Children Looked After (CLA) Care and Achievement Lead

Are you passionate about making a genuine difference to the lives and outcomes of young people?

We are looking for an experienced, compassionate and highly organised CLA Care and Achievement Lead to coordinate educational, pastoral and safeguarding support for Children Looked After (CLA), Previously Looked After Children (PCLA), Young Carers and other identified students.

Working closely with pastoral and safeguarding teams, you will fulfil key statutory responsibilities, build trusted relationships with students and families and coordinate effective multi-agency support. You will champion achievement, attendance and wellbeing while ensuring students’ voices remain at the heart of their support.

The role will also contribute to whole-school practice through sharing effective strategies and supporting staff development.

To join our team, we are looking for:

• Experience of working with children and young people in an educational or pastoral setting, with evidence of supporting positive outcomes.
• A strong understanding of safeguarding and the educational and pastoral needs of Children Looked After and other students requiring additional support.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop trusted relationships with students, families, colleagues and external professionals.
• The ability to coordinate multi-agency support, manage confidential information and maintain accurate records to a high standard.
• A proactive, compassionate and professional approach, with high expectations for what every young person can achieve.

Experience of working directly with Children Looked After, Previously Looked After Children, Young Carers or similar groups would be desirable.

Who are we?

Weatherhead High School is a large 11 to 18 oversubscribed girls’ comprehensive school with approximately 1540 students on roll. There is an excellent mixed Sixth Form with nearly 300 students. We have a PAN of 254 for each year group from Year 7 to 11 and the school of choice for girls in Wallasey and the surrounding area.

The facilities are amongst the best in the country – we have an excellent building, which really enhances teaching & learning as well as our extra-curricular provision. Students and teachers benefit from well-presented classrooms, excellent creative arts and sports facilities and up-to-date ICT provision. The school is located close to the M53 and the Wallasey Tunnel, and is easily accessible from Liverpool and Cheshire by car or public transport.

Students are both engaged and engaging; they enjoy learning and are warm and enthusiastic about the opportunities offered to them. Staff work hard and are well rewarded. There is a great team spirit amongst the staff and a strong emphasis is placed on professional growth and development.

We were judged to be an Ofsted ‘Good’ provider in our most recent inspection in November 2022. During the inspection, inspectors commented that ‘Weatherhead High School is a happy and friendly learning community. Pupils, students in the Sixth Form and staff are proud to belong to this school. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong.’

How to apply?

For further information about the school and this opportunity, please visit our website at www.weatherheadhigh.co.uk/join-us/work-with-us/ or telephone / email the school (for the attention of Mrs Finn, HR Manager).

Tel: 0151 631 4000

Email: schooloffice@weatherheadhigh.co.uk

Please complete the application form, including the names and addresses of two referees, and submit it with a letter of application to the Headteacher (addressing the criteria set out in the person specification and of no more than two sides in length). The application form and letter must be submitted via the school’s SAM People portal, accessed via our website above. Please note we are only able to accept our standard completed application forms.

Apply by: Friday 18 September 2026 (3.00 pm)

Weatherhead High School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants. Weatherhead High School is an Equal Opportunities Employer and positively welcomes applications from all people regardless of their sex, creed, marital status, race, age, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief.

‘This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020). This means that certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’ and do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974.’