Vacancies

Virtual School Advisor - Post 16

Main Responsibility

You will contribute to improving the educational engagement, achievement, attendance and progression of Staffordshire’s looked-after young people and care leavers, with a particular focus on Post-16 education and successful transitions into adulthood. This will include:

• Maintaining effective monitoring and tracking systems for looked-after young people, including their attendance, attainment, participation, Post-16 destinations and progression.
• Supporting the implementation of the Virtual School’s new-to-care processes, ensuring educational needs and any risks to participation or progression are identified at the earliest opportunity.
• Attending and contributing to Personal Education Plan (PEP) meetings, as directed by the Education Coordinator, supporting high-quality, aspirational and SMART target setting and ensuring that Post-16 education, training, careers and progression are considered.
• Working collaboratively with schools, sixth forms, FE colleges, apprenticeship and training providers, social care, leaving care services and other partners to support young people to access and sustain appropriate education, employment or training.
• Supporting young people at key Post-16 transition points, including progression from Year 11 into Year 12, between Post-16 providers or courses, and into further/higher education, apprenticeships, training or employment.
• Identifying and responding to young people who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET, working with young people and partner services to understand and address the barriers affecting their engagement and progression.
• Providing targeted support where there are concerns regarding:
  • poor or non-attendance, disengagement or risk of course withdrawal;
  • breakdown of an education, training or apprenticeship placement;
  • a young person being NEET or at increased risk of becoming NEET;
  • underachievement or lack of progress towards agreed learning and progression goals;
  • difficulties associated with transition between education phases, providers or into adulthood;
  • SEND, emotional wellbeing, placement instability or other barriers affecting a young person's ability to engage successfully in education, employment or training.
• Supporting looked-after young people and care leavers to develop ambitious and realistic plans for their future, helping them to achieve positive and sustained Post-16 destinations.

The Ideal Candidate

You will need to be passionate about working with young people, with excellent communication, interpersonal and organisational skills and have experience of working with both teaching and social care professionals.

The minimum criteria that will be used to shortlist for this role will be:

• Experience of working with Post-16 young people, particularly those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged.
• A good understanding of Post-16 pathways, including further education, apprenticeships, training and employment.
• Understanding of NEET and the barriers that can affect young people’s engagement, participation and progression.
• Understanding of the educational needs and experiences of looked-after young people and care leavers, including the effect of attachment and trauma on educational progress.
• Experience of effective partnership working with education settings, professionals and other agencies to improve outcomes for young people.
• The ability to monitor and use information effectively to identify concerns and support improvements in attendance, engagement, achievement and progression.
• The role is travelling to different locations

If you would like an informal chat about the role please contact Joy Oakes, Deputy Head of Staffordshire Virtual School at joy.oakes@staffordshire.gov.uk 

Interviews are expected to be held during week commencing 30th November 2026

Our Recruitment Process: We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role.

Please note: The minimum essential criteria in the ideal section detailed above will be used if you are applying under one of our Interview Guarantee Schemes.

About Staffordshire County Council

We are no ordinary county council:

Our Values:

The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:

We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too. 

Our benefits:

We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance. 

In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire

Our recruitment process:

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post. 

As you’ll know safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and young people/vulnerable adults is important to us and that’s why this position is subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. If applicable you should disclose details of unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions in your application form.