About the role: Wilmington Academy has a rare and exciting opportunity to appoint a Student Services Manager to join their thriving team as soon as possible. Our ideal candidate will bring with them a range of experience working with secondary-aged young adults, an ability to foster excellent working relationships with a variety of stakeholders and contacts both within the academy and external agencies, and will have a positive mind-set that means they will go over and above to support our students without a moment’s hesitation.

Wilmington Academy is heavily oversubscribed and a very successful school. In recent years we increased our admissions numbers, demonstrating a huge vote of confidence in the education that we provide. We operate a ‘small school’ structure and have three uniquely defined Colleges, one of which our new Student Services Manager will be appointed to. Reporting directly to Head of College, the role of SSM is crucial in ensuring we offer every student in our care the best pastoral support possible. If you feel you meet the criteria outlined and are the epitome of a caring and compassionate individual, we would like to hear from you.

About Wilmington Academy: Wilmington Academy joined the Trust in September 2010. The Academy is a highly successful, growing secondary of 1,100 pupils housed in state of the art buildings in a semi-rural location just outside of Dartford. Rated by OfSTED as Good with Outstanding Leadership and Management, Wilmington offers a calm and purposeful learning environment where students can flourish and succeed.

The hard work, skill and dedication of our talented staff ensure that students at the academy make excellent progress. We offer a wide range of academic and vocational qualifications so that every student can be a success and follow positive progression pathways. Value added puts in the top band for similar schools nationally in Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 and examination outcomes are among the best of non-selective schools in Kent.

In September 2017, we became an International Baccalaureate World School and currently offer the IB Career-related Programme in Key Stage 5 and the IB Middle Years Programme in Key Stage 3, so that we can provide our students with a truly world class education.
Our success is achieved through teamwork. Subject teams work closely together to share resources and ideas to achieve the very best outcomes for our students. We support the Trust model of small schools within a school, so that no student is left behind. Vertical tutor groups, an excellent pastoral programme underpinned by a strong moral purpose helps students to develop into responsible, well-educated young adults who are ready to take their next steps in life. A large proportion of our students go on to University and high level apprenticeships.

We aim for excellence in everything we do and have received recognition at regional and national level for our work. We are forward thinking and outward facing, constantly striving to advance and improve. We are very supportive and offer excellent training and development opportunities for staff at the various stages of their careers. We are a friendly, caring and ambitious community placing the academic progress and welfare of our students at the heart of everything we do.

Being part of Leigh Academies Trust: As of 1st September 2021, our Trust will comprise 31 geographically organised academies (15 secondaries, 14 primaries and 2 special) educating 20,000 students, and employing 2,500 talented staff. The Trust is establishing four ‘clusters’ of academies: North West Kent; Central Kent; South East London; Medway. In addition, the Trust is responsible for one of the region’s biggest initial teaching training organisations, a large teaching school hub and is an accredited apprenticeship provider. Click here to view our future plans in our Vision 2025 document.

As part of Leigh Academies Trust you will have ample opportunity to collaborate with your peers both within the academy and across the whole Trust. This is an important part of our vision as we know through experience that we perform better when we work together. You are supported to undertake regular self-development to continue your professional development and hopefully progress further within the organisation.

Our commitment to safeguarding: Leigh Academies Trust and all of our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair, robust and consistent recruitment process across all academies and business units. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

Our commitment to equality and diversity: As a Trust we are passionate about diversity and recognise that as individuals, we all bring something unique to the role regardless of any protected characteristics which is why we treat all of our people equally, without compromise. We are committed to providing equality and fairness throughout our recruitment and employment practices and not to discriminate on any grounds.

Based on the quality and quantity of applications received, Leigh Academies Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy sooner than the specified closing date. Applicants will be notified of this where possible. Therefore, early applications are encouraged.