Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) with lead responsibility for Day to Day Safeguarding and Child Protection 

Extended Leadership Team Post 

Permanent and Full Time

Operation Extended Leadership Scale - 5 - 7 (£40,659 to £43,228) 

Closing date: 8am on 4th June 2025

Start date: ASAP

 

Do you have a strong background in safeguarding and child protection, ideally within a school setting?

Have experience working with vulnerable children and their families?

Have a passion about safeguarding and being committed to student welfare?

Are you a dedicated safeguarding professional looking to take on a leadership role within a dynamic school environment?

Then we would love to hear from you.

Horsforth School is seeking to appoint a passionate and inspirational Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) with lead day to day responsibility for Safeguarding and Child Protection . We are seeking a highly motivated and dedicated Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) to join our Extended Leadership Team. This pivotal role will involve taking lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection across the school, ensuring the safety and welfare of all students. This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate individual to make a significant contribution to our school community by leading and promoting a strong safeguarding culture as well as an opportunity to be part of our wider leadership team.

The DSL will act as a key point of contact for staff, students, families, and external agencies, providing expert advice and ensuring that safeguarding standards are upheld.

You must have current and up to date training for the level of DSL and have active experience of being a designated safeguarding officer or lead within education. 

Horsforth School is no ordinary School, join us and you’ll see what we mean. No role in Horsforth School is ‘just a job’, you will become part of a team who work to support and develop our amazing students whilst giving you the opportunity to take ownership of your own career. We are very proud of our outstanding, highly motivated and enthusiastic staff team and strongly believe that working collaboratively, sharing ideas and supporting each other achieves great things and allows us to develop innovative teaching and learning strategies.

The successful candidate will work closely with and be supported by the Deputy Headteacher who has oversight for Safeguarding. The candidate will work closely with the Deputy DSL and the wider child protection teams, pastoral and attendance teams. Our aim is to recruit someone who can support the growing needs within this area and improve outcomes for some of our most vulnerable learners and to create capacity within the team and for leadership of this role.  The ability to be tenacious, dogged and flexible are all essential as well as being a team player and student centered. 

The school works with a variety of outside agencies including Horsforth Children's Services and we have a police liaison officer. 

Horsforth School’s results speak for themselves - GCSE and A Level results are consistently well above the national averages and in 2022, 2023 and 2024 the school had the best state school A Level results in the whole of Leeds.

In addition, Horsforth School was named one of the top 10 schools in the North in The Sunday Times Power Guide in 2024 and the Yorkshire Post has recently voted the Sixth Form at Horsforth one of the top 3 Sixth Forms in Yorkshire.

We are also delighted to be able to offer the following staff incentives and recognise the importance of activities outside of the classroom for staff wellbeing:

• Extracurricular activities
• Exciting trips and visits
• Free access to an onsite gym and opportunity to join the staff football team
• Bike to work scheme
• Regular staff voice
• Buzzing and lively staffroom/work hubs
• Amazing onsite catering with regular all staff breakfasts and seasonal events
• New sixth form building with onsite coffee shop ‘Common Grounds’
• Dedicated investment in physical and mental wellbeing
• Access to Vivup – an Employee Assistance Programme with confidential employee support available everyday 24/7 for counselling and any concerns such as bereavement, mental health support, debt, legal issues.
• Onsite car parking/excellent public transport links with local train station providing easy access from Leeds and Harrogate
• Recognise the importance of a good work/life balance

Located in North-West Leeds, the school is just five miles from the city centre with its thriving retail, leisure and cultural facilities, yet on the edge of open countryside. York, Harrogate and the Yorkshire Dales are within easy reach.

If you’d like to find out more, please call 0113 226 5454. Or for full details and to download an application form, please visit www.horsforthschool.org and click on the vacancies tab or email recruitment@horsforthschool.org 

We welcome applications regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or religion. The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our students and we expect all colleagues to share this commitment.  Appointments will be subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure.

The above post is not a Leeds City Council vacancy and has been advertised on behalf of the relevant organisation. To apply please follow their application instructions.