Communication Support Worker

Communication Support Worker (for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Pupils)

Scale 6 pt 26 – 28 (Actual salary for Term Time only £22,516 to £23,912pa)

36 hours per week, term time only

Commencing as soon as possible

Heathcote School is an 11 – 18 School that has a new Headteacher and a new vision. The school is on a rapid journey of improvement ensuring the ‘good’ status (Ofsted 2014) is retained and for the school to ultimately become ‘outstanding’ in all areas. 

The School Improvement Plan (2017 – 2020) focuses on four key areas:

· Building at all levels an ambitious culture of high challenge and low threat enabling Heathcote to be the school of choice for staff and parents.

· Ensuring the best possible learning and leadership of learning, across the school.

· Ensuring safety is at the heart of everything we do and standards of behaviour and attendance are exemplary within the school and community.

· Giving all pupils equal opportunities to make maximum progress. 

We are looking to recruit a Communication Support Worker to work alongside our Teacher of the Deaf and our mainstream teachers to provide communication and learning support to deaf pupils at Heathcote secondary school in classes and other school activities e.g. school trips, assemblies, productions, parents’ evenings, meetings etc.

Heathcote Deaf Support Department (DSD) is a specialist department in the school that has space for up to 13 deaf learners. At Heathcote deaf students spend most of their time in mainstream lessons with their hearing peers. Our students receive an individual package of in-class support from specialist staff and can use up to date technologies in order to access their lessons. Our students are also able to have specialist small group or one-one teaching in the department. We aim to create a ‘family’, friendly environment in the department and the deaf students know that this is their quiet, safe space that they can come to whenever they need help or support. In a large mainstream school this can be very important for some learners. The students come before school to collect radio aids and to get support with their hearing aids or cochlear implants. Students can come to lunchtime friendship clubs and after school to homework club.

The school puts well-being and development at the heart of its work and we have very talented staff who are encouraged to grow, develop and work collaboratively, within school and with local schools, and to be the best they can be. We are working to ensure school improvement in a high challenge, low threat way and enable robust systems and structures to ensure consistency in all areas, encouraging the growth and development of all.  The school has excellent resources and a stunning site close to the forest. 

We welcome and encourage visits to the school and if you would like to arrange a visit or to speak to one of our Teachers of the Deaf, please contact the School Office on 020 8498 5110.

Completed application forms should be emailed to recruitment@heathcote.waltham.sch.uk

Closing date for receipt of applications:  9am on Monday 25th June

Indicative date for interviews: 28th or 29th June

Please note: applications will be considered as they are received and we reserve the right to close this position before the date specified above. We therefore urge candidates to submit an application as soon as possible. 

Heathcote School is committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS Disclosure.