The College Epsom College is an inspiring place to work, renowned for delivering an excellent all-round education to 1,100 girls and boys aged 11-18. We are proud to have been judged 'Independent School of the Year 2023' and named by The Sunday Times as the "UK's Most Improved School" in its 2024 Parent Power league tables.
The College has grown significantly in the past six years, with pupil numbers rising 38% as the result of the opening of our Lower School in 2016, and strong growth throughout the rest of the College. We admit pupils into Years 7, 9, and 12, with an average of five applicants for every space. Epsom is a happy school. The College values of kindness, ambition and integrity are at the heart of all that we do. Almost all our pupils remain with us for their A-levels, and staff retention is equally strong.
Around 60% of staff live onsite, which lends the College a sense of community and togetherness. From 8am until 6pm, our 72-acre campus is alive with learning; academic lessons also take place on Saturday mornings meaning that pupils have time each day to learn and develop outside the classroom. Our co-curricular programme - which features a vast array of clubs, societies and activities each week - is award-winning (picking up the 'Best of the Best' accolade from The Week for six consecutive years); our CCF is one of the largest in the UK; and our Duke of Edinburgh programme currently has over 100 pupils completing their Gold or Silver award.
In addition, our timetable features wellbeing lessons, an award-winning Personal Social Development offering, and an hour each week for volunteering in the community. Last year Epsom pupils gave 8,500 hours of their time to help local charities, schools, and community groups.
When pupils aren't busy with all of the above, they can relax and catch up with friends in their House. We have 13 single-sex Houses for all our pupils from Year 9 upwards (whether they are day pupils or boarders). This combination of single sex accommodation within a co-ed environment provides pupils with the best of both worlds.
The fact our Houses are physical buildings, where pupils can step through the door into a space that's entirely their own, is key to the success of our pastoral programme. The Carnegie Centre for Excellence in Mental Health in Schools honoured us with their Gold Award - making us one of just four UK boarding school to receive their top accolade - and in 2023 we were judged Independent School of the Year for Student Wellbeing.
Our focus on delivering an all-round education that develops the whole child, is regularly celebrated. In the past four years, in both the TES and Independent School of the Year Awards, we have been a finalist in the categories of Boarding School of The Year, Co-Ed School of the Year, SLT of the Year, Creativity in Teaching, Student Wellbeing, Community Initiative, and Sporting Achievement.
It is an exciting time to be joining the College, Mark Lascelles took up the Headship in September 2024 and is strengthening the College's position. We hope that you will want to come and join the fantastic teachers and support staff who work here.
The Role The Safeguarding Administrator and Deputy DSL is vital to the provision of effective pupil safeguarding and child protection throughout the school by supporting the Director of Pastoral Care & DSL, and the wider safeguarding team in their roles. They will support the delivery of high-quality pastoral care in the School, liaising with and working alongside the relevant pastoral staff HMMs, Matrons, the Head of PSHE, the Medical Department and the School Counsellors. The Safeguarding Administrator will be a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and will liaise with external agencies as required.
Main Responsibilities • Supporting the DSL in ensuring full compliance with legislation and statutory guidance, and assisting the DSL in fostering and promoting a robust culture of safeguarding throughout the School;
• Maintenance and organisation of accurate safeguarding records (hard copy and electronic);
• Management of CPOMS (under DSL's supervision), to include daily review and triage of individual cases; operating as the School's main point of contact for the software company; delivering staff training in person and online; providing individualised support for staff users; and preparing and delivering reports, sometimes in person, for senior staff groups including the Governing Body;
• Contributing to the Governors' annual review of safeguarding and termly reports to the Safeguarding Sub-Committee, and assisting in the creation and fulfilment of specific action plans;
• Assisting in maintaining the Director of Pastoral Care & DSL's work diary by liaising with other staff to organise meetings and reviews. This support may extend to other members of the Safeguarding Team and include their role supporting LAC's and Springboard Scholars in particular.
• Administrative support of safeguarding team including preparing papers for and taking minutes of the weekly DSLs' meeting.
• Liaison with pupils, parents and staff and the School's three safeguarding partners, Surrey Police, Surrey County Council (or other local authorities or police forces) and health providers as required;
• Management of individual pupil safeguarding cases at the DSL's request and under the DSL's supervision, often including discreet and confidential safeguarding liaison with staff in any other School department, including personal visits to Houses and Medical Centre (etc.) in support of pupils;
• Monitoring Epsom's 'DSL' email account, which is used (amongst other things) by the SSCP and local authority to provide safeguarding information, and by Surrey Police for 'Operation Encompass' and 'Prevent' communications, advising the DSL of any follow-up actions required;
• Monitoring messages from pupils arriving via the School's 'Whisper' account;
• Contacting the previous schools of all pupils new to Epsom (in writing) to seek information on issues relating to pastoral or safeguarding concerns; recording their responses; pursuing non-respondents; and maintaining all related records and archives. • The SA is responsible to the DSL for monitoring the transfer of safeguarding files from previous schools and providing receipts, and for sending the safeguarding file of a pupil under 18 who leaves the School and moves to a different educational establishment promptly.
• Under the DSL's oversight, maintaining the central School logs for safeguarding, bullying, protected characteristics and mental health issues (mainly derived from information on CPOMS);
• Administration of the review (at appropriate intervals) of the cases of individual pupils who have safeguarding files, safety plans, or who have been involved in bullying in the past;
• Checking of school trip lists for pupils with safeguarding or other pastoral concerns, creating bespoke reports for trip leaders and liaising directly with them as required;
• Updating staff on any changes to KCSIE, the Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy, the Professional Conduct Policy, and other relevant policies. This includes circulating electronic or paper copies of policies or revisions to all existing members of staff, collecting their signatures to confirm the new document has been read and understood, and liaising with the HR dept regarding confirmations of any not already recorded;
• Creating resources (eg. fact-sheets for pupils) as requested by the DSL, and ensuring that safeguarding publicity materials are up-to-date (for example posters, business cards) and widely available, together with paper copies of KCSIE (Part One/A), the Safeguarding & Child Protection policy, and (from time to time) certain other documents;
• Regular monitoring of safeguarding pages on the School's website and intranet to check for currency and accuracy, updating as necessary;
• Undertaking termly checks of statutory and other publicity materials in Houses and other key locations, amending or replenishing as necessary;
• Working closely with the Director of Pastoral Care & DSL, Deputy Head Pastoral, Deputy Head Operations, and HR department to plan a variety of training courses as required, and to maintain accurate training records;
• Delivering safeguarding training as required;
• Assisting with other related tasks, such as filtering and monitoring and registration.
• Any other reasonable duties in relation to this role.
Safeguarding • Demonstrating the highest levels of commitment and compliance to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
Epsom College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. No job description can fully cover all aspects of the role and consequently the responsibilities are likely to evolve and change over time. This description gives an overall view of the position.
Skills, experience, technical competencies and qualifications Essential • Excellent organisational and administrative abilities
• Highly literate with strong verbal and written communication skills
• Comfortable, confident and capable with the use of technology
Desirable• Familiarity with current safeguarding and child protection legislation in the UK
• Experience of working with children aged 11 to 18
• Experience of working in a multi-agency environment.
• Experience of working in an educational environment.
In order to arrive at a decision, the selection panel may enhance any or all of the desirable criteria
Terms and Conditions Hours Term time
The minimum hours per week will be 40 term time including Inset (34 weeks per annum plus Inset days) Monday - Friday. Inevitably, at certain points during the School terms, the workload is intense, while other periods are quieter. The Post Holder will need to be able to work at times convenient to the DSL, including occasional Saturdays and evenings. The post holder will be trained (on-the-job) to DSL standard. The post holder will be expected to attend relevant update training as required.
College school holidays - 3 weeks as noted below
- 5 days at the start of the Michaelmas term prior to Inset
- 2 days at the end of the Michaelmas term
- 2 days at the start of the Lent term prior to Inset
- 2 days at the end of the Lent term
- 2 days at the start of the summer term
- 2 days at the send of the summer term.
Salary Salary based on the hours detailed above term time only including Inset plus 3 weeks is £30,300 per annum (FTE for the full time post £38,150 per annum), reviewed annually, and paid monthly in arrears on 25th of the month.
Holidays The holiday entitlement is 28 days holiday per annum inclusive of bank holidays increasing by 1 day per annum up to a maximum of 33 days per annum inclusive of bank holidays following 5 years continuous service and pro rated for part time/TTO working. Holiday entitlement has been included in the above salary.
Pension The College operates the Epsom College Automatic Enrolment Scheme. The Scheme is administered by the Pensions Trust. Eligibility is based on statutory criteria. If eligible, the Employee will be required to contribute a minimum of 5% of Basic Salary and the College will contribute 4% in compliance with current legislation.
Employee Benefits Life Assurance: Members who are automatically enrolled or who choose to opt into the College Pension Scheme will be provided with life assurance cover at two x contractual annual basic salary at no cost to the employee;
Health Care Plan: Private health care plan offered to staff subject to qualifying conditions;
Employee assistance programme: this including free counselling service to employees and close family.
School Fee Discount: Generous school fee discount available subject to qualifying conditions;
Dining Facilities and Refreshments: Whilst at work a free meal and refreshments are available when the dining room is open;
Health Fitness and Wellbeing: Free use of Fitness suite and swimming pool are available to staff at certain times;
Cycle to Work: The College offers an interest free cycle to work loan subject to a qualifying conditions.
Parking: Free car parking for staff is available on campus;
Computer Loan: The College offers an interest free computer loan subject to a qualifying conditions
Offer In compliance with statutory safeguarding regulations, the post will be offered subject to receipt of satisfactory written references, pre-placement medical assessment, proof of appropriate qualifications, a check of online search engines and websites of publicly available information that does not identify the candidate as potentially unsuitable to work within a school setting, a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service and overseas police check if appropriate, as well as confirmation that the successful candidate is able to work in the UK. Prior to interview, an online search of internet search engines, websites and other publicly available and accessible platforms to ascertain applicant's suitability to work within a school environment will be undertaken on candidates that have been shortlisted. Please note whilst the Enhanced DBS check will be paid by the College if an overseas police check is required it will be at the cost of the successful applicant.
Method of Application Applicants are required to complete the Application for Employment Form available from our website www.epsomcollege.org.uk. To comply with safeguarding statutory procedures when working in a school, CVs will not be accepted. Applicants should refer to the Recruitment, Selection and Disclosure and the safeguarding policies on the College website.
Applications will be assessed in order of receipt and interviews and subsequent appointment may occur at any stage after applications are received. Please apply as soon as possible.
Applicants are invited to contact Mrs Katie Lenham, Director of Pastoral Care and DSL, via Katie.lenham@epsomcollege.org.uk for an informal chat.
Closing date for receipt of applications:
9am 20th June 2025