Fair Access Support Officer

Inclusion - Education and Early Years

Fair Access Support Officer

Ref: 001353

Contract: 12 months (Maternity Cover)

Salary: £28,598 - £31,022 per annum (Grade 4)

Hours: 36.66 per week

Hiring Manager: Jenny Cook (jenny.cook@oldham.gov.uk)

Based: Oldham Council Offices, Spindles Shopping Centre, George St, Oldham, OL1 1HD

Closing Date: Sunday 15th March 2026

Interview Date: TBC.

Role Overview:

Do you want to play a key role in ensuring children in Oldham receive timely, fair, and appropriate access to education?
We are seeking a motivated and highly organised individual to join us as a Fair Access Support Officer (Maternity Cover). This is a vital role supporting the smooth operation of Oldham’s Fair Access Protocol and ensuring the placement of some of our most vulnerable pupils.

This role is central to upholding Oldham’s commitment to fair, transparent, and lawful placement of children who face barriers accessing school places. Without this function, the local authority would be unable to meet statutory expectations or deliver the level of support headteachers and families rely on.

We are looking for someone who is:

• Highly organised, proactive and confident managing complex casework
  
• Able to work collaboratively with senior leaders, schools, and external partners
  
• An excellent communicator with strong written and presentation skills
  
• Able to work with sensitivity, professionalism and sound judgement
  
• Able to meet deadlines and manage competing priorities in a fastpaced environment

Key Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the development of the Inclusion and Access service, participating in cross-service teams on specific policies and projects, as required by the Senior Fair Access Officer.
  
• Participate in inter-departmental teams on specific policies and projects, as required by the Senior Inclusion Officer.
  
• Contribute to the development, organisation and implementation of effective and flexible team working, to ensure service objectives are delivered effectively.
  
• Support partnership working with all relevant agencies, particularly head teachers and senior staff in schools, other service units and colleagues in Health and the voluntary sector including assisting in the development and delivery of training and support packages.
  
• Provide a key effective contact for parents, and schools in relation to answering queries and dealing with requests in relation to Fair Access, Admissions, Supported Transfers, Fresh Start Transfers and Offsite Directions.
  
• As a key member of the Inclusion and Vulnerable Groups team maintain and take responsibility for an accurate, up to date central database.
  
• Exchange varied information with a range of audiences, including the public, where some interpretation could be required.
  
• Support the Senior Inclusion Officer to investigate complaints.
  
• Effectively handling all queries and responding to enquirers, which may require some research.
  
• Maintain up to date knowledge of local and national priorities, policies and legislation in the area of Fair Access admissions, Supported Transfers, Fresh Start Transfers and Offsite Directions and provide advice to schools and the Directorate on all legislation and associated regulation within this area.
  
• Represent the Senior Inclusion Officer, as required.
  
• To discharge the LAs statutory responsibilities related to pupil tracking and children not in receipt of a suitable education.
  
• To ensure children are placed correctly in school in accordance with the Fair Access policy.
  
• Prepare accurate information, statistics, statements of case and reports for the Senior Inclusion Officer.
  
• To produce accurate minutes from the Fair Access Panel meetings.
  
• Collaborate with schools in ensuring that parents receive accurate information and appropriate support on the process of applying for school places.
  
• In conjunction with colleagues and the Senior Inclusion Officer, support the transfer of data between schools.
  
• To monitor all case work ensuring that the Senior Inclusion Officer is made aware of any outstanding admission issues into schools.
  
• To liaise with the Attendance Officers, Children Missing Education Officer and other Inclusion Colleagues in respect of cases where parents may not be fulfilling responsibilities in relation to school attendance ensuring all information is shared with appropriate colleagues.
  
• Provide advice to schools and academies on relevant legislation and protocols in relation to Fair Access, Supported Transfers, Fresh Start Transfers and Offsite Directions.
  
• Support the Senior Inclusion Officer in the work of ensuring that permanently excluded pupils are reintegrated back in to mainstream school provision working in effective partnership with the Pupil Referral Unit and the Fair Access panel.
  
• Secure, by effective partnership working with colleagues in schools, Health and Social care, Virtual School, the development, implementation and evaluation of the Directorate’s policies and procedures which relate to all areas of Fair Access, Managed Moves, Offsite Directions, Supported Transfers and Fresh Start Transfers
  
• Contribute to the development and implementation of effective procedures to track the whereabouts of children who may not be in receipt of a suitable education.
  
• Advise schools on, and monitor compliance, with, the Education (Pupil Registration) regulations.
  
• Provide reports and data on request of the Senior Inclusion Officer including statistical returns to the Department for Education.

About Us:

We want Oldham to have vibrant, safe neighbourhoods where people are proud to live with opportunities for healthier, more fulfilled lives; and a sustainable, thriving economy. As we look to the future, the challenges may be significant, but so are the opportunities. We’ve identified three missions with our residents and partners, focusing on what will deliver the biggest impact:

A Great Place to Live, Healthier, Happier Lives, and Green and Growing.

We’re looking for candidates who will support us to achieve our ambitions and we encourage you to download our Corporate Plan: Ready for the Future and our Oldham Plan for further information.

Our Values and Behaviours:

By driving innovation, investing in our people, and championing our communities, we will ensure that Oldham continues to be a place where everyone can live their best life. To support this, we have three core values which define who we are and how we operate. These are ‘Proud, Ambitious, and Together’, and they shape our culture, inform our decisions, and inspire us to deliver on our commitments to the people of Oldham.

We have translated these values into five behaviours which guide our actions and are the standards we hold ourselves to, day in and day out:

• Work with a resident focus
• Support local leaders
• Committed to the borough
• Delivery high performance
• Take ownership and drive change

You can find out more about our values and behaviours on our greater.jobs Oldham page

Our Benefits Package:

At Oldham Council we offer a great benefits package for our employees, which includes the following:

• 25 days annual leave which increases after 5 and 10-years’ service
• The option to purchase additional annual leave.
• An attractive LGPS benefit pension scheme with the option to make shared cost additional voluntary contributions.
• Discounted gym membership with Oldham Active.
• Staff discount scheme for shopping, entertainment, eating-out, eating-in, travel, motoring and more.
• Salary sacrifice scheme for home and electronics and Cycle to Work.
• Wellbeing support, including a Mental Health First Aider network and an Employment Assistance Programme that provides 24 hours access to advice and support.
• Staff recognition and celebration events.
• Peer support groups

Inclusive R ecruitment:

We work closely with employees to help them work at their best, including making adjustments such as flexible working, describing available working patterns, providing equipment or making changes to the workplace.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and therefore expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you have lived or worked abroad for 3 months or more in the last 5 years or 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years whilst aged 18 or over, please refer to the link below for details for how to obtain your Certificates of Good Character. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants

Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to offer sponsorship.

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.

If you’re an applicant with disabilities and have previously been in or currently in care, a carer, someone who has served in the Armed Forces, or you’ve participated in the GM Elevate Programme, and you meet the essential criteria of the role, you are guaranteed to reach the first stage of assessment under our Guaranteed Assessment Scheme.

Data and Privacy:

For details of how we use your data please see our privacy notice.

Important Information:

Please note that should a vacancy that has been released for internal or external recruitment be deemed suitable for a current employee at risk of redundancy, it can be pulled back at any point, up to the post being formally offered to a candidate who is not at risk of redundancy.

Right to Work in the UK from 1st July 2021.doc