Part-Time 1:1 Learning Assistant - Fixed Term Contract

Banstead Preparatory School is a co-educational prep school and nursery, educating around 250 girls and boys aged 2-11. Set on the outskirts of the village of Banstead, Surrey, there are good transport links to London and the South East. 

Our state-of-the-art facilities enable us to offer the broadest range of opportunities as part of an engaging, innovative and exciting curriculum, helping us to set the highest possible ambition for every child, and get the best from everyone.

Education with character is the ethos that sits at the very heart of our school and forms the core of what we believe. There’s more to a good education than learning – we work to develop our children’s characters, build their tenacity, foster courage and above all, inspire them to achieve excellence.

Banstead Prep isn’t a feeder for any particular senior school, we work to help parents identify aspirational but realistic school choices. We prepare the children through broad curriculum teaching within the normal school timetable to ensure every child leaves us for their senior school of choice feeling valued, prepared, confident and ready to thrive.

Salary: £10.50 an hour

Interviews: ASAP - as and when

Start Date:  ASAP

Fixed Term End Date: currently until 6 July 2023 with possibility to extend

We are looking for a positive and enthusiastic 1:1 Learning Assistant to join our team at BPS.  This is a part-time role, working three days a week, on a Fixed Term contract, which is contingent upon the child remaining at BPS and receiving funding, term time only to include INSETS. 

Job Purpose                   

• To work in the classroom, supporting a child 
• To assist with lessons, assisting in participation of class life, reading and writing, speech, language and communication, moving safely around the classroom and school yet encourage independence.
• To reinforce learning from classroom and support as and when necessary
• To attend weekly 1:1 support with the Speech and Language teacher so this work can continue throughout the week and to meet with other outside agencies as required
• To build confidence, and to support with friendships at break time and lunch
• To support day to day activities eg changing for PE, eating lunch etc
• To support the needs as addressed in the EHCP
• To support social skills and develop communication with peers during break times and lunch
• Liaise with parents at start and end of day

Reporting Line:           Senco Lead

Key responsibilities

This job description indicates the range of duties involved and is not intended to be all-inclusive and requires the post-holder to be flexible and show initiative. The post holder may perform other related duties as required to meet the ongoing needs of the school.

• Flexible working according to the needs of the pupil on any particular day
• Exercise good observational skills and tact, to intervene and give support only when necessary
• To be able to work in a team: with the SENCo, Form Teacher and wider staff team in planning and providing care, attending relevant training, and in contributing to weekly meetings
• Give guidance and care to other pupils as required
• Duties and tasks as required by teaching staff, the wider assistant team and the Headteacher
• Assist the teacher with the observation and assessment of the pupil and assist with record keeping as appropriate
• To travel to and support the child in home learning as and when required
• To write a short report annually to support the Annual review of the EHCP
• Perform any other task the Headteacher/Senior Leadership team may from time to time reasonably direct

The 1:1 Learning Assistant will be expected to accompany school visits in order to support the pupil with additional needs.

The 1:1 Learning Assistant should take part in in-service training as required. The person appointed will need to be flexible, energetic and good-humoured and should have good literacy and numeracy skills.

Qualifications and Experience          

• GCSE or equivalent (grade C or above) in English and Mathematics
• Ideally hold a qualification or have experience with working with children with additional needs, or at least an awareness and interest in this area
• Fluency in oral and written English
• Administrative competence
• Good listening skills
• Experience or knowledge of working with children
• Ability to communicate confidently and professionally with pupils, staff, parents
• Total discretion and confidentiality
• Confident use of ICT

Personal qualities

• A commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people
• High levels of personal and professional integrity
• Tact, discretion, honour, kindness and care
• Ability to work on own initiative, to take directions and to work as a part of a team
• High degrees of self-confidence, personal energy and dynamism
• Personal warmth, good rapport with pupils, colleagues and parents
• Excellent organisational skills
• Appropriate levels of personal presentation
• Team player
• Flexibility

Applications will be assessed in order of receipt and candidates may be interviewed before the closing date. The School reserves the right to withdraw the position if an early appointment is made so please apply without delay.

Banstead Preparatory School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful applicants will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check as well as other relevant pre-employment checks including satisfactory references and medical clearance.  You must have evidence of the right to work in the UK (i.e. Passport or working visa).  

United Learning

We are part of United Learning, a large, and growing, group of schools aiming to offer a life changing education to children and young people across England.

Our schools work as a team and achieve more by sharing than any single school could. Our subject specialists, our Group-wide intranet, our own curriculum and our online learning portal all help us share knowledge and resource, helping to simplify work processes and manage workloads for an improved work-life balance.

As a Group, we can reward our staff better: with good career opportunities, better pay, benefits, and ultimately, the satisfaction of helping children to succeed. We invest in our staff wellbeing. It's an ethos we call ‘the best in everyone’.

We are working hard to become a more diverse organisation – which is key to our commitment to bringing out the best in everyone. We welcome applications from everyone committed to this ethos and would particularly welcome applications from black and minority ethnic candidates, who are currently under-represented in the Group as a whole. We always appoint on merit. We are open to discussing flexible working options.