Quality Assurance Lead (Education)

Polaris Community
Quality Assurance Lead (Education)
Location: Nationwide – Hybrid
Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Hours: 35 hours per week
Salary: £50,000 – £55,000 per annum, dependent upon experience

Benefits

• £2,000 car allowance per annum
• 30 days’ annual leave, rising to 35 days with length of service, plus bank holidays
• Company pension
• Life Assurance
• Employee Discount Scheme
• Medical Cash Plan

About Us

Polaris is one of the UK's leading communities of children’s services providers. For over 30 years, we have been improving the lives of children and young people through fostering, adoption, residential care, education and specialist services.

Our education community consists of over fifteen SEN schools across the UK, providing tailored educational experiences for children and young people with a range of needs. We are proud that 100% of our education services are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted.

We are ambitious for the children and young people we support and are committed to delivering outstanding outcomes through high-quality, nurturing and therapeutic educational environments.

About the Role

Are you an experienced education leader with a passion for quality assurance, safeguarding, compliance and school improvement?

We are looking for a Quality Assurance Lead (Education) to join our national quality assurance team. You will play a key role in evaluating, monitoring and improving educational quality across our community of specialist schools.

Working closely with school leaders, directors and senior stakeholders, you will provide support, challenge and assurance through quality reviews, audits, safeguarding oversight, performance analysis and service improvement planning. You will also support inspection activity and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring our schools remain compliant, effective and focused on delivering the best outcomes for children and young people.

You will work with experienced education professionals, contribute to strategic improvement initiatives and help ensure children and young people receive high-quality educational experiences and outcomes across our growing community of specialist schools.

Role Responsibilities

• Support the Senior Quality Assurance Lead (Education) in overseeing quality, compliance, safeguarding and performance across educational settings
• Review safeguarding concerns, significant events, complaints, audits, inspection outcomes and quality indicators to provide assurance regarding service quality and risk
• Contribute to annual quality reviews and targeted reviews within schools requiring improvement or where areas of concern have been identified
• Analyse quality, compliance and performance information to identify trends, emerging risks and opportunities for service improvement
• Facilitate quality and performance discussions with school leaders, directors and colleagues to support continuous improvement
• Provide professional advice, support and constructive challenge to leaders in relation to educational quality, safeguarding, compliance and school improvement
• Support schools in implementing and reviewing quality improvement and post-inspection action plans
• Promote and share good practice in teaching, learning, attendance, behaviour, safeguarding and pupil outcomes
• Contribute to inspection readiness and provide support before, during and after inspections
• Support the development, implementation and review of education policies and procedures in line with statutory and regulatory requirements
• Promote and support the therapeutic approach used across Polaris schools
• Represent the quality assurance function at leadership meetings, working groups, forums and development events
• Contribute to organisational transformation, service development and continuous improvement initiatives

About You

Essential

• A degree-level or Level 6 qualification in education, teaching, leadership and management, quality assurance or a related discipline
• Significant leadership experience within a UK SEND setting
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding legislation, guidance and good practice
• Sound knowledge of education legislation, regulatory frameworks and inspection requirements
• Experience of quality assurance, auditing, inspection preparation, school improvement or compliance monitoring
• Experience analysing performance data and quality indicators to drive improvement
• Experience of performance management, quality improvement planning and project management
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement and report-writing skills
• Strong organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to constructively influence, support and challenge senior leaders
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to education settings nationwide

Desirable

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
• A relevant National Professional Qualification (NPQ)
• A leadership qualification or equivalent professional accreditation
• Experience supporting schools through inspection processes
• Experience within specialist education, SEND provision or alternative provision settings
• Experience of change management and organisational improvement programmes

For more information or to arrange an informal conversation about the role, please contact Catherine Beard, Senior Quality Assurance Lead (Education), at Catherine.Beard@polariscommunity.co.uk.

Polaris Community is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates.

The successful applicant will be subject to a DBS check, the cost of which will be met by Polaris Community.

Polaris Community is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.

We reserve the right to withdraw this advert without notification.