Designated Safeguarding Lead

At Co-op Academy Grange, we are committed to ensuring that every child is safe, supported and able to thrive. Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do, and we believe that creating a culture where children feel heard, valued and protected is fundamental to their success. We are seeking an experienced, passionate and highly motivated Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) to join our leadership team and drive our safeguarding provision across the academy.

As our Designated Safeguarding Lead, you will take strategic and operational responsibility for safeguarding and child protection, ensuring that statutory guidance, policies and procedures are effectively implemented across the academy. You will work closely with students, families, colleagues and external agencies to ensure children receive the support they need, acting as the academy’s lead professional for safeguarding matters.

The successful candidate will lead on child protection referrals, oversee safeguarding records and systems, coordinate safeguarding training, contribute to multi-agency meetings and provide expert advice and guidance to colleagues. You will play a pivotal role in promoting a culture of vigilance, early intervention and trauma-informed practice, ensuring the voices of children remain central to all safeguarding decisions.

We are looking for a resilient and compassionate safeguarding professional with substantial experience in child protection, safeguarding leadership and multi-agency working. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication and leadership skills, a strong understanding of statutory safeguarding responsibilities, experience of leading teams, and a commitment to achieving the very best outcomes for children and young people. Experience of working within a multicultural school community and using safeguarding systems such as CPOMS would be advantageous.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference to the lives of young people and their families while helping to shape a culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. If you are passionate about protecting children, promoting inclusion and championing student wellbeing, we would love to hear from you. 

Why us?

Our vision at Coop Academy Grange is that ‘We make ‘Grange Great’ by accelerating the development of our children towards their potential in everything we do.’ This vision drives all of the decisions that we make and all of the work that we do day in and day out for our community.

All our values are based upon the values of the Co-op Group, which will inform our behaviours.

Self-help: We do not expect to be spoon fed – we will try to do things for ourselves in the right way and at the right time.

Self-responsibility: Everyone should act in a responsible way around the academy site and in the local community. We take responsibility for our own learning; we want to become independent learners.

Equality: We are proud to be part of a very multicultural academy, with students from all over the world; it is important that we treat each other with respect and accept that others may be different from ourselves. We should all of us have equal chances to succeed.

Equity: We want to look for the best in each other. Rewarding others fairly to encourage all types of achievement.

Democracy: We will contribute our ideas to make the academy a success.

Solidarity: We can achieve more by working together, rather than as individuals.

Our Values

Being part of the Co-operative Group, we are both guided and driven by the Co-op values which are embedded in everything that we do within our Academy - We strive to demonstrate the following ethical values in everything we do - they are our ‘Ways of Being’:

Succeed together

Do what matters most

Be yourself, always

Show you care

So, if you believe in our values, we would love to hear from you! 

We offer a wide range of benefits and rewards to recognise the part you play in our success:

Benefits include:

Our employee benefits package includes:

As well as 5% cash-back you’ll get being a Co-op member, you’ll get a Co-op colleague discount card. This gives you a 10% discount in our Co-op Food stores. Staff also receive double discounts every month!

• Co-operative flexible benefits (discounted line rental and broadband package, family care advice and cycle to work scheme)
• Discounted gym membership and leisure activities which includes discounts on Merlin Entertainments (Sea Life, Legoland etc), Virgin Experience Days, SuperBreak and many more!
• Co-operative Credit Union: save directly from your salary and receive a competitive dividend. Borrowers can benefit from very competitive interest rates & terms (in comparison with other high street lenders)
• Co-op Funeralcare benefit
• Season ticket and rental deposit loans

And More! 

For more information about the Co-op Academies Trust, please visit: www.coopacademies.co.uk

For more information about Co-op Academy Grange, please visit: https://www.grange.coopacademies.co.uk/

The Trust is also committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage or civil partnerships.