Teaching Assistant Level 2 and 3

Teaching Assistant Level 2 and 3

Team: Education and Teaching

Location: Wrenthorpe, Wakefield

Salary: £18,887 - £20,043 (NJC 3 - 6) + excellent benefits

Contract Type: Permanent

Position Type: Full Time

Interview Date: Friday, 08 July 2022

Closing date: Thursday, 07 July 2022, 23:59

Are you used to wearing different hats throughout the day? We all wear many hats here and no two days are ever the same!

Be amazing, be inspired, be you.

Our young people deserve the best possible future and we feel the same about our staff. You deserve to have the career you want, in an environment that allows you to be yourself. As a member of our team, you’ll receive a sector-leading salary, extensive benefits, training, and a clear career pathway ahead of you.

If you want to join the UK’s leading provider of specialist education and care, working passionately to bring the best possible outcomes for young people, you’re in the right place.

An inspirational environment, where you can be yourself

The greatest achievements often don’t come easy but Hall Cliffe has earned a reputation as a school that can help turn young people’s lives around. The school is housed in a stunning listed building at the centre of which is a tranquil courtyard that is used for both recreational and therapeutic activities. However, the true centre of everything at Hall Cliffe School are the pupils, which is evident in the unwavering commitment and support that the staff team offer to each young person. 

The staff team has worked tirelessly to create a learning environment that truly nurtures and a culture of family and togetherness. The result – young people who are equipped with the confidence, self-belief and skills to succeed in whatever they put their minds to.

Be the inspiration that changes the direction of a life

Our education and teaching teams work to get the best outcomes for every child. For every pupil at one of our schools, the sky is literally the limit. Our highly dedicated, skilled and experienced team of teaching and education professionals work with parents and carers to deliver outstanding outcomes and inspire the future that every child and family deserves. If this sounds like you, we’d love for you to join our team.

Here at Hall Cliffe School, you need to be passionate about working in a fast paced environment and be prepared to change gears at any moment. Teaching Assistants need to be comfortable “wearing many hats” while in work: that of the teaching assistant, the entertainer, the counsellor, the good cop and, at times, the less good cop (putting in boundaries and sometimes saying the words “No, because…”) All these roles will be helping our pupils to learn in the class and understand the acceptable rules of life. That is our commitment to them and their outcomes.

If you’ve already been working as a teaching assistant in a school, where you’ve been inspired to take up the challenges of the classroom and change lives for the better, I am sure you will remember how difficult that starting point was? But your stick-ability made a real difference. We want you to join our school and use that stick-ability to help us change the lives of our pupils for the better.

The role

As a Teaching Assistant at Hall Cliffe School, we have the same outlook as you. We know that enabling positive outcomes for young people facing complex challenges isn’t an overnight fix. That’s why we need a committed and enthusiastic individual, who is ready to start every day with a fresh outlook and welcome the children into their learning opportunities. Our work with the children isn’t about us; we are a team who are all about the children all of the time.

The great thing for you is, you won’t be alone in your goal to have a positive impact on our pupils’ lives. You’ll have all the support you need from the team.

You will need to be able to build trusting relationships with our learners to help them manage the learning challenges of the day. We all wear different hats here and in order for our pupils to succeed, you will need to think on your feet. It’s about coaxing their confidence both academically and socially – helping them feel accepted and understood.

Day to day, you’ll…

• Support the teacher by focusing on pupils’ needs, adapting to scenarios, leaving the teacher free to get on with the job of delivering lessons.
• Set up any equipment or tech requirements needed in the lessons, ready for use.
• Work one-to-one with pupils to ensure that they’re getting the most out of what’s being taught in the classroom.
• Help to keep disruption to a minimum and de-escalate any challenges you do face with your impressively calm, rational approach.
• Work closely with our therapists to make sure every pupil gets all the mental health support they need to be able to enjoy a fulfilling school experience.

Working with us

Your experience in a similar role, the NVQ level 2 (or equivalent – or higher) that you achieved and the fact that you’re looking to take that next important step in your career… those things tell us just how seriously you take being a Teaching Assistant. We’d also love to see up-to-date welfare and safeguarding knowledge and evidence of great team working skills. Plus, you’ll need the kind of resilience that will send you home from even the most challenging of working days with a sense of satisfaction that you’ve done your best. If you’re emotionally strong and good in a team, we can offer a role with exciting prospects. Here at Witherslack Group there are three levels of Teaching Assistant teams, dependant on your experience. Level 2, 3 and Higher Level. The latter gives you the chance to take on extra duties, like planning meetings, working without supervision and helping Teachers to develop the kinds of learning activities that will draw pupils’ attention and keep them engaged in learning tasks. You’d also be one of the people supporting and developing our other Teaching Assistants, in that case too.

Benefits and Support

The progression opportunities here are plentiful and, with all the support we’ll give you, there’s nothing to stop you from taking them. Promoting from within is what helps us to keep our team strong and consistent, so if you have ambitions to become a Teacher in the future, we can provide the platform and pathway for that.

Be Rewarded

We know you’re going to do great things. For your hard work and commitment, we want to reward you with a salary and benefits package that’s among the best in our sector. You’ll receive a competitive salary or a range of flexible pension options to suit personal circumstances(where applicable) and comprehensive induction and ongoing training, as well as extensive Group staff benefits such as Medicash Health Plan/Employee Assistance and Cycle to Work Scheme. Witherslack Group conducts DBS Enhanced checks and covers the costs for all new employees.

For further information please contact Becky Watson – Senior Administrator on 01924663420.

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 are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.