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Higher Level Teaching Assistant

The Forum School

Dorset

  • Expired
Job type:
Full Time, Permanent
Start date:
01 September 2025
Apply by:
14 August 2025

Job overview

The Forum School


The Forum School and Residential Home is a 52-week residential specialist school providing quality therapeutic care and education for young people with Autism, severe learning difficulties, challenging behaviour and complex needs. The children and young people that attend the school range between the ages of 7 and 19 years and enjoy a school calendar closely linked to Local Authority term dates.

The Forum School is currently working towards reshaping the way in which specialists support young people into adulthood and seeks to prepare them for possible employment and lifelong fulfilment.

Purpose of the Role
The Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) is responsible for ensuring that the learning support provided is of a high standard. The role will involve carrying out many of the tasks undertaken by a Teaching Assistant and acting as a good role model in doing so. Additional responsibilities centre upon working alongside TA’s and Learning Support Workers to provide support, coaching and mentoring. The role also involves the assessment of TA practice to enable the achievement of NVQ 3 for Teaching Assistants. A HLTA will be expected to supervise a class group for a period of time in the absence of a teacher, with assistance from a TA and support from senior teaching staff. Excellent interpersonal skills and a high degree of professionalism are essential to the effectiveness of this role.

As a HLTA you will:
Support students:
  • To monitor and promote a high quality of relationships between staff team and students
  • To provide care and support for individual students and groups in formal, informal and new learning situations. This includes responding to health problems and helping the students with hygiene and personal/intimate care matter consistent with Personal, Social and Health Education programmes.
  • To ensure that students are supported, as appropriate for their specific difficulties, to enable them to participate in learning activities.
  • To support TA’s and LSW’s when helping students develop their literacy and numeracy skills.
Support Teachers:
  • Work alongside TAs at various times to maintain an awareness of the quality of learning support provided, ensuring that it is carried out under the direction and guidance of teachers and that any areas for improvement are addressed.
  • Provide effective support for colleagues by maintaining positive working relationships. This includes monitoring and promoting the quality of relationships between TAs & students and TAs & education team.
  • Assist the teacher in organising the learning environment, preparing resources and delivering learning activities.
  • Support the delivery of the curriculum by taking responsibility for working with groups or individuals, in a range of subjects and situations, under the direction and guidance of the teacher or instructor.
  • To observe student performance, contribute to reports and maintain records as required, ensuring that confidentiality is maintained.
  • Contribute to the planning and evaluation of learning activities and progress.
  • To support the use of information and communication technology in the classroom.

The Cambian Group

The Cambian Group is one of the largest providers of specialist behavioural health services for children and adults in the UK. We are looking for a Higher Level Teaching Assistant to join our team who aligns with our ethos of believing that every child or young person has a personal best. Our work in the UK embraces many specialist services including adult mental health, acquired brain injury, children’s specialist education, children’s residential services and fostering services.

Cambian is an Equal Opportunities Employer. Cambian is committed to safeguarding and protecting the young people and service users within our care. All candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and reference checks.

Cambian will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates. This check will be part of a safeguarding check and the search will be purely based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. As care must be taken to avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination a person who will not be on the appointment panel will conduct the search and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern.










Attached documents

About The Forum School

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+44 1258 860 295

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The Forum School was deemed to be “an outstanding school” for Autistic Spectrum Disorders, as determined by Ofsted in their June 2006 report. Our students span the spectrum, from associated learning difficulty to High Functioning Autism / Asperger Syndrome. We offer a 38-52 week co-educational programme for students aged 7-19 years. Admission can take place at any time during the school year.

Students have full access to the national curriculum with teaching appropriately differentiated to meet the needs of our young people. The Forum draws upon a proven programme of Specialist Education, Specialist 24-hour Care and a wide range of Clinical and Therapeutic Inputs, including Speech & Language Therapy, Behavioural Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Psychiatry and Psychology. Multi-disciplinary teams and high staff ratios ensure intensive individual support.

The Forum is located in the glorious Dorset countryside near the village of Shillingstone. We have 28 acres of land, providing areas for play and relaxation, ideal for students with ASD. The school has a full size riding stable, theatre and swimming pool.
 

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Applications closed