What we are looking for:

We are seeking a compassionate, proactive and dedicated Pastoral Lead to join our primary school team. This role is central to promoting pupils’ emotional wellbeing, positive behaviour and readiness to learn, ensuring that every child feels safe, supported and able to thrive.

Working closely with senior leaders, class teachers, families and external agencies, the Pastoral Lead will play a key role in delivering high-quality pastoral support and early intervention across the school.

Key responsibilities include: 

• Provide targeted pastoral support to pupils, including those with social, emotional and mental health needs
• Lead and develop whole-school approaches to wellbeing and positive behaviour
• Work closely with parents/carers to support children’s emotional and pastoral needs
• Liaise with external agencies and professionals where appropriate
• Support the implementation of individual support plans and interventions 
• Contribute to safeguarding and child protection processes in line with school policy
• Promote inclusive play and positive relationships across the school community
• Occasionally cover classes. 

Desirable Qualifications and Training: 

• OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) training
• THRIVE training or experience using the THRIVE approach

About Riverside Primary School:

Riverside Primary is a small mixed community school which is based in Barking within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. We are fortunate to be housed in a fabulous modern building which boasts large class rooms that provide a clean and spacious environment for our children to learn in. We pride ourselves on providing a caring and friendly atmosphere associated with smaller schools. We provide a curriculum that acknowledges the importance of the basic skills, but endeavours to teach those skills in an exciting way, as well as finding time to focus on more creative and artistic skills and making sure that we enjoy what we learn, using our local and wider environments and opportunities to support this.

Riverside Primary School Ethos:

At Riverside Primary School we take pride in growing the personal qualities of confidence and resilience, and develop the skills, for lifelong learning.  We challenge all children to strive for academic, creative, sporting and personal success within a broad, vibrant and enriched curriculum. 

Our core values can be summarised as RESPECT – Resilience, Empathy, Self- belief, Perseverance, Effort, Courageous and Tolerance. 

We encourage children to take ownership of, and responsibility for, their learning and behaviour.  We aim for our children to fulfil their potential and shape their future

Why work at Riverside Primary School?

Amazing, well-behaved children, who are happy at school and excited by what they are learning each day.

A fantastic new build, which includes access to secondary school resources for sport. 

A local school with all the advantages of a successful academy group, including a strong central team of support, teaching and leadership staff.

Riverside Primary is located on the Riverside campus site which is close to the A13. Riverside Barking station and the EL1 bus, stop directly outside the campus. 

Visits to the school are highly recommended. Please contact the school office on the number or email below to arrange your visit with the Headteacher. 

The school is committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and as such all appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check. Appointments are also subject to satisfactory references/medical clearance

To arrange a visit please contact the Headteacher via:  c or primary@riverside.bardaglea.org.uk

Closing date for applications:  Friday 16^th January 2026 at 5pm

Interviews: Week commencing 19^th January 2026