Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Those Huge Small Victories

Our higher level teaching assistants are fulfilled by the idea of making even the smallest positive changes in our young people, so we celebrate the little things. There’s lots of ups and downs, and to some of our young people, sitting through a lesson can be a big win. We call these huge small victories and whilst they may seem small on the surface, they add up to make a big difference

Get out what you put in

Our Learning Centres educate up to five young people, all of whom are female and have experienced trauma. You’ll be there to help them learn, develop their abilities and raise their self-esteem. You will need to be resilient and dedicated, but those huge small victories that you achieve will be something you’re really proud of.

It can be a tough journey, but the positive steps forward will more than make up for it. As a higher level teaching assistant at our learning centres, you’ll get all the support you need to succeed. Your colleagues will be the best at what they do, the school environments will be well-resourced and we’ll be with you every step of the way, helping you build a rewarding career.

One of the best environments in SEND

Our learning centres offer a bespoke and personalised curriculum to meet the holistic needs of each pupil on site through our blended education, care and therapeutic provision. Our aim is to offer a high quality curriculum to allow pupils to make rapid development from their start points - academically, socially and emotionally. The safe and welcoming environment ensures pupils are able to confidently progress in their education and build self esteem, which allows them to thrive and develop into valued members of society. The small sites have excellent facilities and utilise the local community to access further learning experiences. The specially trained staff team offer excellent levels of support to pupils, guiding them to become independent and resilient learners ready for the next step of their life.

Trauma informed practice underpins all of our work and all staff are trained in this approach. This is a strengths-based framework grounded in an understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma, that emphasises physical, psychological, and emotional safety for everyone, and that creates opportunities for survivors to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.

What we do for you

We know you’re going to do great things. For your hard work and commitment, we reward you with the best salary and benefits package in the education sector. With us, you’ll get to bring learning to life and make a genuine difference to the lives of our young people – plus you’ll get:

· Training: A full induction and on the job training

· Holiday: You’ll work hard at WG, so you’ll be rewarded with full school holidays

· Progression: If career development is your thing, most of our head teachers and leaders have been promoted from within our group

· Flexible benefits: meaning you can increase/decrease benefits such as life insurance – check out our benefits here

· Wellbeing: a host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance

· Medical cover so you can claim back the cost of things like an opticians or dentist appointment and a host of high-street discounts

· Beautiful working environments with the very best facilities – check out our schools here

· A recommend a friend scheme that offers a £2,000 bonus every time

· Contributory pension (matched up to 5%)

Bring your whole-self to work

Our young people come from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds and with different needs – and our workforce reflects that diversity, so that our teams can engage, encourage and inspire our young people to be themselves. You’ll be more than a Teaching Assistant, you’ll be able to connect with our pupils because of: - Significant experience as a Teaching assistant - Your genuine passion for supporting children to learn and the impact it can have on their lives - Your enthusiasm and expertise to support your department - Your ability to plan meetings, work without supervision and liaise with teachers to devise complementary learning activities. - You’ll also need a relevant NVQ Level 3 or an HLTA qualification, or equivalent

Interested in joining us?

Our young people deserve the best possible future and we feel the same about our teams. You deserve to have the career you want, with a purpose-led employer, in an environment that allows you to be yourself.

The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (we will cover the cost) and an online search. We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.

For a full job description and person specification, please see the attached document. For further information, please contact senior administrator Kirstie Palmer on 01429 803000.

Special Education / Careers in Care / Careers in Special Education / Working with Children / SEMH / SEN / ASD