Additional benefits like cycle to work scheme, on-site parking plus many more!
  

Recruitment timeline:

• Closing Date: 21 June 2026 @11.59pm

• Shortlisting: 22 June 2026

• Interviews: To be confirmed

We welcome visits from potential candidates. If you would like to arrange a school visit prior to the closing date, please contact the academy/site directly to arrange a suitable appointment.

As part of our commitment to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), we do not accept CVs – a full education and employment history must be provided through our application form.

We are unable to offer sponsorship with this role.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, should we receive a high level of interest in the role. Therefore, candidates are advised to apply at their earliest convenience to avoid missing out.   

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer, we are dedicated to equity and inclusion and commit to interviewing applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria. We aim to provide an inclusive and accessible recruitment process, and support employees throughout their employment. If you have a disability, are neurodivergent, or require any adjustments to support you through the application or interview process please let us know how we can assist. 

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

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Brook Academy

• School type: Free Schools, None, ages 11 to 16
• School size: 64 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 16
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Brook Academy website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/brook-academy

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