Education Support Officer (part time 22.5 hours per week, Term Time Only)
Please apply online via the link provided.
Please note, we do not accept CVs submitted without a fully completed online application form.
Join our dedicated Virtual School team and help make a lasting difference to the educational outcomes of Bracknell Forest's Children Looked After.
In this rewarding role, you will support children and young people throughout their educational journey, from Early Years through to Key Stage 3 (Year 9), helping them to overcome barriers, achieve their potential and successfully navigate key transitions in education. Working closely with schools, carers, social workers and other professionals, you will play an important role in championing education and improving life chances for some of our most vulnerable children.
At Bracknell Forest, we pride ourselves on being a council which is stable and well-managed where our employees can thrive in a supportive environment. We understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance and offer a variety of flexible working practices, including options for remote working and arrangements that allow you to work from home, dependent on the needs of the service. This role includes an expectation to work from our Time Square office two days per week, alongside flexible working arrangements.
About you…
As an Education Support Officer, you will be a qualified Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) and/or have substantial experience working within an Early Years, Primary or Secondary (Key Stage 3) educational setting.
You will have a strong understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and/or Primary and Key Stage 3 curriculum, alongside knowledge of attainment and assessment processes. An understanding of child development and learning is essential, as is a passion for improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.
Knowledge of the statutory framework relating to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), including assessment, issuing and review processes for children with special educational needs, would be advantageous.
Most importantly, you will be a collaborative, organised and proactive professional who is committed to championing the educational achievement and life chances of Children Looked After.
About the team…
You will join our Virtual School team, a multi-disciplinary service that works closely with children and young people, early years settings, schools, colleges, businesses, universities, social workers, foster carers and a range of other professionals.
Working collaboratively with partners across education and children's services, we help ensure Children Looked After receive the support, advocacy and opportunities they need to succeed throughout their educational journey and beyond.
You will receive ongoing training, guidance and support from experienced colleagues, helping you to develop your skills and build a rewarding career.
Key responsibilities…
- Assist in the development and maintenance of the highest standards of educational achievement possible for Bracknell Forest's Children Looked After (CLA).
- Attend and, where appropriate, chair Personal Education Planning (PEP) meetings, ensuring the timely completion of all associated documentation. This process is pivotal in evaluating and monitoring the impact and effectiveness of PEPs for the individual children you support and across the authority, particularly in relation to the appropriate use of the Pupil Premium Grant (PPG).
- Support the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process where relevant, working collaboratively with the SEND team and participating in annual Rriews.
- Meticulously maintain and update the Virtual School tracker, ensuring detailed and accurate records are kept for all children within your allocated cohort.
- Raise and maintain the profile of education as a key factor in improving life chances for Children Looked After across the authority, modelling the role of a positive and effective corporate parent.
Our benefits…
- Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance.
- Paid employee volunteering scheme.
- Local government pension scheme, with life insurance cover.
- Recognition of continuous service attained within the NHS and UKHSA when calculating some benefits. (Terms and Conditions apply)
- Career development through internal and external training opportunities.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave.
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing
- Inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks and a sports and social club.
Find out more about all our benefits or see the candidate pack.
Our values
At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us. Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you are excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we would love to hear from you.
Reasonable adjustments
We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting recruitment@bracknell-forest.gov.uk. We will work with you to support you throughout the process. Find out more about reasonable adjustments.
Interview date
Interviews will be held onMonday 22nd June 2026.
Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.
We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.
Please note AI is prohibited during the interview, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.
Want to ask us a question?
For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:
Lorraine Petersen Virtual School Head, Phone Number: 01344 353408
or
Maddie Lyons, Senior Education Advisor, Phone Number: 01344 352198
Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process.
We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.
Please note that this particular role is part-time and therefore does not meet the minimum requirements for sponsorship under current UK Visas and Immigration regulations. As such, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this position.
No agencies please.
Salary range
- £17,389 - £20,267 per year