Teacher

Acorn Care and Education is the single largest private sector provider of specialist education and care services to local authorities across England, Scotland and Wales. The group has grown quickly since its creation in 2005 by both organic growth and through a series of acquisitions.

Acorn consists of 3 main divisions:

• The education division is the second largest private sector provider of SEN schools in the country operating 15 special needs schools for children with behavioural and social difficulties or with autism and learning difficulties.
• The fostering division is the third largest provider of foster care services in the UK and operates under the brands of Fostering Solutions and Pathway Care.
• The residential care division operates registered care homes for looked after children with a range of special education and behavioural needs.

Purpose of the Job

• To work as part of ‘one team’ facilitate the everyday education and care of young people  
• To plan, organise and deliver the curriculum relevant to key stage and specific subject area/s to best meet pupils’ individual special education needs.
• To work in a trans-disciplinary capacity to facilitate the ‘One Team’ approach to support and link academic and social/ behavioural progress in line with pupils’ individual learning needs.
• To practice with a high degree of competence with the aim of reducing barriers to learning and participation in the classroom, leading to all pupils achieving their learning potential
• Work proactively and positively with pupils and staff, liaising with colleagues across a multi-disciplinary team to ensure individual pupil needs are met.
• Effectively deploy, supervise and collaboratively plan and work with Teaching Assistants to optimise pupil behaviour, learning outcomes and progress.
• Undertake training and continuing professional development to maintain a good knowledge of specific subject areas; teaching and assessment methods; accreditation routes and requirements; curriculum development and guidelines; and special educational needs.
• Liaise with their year level or subject teams to ensure a moderated and coordinated approach to planning, assessment and pupil progress.

For this Job you will need:

• Knowledge and understanding of how to employ teaching and learning strategies to challenge barriers in accessing education demonstrated by pupils with SEBD, and to ensure that all pupils progress to their potential.
• A flexible approach to teaching and learning that accounts for the specific difficulties experienced by SEBD/SEN pupils.
• An expectation that all pupils can achieve their potential, facilitated by a balance between academic rigour and a creative approach to ensure that all pupils can achieve in an inclusive school environment.
• A high level of general literacy and numeracy skills, and expertise in a specific subject area.
• An awareness of and adherence to relevant policies, legislation, government initiatives and codes of practice.
• A thorough understanding of child and adolescent development and learning (both academic and social/behavioural), and barriers to this development and learning.
• A sound understanding of special educational needs and how specific needs impact on pupils’ ability to access learning in a classroom environment.
• A strong understanding of the National Curriculum and other education initiatives, and how these can be applied in the school setting.
• A strong understanding of Safeguarding requirements and Child Protection procedures.
• A good understanding of equity for people with disabilities and special educational needs, and of how to operate in a non-discriminatory manner.
• Skills and knowledge of how to work from a learner-centred perspective and create an inclusive learning environment.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to be prompt, work to achieve deadlines and construct and present accurate, factual and objective written and verbal reports relating to all areas of pupil development.
• Excellent and effective communication and interpersonal skills, including empathy, awareness of others’ needs, and de-escalation skills, to enable communication to best promote the school’s ‘One Team’ approach, and to ensure pupils’ needs are met.
• Highly competent use of ICT and other technology to facilitate above responsibilities in pupil-related and work-related communications and activities.

Safeguarding is everybody’s business.  The welfare and safeguarding of children and young people should be of paramount consideration, whatever your role or level of responsibility is within the organisation.  All employees, panel members, independent workers and volunteers are required to ensure compliance with the company’s guidance and policy on safeguarding and are required to attend Safeguarding training appropriate to their level of responsibility