Family Support Worker & Lunchtime Play Leader at Ightham Primary School

The Headteacher and her senior leadership team are looking to recruit a family worker & lunchtime play leader to join their team who will be responsible for providing constructive support to vulnerable families. The aim is to increase engagement with these families and thereby reduce barriers to learning and increase participation in school life of their children. This role is term time only including inset days which is 39 weeks per year and the weekly hours are 25 hours per week.  The daily working hours will be Monday - Friday 08.30 -13.30. 

Key responsibilities include: (family support worker) 

• Supporting other agencies and families in improving attendance of identified children.
• Ensuring that parent-school relationships are as strong as possible – enabling at risk pupils and their families to quickly receive all necessary support if required.
• Working in partnership with the inclusion team and senior leaders to manage and keep records of complex and confidential case studies and procedures.
• Supporting a clear and soundly based educational vision, ethos and direction that promote and support pupils’ learning and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
• Acting as a point of contact for families in need of support; actively promoting support provided by the school and local agencies.
• Facilitating family support sessions and other activities.
• Providing support for vulnerable pupils at lunch. 

Key responsibilities include: (lunchtime play leader) 

• Undertake direct supervision of pupils in designated areas
• Assist with daily decisions on areas for pupil use, e.g.: wet lunchtimes.
• Be familiar with safe use of outdoor equipment.
• Supervise conduct of pupils, ensuring safe and orderly conduct within and outside the premises.
• Promote and ensure school rules regarding games allowed are met and that health and safety procedures are maintained.

Ightham Primary School is a happy and friendly village primary school with a real family atmosphere.  We are a one form entry primary school, with seven classrooms, an ICT Suite, library, hall with fixed apparatus, and designated gardening area. We are fortunate to be situated within the second largest woodland primary school setting in Kent and have three playgrounds.   Visits to the school are encouraged and can be arranged via the school office on 01732 882405.

Ightham Primary School is part of The Pioneer Academy Trust which is an academy trust with schools across London and the South East.  At The Pioneer Academy, we put children first, pioneering excellence and championing each and every child.  All our schools, ranging from small infant schools to large primary schools, work collaboratively, sharing resources and expertise.   Find out more at: Ightham Primary School - website  and The Pioneer Academy - website

At The Pioneer Academy, we take the wellbeing and mental health of our staff seriously which is why we are committed to regular reviews of staff well-being and reducing staff workload.   We have increased our PPA offer in recent years to up to 5 hours for full time teachers, and regular additional release time scheduled for all subject leaders across the school.  We create bespoke career pathways for every member of staff, identifying and growing talent, with outstanding professional development opportunities at every stage of your career.  We also have an Employee Assistance Programme with a range of resources to support wellbeing which is available to all employees and their immediate family members 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

What we offer you:

• A friendly, dedicated staff team who believe in teamwork and building positive relationships across the school, the Trust and in the local community.
• High quality development programme with induction programmes for all new staff.
• Excellent CPD opportunities, 
• Access to professional coaching.
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme including free counselling.
• Free academy-wide social events throughout the year.

If you are interested in applying for the post, please see the Job Description/Person Specification.  To apply for this vacancy, please complete the application form, completing a full education and employment history since leaving school and indicating how you satisfy the criteria set out in the Job Description/Person Specification. You will also be required to complete and return a self-disclosure declaration with your application.  Applications should be submitted via My New Term. 

Only those shortlisted for interview will be contacted.  References will be requested for those shortlisted only and prior to interview.  In line with Keeping children safe in education 2025, online searches will be completed as part of the due diligence on shortlisted candidates, searching online content that is publicly available for inappropriate online content that may suggest that a shortlisted candidate may not be suitable to work with children, or that may harm the reputation of the school.  If any issues of concern come up in online searches, shortlisted candidates will have an opportunity to address these at interview.   An Enhanced DBS certificate will be required on provisional offer, including a check of the Children’s Barred List.  Further vetting checks, in line with the requirements of Keeping children safe in education 2025, will be completed following a provisional offer of appointment.  Where applicable, if an applicant with a provisional offer of employment has lived and/or worked outside the UK, they will be required to obtain a Certificate of Good Conduct.

The Pioneer Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Offers of employment are subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS disclosure and other employment checks. Our safeguarding policy can be viewed via the following link: TPA-Child-Protection-and-Safeguarding-Policy-September-2025.pdf. 

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CLOSE THIS ADVERT EARLY AND SUITABLE CANDIDATES MAY BE INTERVIEWED BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE.