A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a committed and experienced Safeguarding Officer to join our vibrant and diverse Catholic primary school as the Operational Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

37 hours per week (Monday to Friday) 

Term time only + 5 additional days (to be confirmed) – some days to be disaggregated to attend meetings 

Start Date: as soon as possible, pending all satisfactory safer recruitment checks.

Join Our Team as Operational Designated Safeguarding Lead 

Are you passionate about making a real difference in children's lives? A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a committed and experienced Safeguarding Officer to join our vibrant and diverse Catholic primary school as the Operational Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). 

This is a key role, responsible for the day-to-day safeguarding operations across the school—from Early Years through to Year 6. You’ll be at the heart of ensuring our children are safe, supported, and empowered to encounter new experiences, learn confidently, grow with resilience, and flourish in a nurturing environment. 

What you will do - as the Operational DSL, you will: 

Lead the implementation and monitoring of safeguarding policies and procedures. 

Act as the first point of contact for safeguarding concerns, ensuring timely and appropriate responses. Work closely with the Headteacher (Strategic DSL), school staff, families, and external agencies to maintain a robust safeguarding culture. Promote ongoing vigilance and professional curiosity throughout the school community. Support staff training and development in safeguarding practices. 

What we're looking for - we’re seeking someone who is:

Highly organised, emotionally resilient, and confident in managing a complex and varied workload. A strong communicator who can build trusted relationships across the school and with external partners. Passionate about safeguarding and committed to creating a safe, inclusive environment where children can learn, grow, and flourish. You’ll ideally hold a degree in a relevant field, or have equivalent experience and be able to demonstrate substantial professional experience in an area such as social work, youth work, education welfare, child psychology, criminology, or policing. 

Why St Richard's?

St Richard's is a vibrant and welcoming Catholic, multicultural, and transient school community where diversity is celebrated and every child is valued. We are proud of our inclusive ethos and committed to nurturing a safe and supportive learning environment where children are encouraged to encounter the world with curiosity, learn with purpose, grow in character, and flourish in faith and achievement.

While it is not essential for the postholder to be a practising Catholic, it is important that they are supportive of the Catholic ethos and values of the Trust, and willing to reflect these in their professional conduct. As Operational Designated Safeguarding Lead, they will help ensure every child is protected and nurtured—creating a safe environment where all pupils can encounter, learn, grow, and flourish in line with our mission. 

Before making your application please note: In line with the "Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025" as part of the safer recruiting requirements, an online  search will be conducted as part of our safer recruitment processes.  

If you have any queries or questions, please contact the school directly.

The School is an equal opportunities employer.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. 

Disclaimer

By submitting this application form, you declare that all information provided is accurate and truthful. You further confirm that you have not used any artificial intelligence (AI) tools or software to generate, edit, or enhance any part of this application. Any application found to have utilized AI will be subject to disqualification.