Higher Level Teaching Assistant

We are looking for a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) to work with students, staff and other professionals to achieve the best outcomes for our students who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

The role will specifically involve working with those students who have more complex needs in relation to SLCN, SPLD and ASD. The focus is on teaching and learning in the classroom as well as leading interventions for students who to need more focused support, either 1-1 or in small groups.  

About Us

From our opening in September 2020, our academy is a place where ‘everything is possible’. By this we mean that:

• every student is supported to fully develop their academic and personal talents. We help students to go on and achieve their dreams
• we work with our families to support all our students, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities
• we are a supportive part of the Lambeth community, working with our neighbours and others as best we can
• every member of staff is supported in becoming the best that they can be, including their future career prospects and ambitions.

It is our vision of ‘everything is possible’ that underpins the five values that staff and students at the academy uphold:

1. endeavour – to relish challenge, never give up and learn to take sensible risks
2. self-belief – to believe that they can and will go on to achieve their ambitions
3. honesty – act with integrity, treating others the way they would like to be treated
4. excellence – not settling for second best or for the easiest option
5. having a global view – understanding their place in the world and how they can make it a better one.

A central core of our ethos is to fully develop students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural well-being. We ensure that our students understand their role in making the academy and their community a safer and better place. We do this in a wide variety of ways. including after-school activities, during lessons, school visits and working with a range of external organisations such as local and national charities.

Main Areas of Responsibility

Support students by:

• helping to identify and assess a student’s particular needs in a timely manner, preparing and sharing accurate information as required
• using information to developing student passports and accurate quality first learning strategies
• actively demonstrating expertise and skills in understanding the needs of SEN students, working with and advising teaching staff so that they have a clear understanding of these needs
• organising, delivering and reviewing high quality interventions/teaching for students/classes, carefully selecting resources that meet students’ needs. This will focus on SLCN, SPLD
• actively planning and working in partnership with the class teacher to enable SEND students, particularly those with SLCN, SPLD and ASD needs to positively engage in the classroom and with learning
• working alongside specialists/teachers to support students to understand what they are learning in interventions/classrooms; helping students to develop their confidence to know and remember their learning as best they can
• supporting students to find their voice and to develop skills so they are able to meet their desired outcomes and are well prepared for their next steps
• liaising with parents as appropriate (such as telephone calls and review meetings) contributing to their positive engagement, advice and guidance
• leading and participating in homework clubs or other enrichment activities that may be needed
• using behaviour management strategies consistently in line with strategies on student passports and academy policy and procedures to promote positive behaviour
• helping them, where needed, to maintain a healthy lifestyle, for example in relation to their hygiene, first-aid, medical, physical and/or personal needs

Support teachers by:

• role modelling for all staff how best to meet students’ needs, helping to create speech and language, SPLD and ASD friendly classrooms
• actively working together with teachers implementing Quality First Teaching strategies and those strategies on student passports within the ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’ framework of the SEND Code of Practice (2014)
• actively planning and working collaboratively with the class tutor if required
• working alongside specialists implementing and reviewing class-based interventions – ensuring that student passports are live documents that are used in the classroom, taking appropriate and quick action when they are not
• liaising with and across different subject teachers making sure that there is the sharing of best practice and ideas, developing an informed and consistent approach
• helping the SENCO and leadership group to evaluate and improve provision for SEND
• organising and facilitating advice clinics for staff in relation to particular students
• liaising with relevant staff within the Academy making them aware of problems experienced by students and to make recommendations as to how these may be managed/resolved, as appropriate

Qualifications & Experience

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• A secure and up-to-date knowledge of SEND, in particular SLCN, SPLD and ASD.
• Knowledge of the range of support and advice available to parents and students who have SEND, particularly those in bullet 2
• On-going training in relation to safeguarding and the additional vulnerabilities for students with SEND
• At least two years’ experience working and supporting students with SEND, specifically in being able to evidence creating, delivering and evaluating the impact of interventions for SLCN and SPLD.
• Experience in creating successful strategies that engage students, including those who have fallen behind with their literacy or are reluctant to learn
• Experience working with and advising teachers to support students, for example in quality first teaching
• Experience working with parents, agencies and professionals who support students with SEND, such as a SALT
• Experience working with students with an EHCP and being able to track and evidence progress towards outcomes, particularly literacy
• Experience directly supporting students who have more complex SLCN, SPLD and ASD needs.
• Experience helping students with SEN to catch up and keep up
• Experience using Microsoft Office software, particularly Excel and Word

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants. Before applying, please review our Policy Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.