Student Welfare Assistant

Application Deadline: 18 August 2026

Department: Student Welfare

Employment Type: Permanent - Part Time

Location: Gillingham Campus

Reporting To: Michelle McDonnell

Compensation: £28,625 - £33,063 / year

Description

Work closely with the Student Support Coordinator and the Student Welfare Officers, expanding the provision of emotional wellbeing and mental health support for students, complying with relevant Safeguarding legislation and good practice.

Support Children in Care within the Virtual Schools Post 16 cohort of Year 12 & 13’s, in order to make the best possible progress in learning, personal development and academic progress and achievement.

This role is 37 hours 40 weeks per year and is term time only. The salary advertised will be pro rata'd.

Main Responsibilities and Duties

The following is an indication of the type and level of the main priorities expected of this role as directed by your line manager and is not intended to be a comprehensive list of duties or tasks:

• Provide day-to-day welfare and pastoral support to students, including listening to and advising on personal issues, referring students to appropriate internal or external services where necessary, helping students access wellbeing and mental health support services, signposting to counselling, student support teams, or external agencies. This includes assisting with the maintenance of accurate student welfare records, including case notes.
• Assist in safeguarding procedures, reporting any concerns related to student welfare to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), and ensuring that safeguarding policies and procedures are followed.
• Work with students facing barriers to learning (e.g., mental health, financial issues), providing tailored support where required.
• Provide regular mentoring sessions for care experienced students, supporting learning and aspirations, monitoring progress in lessons, liaising with tutors, and identifying appropriate / additional support as required, including undertaking attendance checks in respect of punctuality and well-being.
• Act as operational link with VSK Post 16 Educational Support Officer for each Kent / Medway child in care.
• Understand the requirements of the Personal Educational Plan (PEP) and support the Post 16 Educational Support Officer with arranging these PEPs in a timely and purposeful fashion, ensuring the targets are “SMART” and tracking the achieving of them by students by the next PEP.
• Attend the Personal Education Plan meetings alongside the allocated Welfare Officer and record discussion from the meeting on Kent Electronic Portal (EPEP) system and internal recording systems.
• Build and maintain a working knowledge of each Child in Care within the cohort, recognising welfare and safeguarding concerns and flagging any concerns to the allocated College Welfare Officer.
• Meet routinely with the College Care Experienced Coordinator and Virtual School Kent Education Support Officer to discuss progress, attainment and attendance.