School Place Planning Lead Officer (Maternity cover until August 2025)

Job Introduction

About Us

Access to Learning is part of the Children, Education, & Families Directorate, where we want every child to have the best possible education and with this goal in mind, we’ve set out to improve and transform our services.

We’ve been consistently rated as “good” by Ofsted, but we are not content with that; we are ambitious and want to do even better! Oxfordshire County Council is a financially stable local authority which is committed to investing in Children, Education, and Families, to ensure that we have the resources we need to make a real difference to the children, young people, and families we work with.

About the Role

This is a temporary post to provide maternity cover in the School Organisation & Planning team, part of the Access to Learning Service in the Children, Education & Families directorate. You will have the opportunity to apply your skills, and develop new skills, to support the council’s work in ensuring sufficient school places.

You will apply your knowledge and understanding of data analysis, GIS mapping and/or town planning to support the planning and implementation of all school place planning procedures, ensuring that the county council meets its statutory duties to secure sufficient school places. This will include identifying, analysing and presenting complex data and information to:

• inform strategic planning for changes to school provision
• respond to proposals for housing development emerging through planning applications and district council or other local planning processes
• ensure sufficient education infrastructure is included in planning processes, and 
• establish the foundation for securing infrastructure funding from developers and central government as relevant. 

Specific duties will include:

• To manage and develop the team’s data management and analysis systems relating to school place planning to support efficient and effective place planning.
• To apply data analysis, GIS and presentation skills to identify and explore complex and varied school place planning issues and develop strategic solutions and evaluate options for action.
• To research and monitor planning applications and local plan processes, to identify the impact of housing development on early years, primary, secondary and special education, and contribute to robust justifications and evidence bases to enable the council to secure resources from housing developers and central government for additional capacity as required, including contributing to proofs of evidence for planning appeals and local plan examinations.
• To lead on the production of the annual Pupil Place Plan and other reports on school place planning matters, including regular reports to the School Organisation Stakeholder Groups, and ad hoc reports to councillors and other stakeholders, as well as statutory and non-statutory data returns, including the DfE’s School Capacity Survey (SCAP).

About you

You will have strong skills and experience in at least one of data analysis (e.g. use of PowerBI and similar tools), GIS mapping, or social infrastructure planning for local development, and be willing and able to pick up new skills. You will be comfortable working within a remote-working team, but also able to attend meetings in Oxford as required. You will have the choice to work in the central Office Oxford, or work largely from home. Candidates seeking either full-time or part-time work are welcomed, and we are open to discussions about flexible working arrangements. 

We would like to hear from you if you are…

• Always learning, with a passion to grow and develop your skills.
• Willing to take responsibility and contribute to the delivery of Oxfordshire County Council’s vision.
• Driven to do it differently to embark on a journey of continuous improvement.
• Kind and caring, with an understanding of and respect for individuals’ qualities, abilities, and diverse backgrounds.
• Advocating for equality and integrity in all you do.

Rewards and benefits

• Annual leave starting at 30 days pro rata per year (plus bank holidays).
• A comprehensive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Flexible working.
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support 24 x7.
• Range of family friendly policies.
• Childcare vouchers, cycle to work scheme, electric car scheme, range of staff discounts including travel, holidays, insurance, food, health & leisure activities.
• Excellent learning and development opportunities.

Our commitment to:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support, education and safe spaces for all.

Our commitment to:
Guaranteed Interview Schemes

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

Our commitment to:
Safeguarding

Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

Our commitment to:
Flexible Working

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.

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If you encounter any technical issues with the application system, please contact us at: careers@oxfordshire.gov.uk