1:1 SEN Teaching Assistant

We have a great opportunity for a knowledgeable, skilled and encouraging 1:1 Teaching Assistant to join our school in supporting our learners to make excellent progress academically, socially and emotionally. The Courtyard School is an Ofsted rated ‘Good’ and Challenge Partners rated ‘Outstanding’ special school in the heart of Islington, catering for pupils with autism and/or speech, language and communication needs. The school is undergoing an expansion programme and we are seeking to appoint either an experienced or newly qualified practitioner to join our supportive team to develop this fundamental aspect of our provision.

You will:

• Feel passionately about transforming the lives of young people with a range of complex needs

• Be a flexible and creative thinker in order to maximise pupil engagement

• Have a relevant NVQ Level 2 qualification or above

• Demonstrate good subject knowledge in English and Maths

• Be committed to providing the best possible learning experiences for every child

• Be able to reflect on your practise and be proactive about adapting your practice to suit the profiles of the pupils

• Be able to work collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary team within the school and be flexible in your thinking and approach to education  

• Have a sense of humour!

You could/should:

• Have specialist knowledge and experience of working with young people with social or emotional and mental health difficulties. 

• Have a level of proficiency in ICT to cater for lessons which involve technology/learning platforms.

• Have previous experience of working directly with a pupil with ASC.

The role:

• Will involve working directly with a Young Person with ASC:

- supporting them to develop their social communication, interaction and interpretation skills;

- assisting them to engage in their learning;

- assisting them to develop strategies to self-regulate their emotions;

- supporting them to develop confidence, self-esteem and independence.

• Will involve contributing to the systems within the school in order to deliver the school’s vision. 

• Will require a demonstration of a commitment to understanding the young person, ensuring the school experience motivates and engages them in learning whilst meeting their social, emotional and mental health needs.

We will:

• Offer you a unique opportunity to work in a peaceful, holistic setting to develop your skillset and make a real difference in the lives of the young people we work with, whether you are a mainstream teaching assistant looking to make the leap into SEN, a newly qualified teaching assistant looking to broaden your experience and gain valuable skills working with pupils with ASC, or an experienced SEND teaching assistant with a strong track record.

• Provide a collaborative school team who is experienced, supportive and committed to delivering the highest quality learning education for young people aged from 13 – 19 years.

• Provide a commitment to ensuring your continued professional development allowing you to develop your areas of interest and expertise.

If you are an effective, dynamic and passionate individual with a commitment to promoting positive outcomes through effective assistance then we would like to hear from you. 

NB. The contract for this position will be in place until a time when the Young Person no longer attends SMMA: The Courtyard.

To find out more about The Courtyard School, please visit our website here: https://smmathecourtyard.org/

To apply for the role, please email your CV, including a personal statement Mrs Deborah Shepherd, Head Teacher at Deborah.shepherd@smmathecourtyard.org 

Mrs Shepherd will also happily answer any queries about the position.