Senior School Quality Assurance Officer

Job Introduction

Our Story:

Halton is a vibrant local authority with a rich history and heritage, featuring two iconic bridges that connect communities across the River Mersey. Located in Cheshire, Halton boasts excellent transport links between Liverpool and Manchester, as well as close proximity to both Liverpool John Lennon and Manchester Airports.

Our progressive community strategy aims to bring about meaningful, long-term improvements that enhance lives. It’s an exciting time to join us as we develop new policies and transform the way people access services.

We are immensely proud that when asked what’s great about working for Halton, the most popular response from our workforce has been ‘our colleagues’. 

Our Team:

Halton’s Education Services are part of a forward-looking and collaborative Children’s Services Directorate, working closely with schools, EY settings, Post 16 providers and multi-agency partners to improve outcomes for all children and young people. The service brings together expertise in school support and quality assurance, inclusion, attendance, performance outcomes and beyond, providing both support and challenge to ensure high standards across the borough. We are committed to enabling every child to thrive, with a strong focus on inclusion, early intervention, and partnership working to secure the best possible educational, social and personal outcomes.

Hours: 37 per week

Monday – Friday with occasional evening weekend work

Make a Difference Where It Matters Most

We are looking for an experienced and highly motivated Senior School Quality Assurance Officer to join our Children’s Services team in Halton. This is a pivotal statutory role, offering the opportunity to shape educational outcomes for children and young people aged 0–19 across the borough.

You will play a key role in ensuring that every child and young person—particularly those who are vulnerable or have complex needs—receives a high-quality education and the support they deserve.

About the Role

As a senior officer within the Education 0–19 service, you will provide strategic leadership for school development and quality assurance across a defined group of schools and settings.

You will act as a trusted advisor, challenger, and advocate—working closely with school leaders, governing bodies, and partners to improve outcomes, and fulfil the Local Authority’s statutory responsibilities.

This role is central to delivering the ambitions set out in Halton’s Children and Young People’s Plan, and other key strategies linked to education and inclusion, ensuring compliance with national policy and legislation

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Drive quality assurance and improvement of educational outcomes across schools and settings.
• Challenge & Support: Provide high-level challenge and support to senior leaders and governors to secure continuous improvement.
• Statutory Duties: Lead on key areas including Early Years, Attendance, Behaviour, Schools Causing Concern, Statutory Assessment, and transitions.
• School Improvement: Have strategic and operational Lead Officer oversight for schools causing concern, ensuring effective intervention and measurable impact.
• Partnership Working: Collaborate with headteacher associations, health partners, Ofsted, DfE, and wider children’s services.
• Data & Reporting: Analyse performance data and produce reports to inform strategic decision-making.
• Advocacy: Champion the voice, rights, and wellbeing of children and young people.
• Governance & Leadership: Support governing bodies, including involvement in headteacher recruitment processes.
• Commissioning & Planning: Assist in the commissioning of services and contribute to business planning aligned with long-term priorities.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Work closely with elected members and senior leaders to shape policy and practice.

Your Contributions:

Educated to degree level, a qualified teacher with  QTS status and relevant experience.

Are you  an ambitious and driven education professional ready to take on a senior leadership role, we would love to hear from you.

Join us in making Halton a place where every child and young person can thrive.

We are seeking a dynamic and credible leader with:

• Significant experience in school improvement and education leadership
• Strong understanding of statutory responsibilities within education
• Proven ability to influence, challenge, and support senior leaders and stakeholders
• Excellent analytical and reporting skills
• Experience of working across multi-agency partnerships
• A passion for improving outcomes and reducing inequalities for children and young people
• Strong leadership skills, with experience of managing staff and budgets

If you’re ready to make a real difference,  we invite  you to join  our team and bring your expertise, enthusiasm, and passion for making a real impact.  

The role will involve regular travel across the borough and sometimes further afield. Therefore, the post holder must have a driving licence and access to a vehicle. Where necessary, reasonable adjustments will be made in accordance with the Equality Act.

Our Offer:

Aside from working with a great team, our employees have access to a fantastic range of benefits, including:

• A generous annual holiday allowance starting at 34 days per year (including bank holidays), increasing with long service
• Membership of our defined benefit, salary-linked Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with generous employer contributions
• 3 x Salary Life Cover via Local Government Pension Scheme
• Investment in your personal development 
• Free Car Parking at HBC sites 
• Flexible working arrangements 
• Extensive employee benefits platform including discounted shopping, car leasing, gym memberships, wellbeing hub and Employee Assistance Programme.

Next Steps:

At Halton Borough Council, we want all of our candidates to feel well-informed so if you would like to have an informal chat about this role, please contact Penny France at penny.france@halton.gov.uk

Interviews will take place w/c 13/07/2026

At Halton Borough Council we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce and a vital part of this is to encourage diversity in all respects. We are committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and tailored to best suit the needs and strength of the individual. This includes making adjustments for people with a disability, neurodiversity or with long-term health conditions. If you require accommodations, please reach out during the recruitment process so that we can make this the best possible experience for you – resourcing@halton.gov.uk

Please refer to the attached Job Profile for further information about the role and our values.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applications. If you’re interested, please complete your application as early as possible.

We look forward to receiving your application!