Safeguarding Officer

Salary: Support Staff Pay Scale E: £24,376 to £25,982 pro-rata per annum (Actual) (£27,274 - £29,071 full time/full year equivalent)

Permanent

Full Time: 37 hours per week over 5 days from Monday to Friday

Working Weeks: 40 weeks

Start Date: December 2026 or January 2027

Hethersett Academy is seeking an inspiring, innovative and dedicated Safeguarding Officer to join our team; a leader who shares our belief that all pupils have the right to succeed and have access to the very best education.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Promoting the safety and welfare of children
• Promoting good practice in safeguarding across the school and ensuring compliance with statutory and OFSTED safeguarding requirements
• Ensuring and monitoring the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements, providing advice, support and challenge as appropriate
• Providing support and advice to SLT and designated staff on aspects of safeguarding case work and practice
• Monitoring and tracking safeguarding and multi-agency training for staff at all levels
• Attending safeguarding meetings as required

About You:

The successful candidate will be deeply committed to child welfare, offering a non-judgmental, caring presence so that vulnerable students feel safe enough to share sensitive disclosures. You must be able to maintain confidentiality while remaining an open figure students and staff feel comfortable confiding in. You will also be able to navigate difficult conversations with parents, staff members, and external authorities, while keeping a polite, reasonable, and highly collaborative approach.

Essential:

• Minimum GCSE English and Maths (grade C or above) or equivalent
• Experience of safeguarding practice and national legislation
• Experience of multi-agency working
• Excellent initiative and communication skills
• Ability to deal methodically with unexpected problems and situations

Desirable:

• Designated Safeguarding Training or appropriate training for Child Protection
• Experience of delivering training

Why Join Inspiration Trust

At Inspiration Trust, we believe in the power of education to transform lives. You’ll be joining a supportive, forward-thinking organisation that values professional development, collaboration, and innovation. We provide opportunities for growth and empower you to make a real impact in schools across Norfolk and north Suffolk. As part of our thriving network of talented teachers, leaders, and support staff, you’ll receive a varied professional development programme designed to help you be the best you can be.

We offer:

• Generous annual leave, and access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with excellent employer contributions
• Health Plan and Employee Assistance Programme, including 24/7 virtual GP access, mental health support and claim-back options for healthcare costs *
• Cycle-to-work scheme, retail and theatre discounts (including discounted shopping vouchers, dentist and gym memberships), and salary sacrifice options (including home technology). *
• Free parking at most sites
• Personalised CPD and development programmes
• A structured and specific induction programme.

*Terms and conditions apply. Some benefits are only available following successfully passing probation.

About Us

Hethersett Academy is one of East Anglia’s top-performing schools, rated Outstanding by Ofsted in all areas. Inspectors have highlighted how much pupils value their education at the academy - "Pupils flourish at this school. They attend regularly, arrive on time and present themselves impeccably. Pupils respect each other and their surroundings. Bullying is rare. Pupils know that if bullying does happen, staff deal with it effectively and promptly. Pupils have very high expectations of their own and others’ behaviour. They value every minute of learning time."

A growing village school with a strong history in the local community, Hethersett Academy is conveniently located just off the A11, making it a popular choice for families in Wymondham, south Norwich, and the surrounding areas.

We are part of the Inspiration Trust; a thriving family of schools across Norfolk and North Suffolk, recognised nationally for pupil progress and excellence in teaching and leadership. We believe every young person deserves the best education, regardless of background. Inspiration Trust specialises in transforming schools in disadvantaged areas and taking academies from failing to outstanding.

The Trust offers extensive networks and opportunities to collaborate with a diverse range of schools and partners. We are committed to delivering outstanding professional and learning opportunities for all staff, supported by a rich programme of continuing professional development led by some of the country’s leading educational thinkers and practitioners.

For information on what it is like to live and work in Hethersett, click here. Hethersett Academy is rated Outstanding by Ofsted. The academy inspected in January 2016 when it was ranked as Outstanding in every area assessed. Since then, the school has doubled in size and a Section 8 inspection in September 2022 resulted in another Outstanding rating.

Next Steps

Before applying, please read the attached Recruitment Pack and Job Description, for more details about the role. We ask that you read this pack carefully, especially the “Planning your application” section from page 11. This will support your application ensuring you have the opportunity to tell us about your relevant skills, experience and qualifications that relate to the job description and person specification in addition to details of your references covering the last 5 years.

If you would like to know more about this exciting opportunity, then please contact recruitment@inspirationtrust.org.

To apply for this role please click the Apply button to complete the online application form.

When you start your application, you will receive several emails from our application provider, Vacancy Filler. Please be aware that some email providers may mistakenly mark these messages as spam. To avoid missing important updates, we recommend checking your spam or junk folders regularly throughout the application process and marking these emails as safe.

Closing date for applications: 12noon on Wednesday 4th November 2026

Interview date: Week commencing 9th November or week commencing 16th November 2026

Safeguarding and Equal Opportunities

Inspiration Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All staff appointments are subject to satisfactory references and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks. We are an equal opportunities employer.