HLTA: SEND - 34.5 hours per week Permanent, Term Time Only - Salary Scale G pro-rata

Advert Text:

We wish to appoint an outstanding HLTA – SEND - from September 2021, to work with class teachers to raise the learning and attainment of students with a reading and literacy focus, promoting students’ independence, self-esteem and social inclusion.  

The successful candidate will provide support to students, individually or in groups, so they can access the curriculum, take part in learning and experience a sense of achievement.  You will also monitor students and assess, record and report on their achievement, progress and development through KS3 and KS4.

Your role will complement the professional work of teachers by taking responsibility for agreed learning activities under an agreed system of supervision.  This may involve planning, preparing and delivering learning activities for individuals/groups or, short term, for whole classes. You will support with the resourcing and development of specialist learning needs areas, and actively support the implementation of promoting literacy and numeracy across the academy.

For further information, please refer to the job description and person specification that support this advert.

Lord Lawson of Beamish Academy is a successful and fully comprehensive school, well regarded by parents and the community.  We have over 1,450 students currently on roll, aged 11-19, with around two hundred students in the sixth form.  We received our Academy Order from the Secretary of State for Education in August 2011 and converted to an Academy on 1st March 2012.  We moved into brand new, custom designed and purpose built accommodation in September 2007, built by Sir Robert McAlpine under the Private Finance Initiative.  These are superb facilities for learning, set in immaculate grounds; both the estate and buildings are spacious and extremely well maintained: they provide a magnificent environment in which to work.

We are affiliated to national organisations such as the Schools Students and Teachers network (SSAT) as well as having close links with other outstanding schools and colleges in the region.

There’s a lot going for Lord Lawson! This is a school that has the clear potential to be very good indeed, and our ambition is to offer an outstanding education that engages and stretches all our students.  Our staff are energetic and adaptable, able and committed – this includes the teaching team and a superb range of support staff.  Responding to the emergencies and ever-changing demands of the COVID pandemic, I have been exceedingly proud of the way our colleagues have all pulled together to deliver the very best support and education for our children and our community.  What we have achieved together has been utterly amazing.  Our governors are supportive and engaged, and they have commended the school for its approach during these difficult times. 

Following two successive ‘requires improvement’ judgements from Ofsted, the school has developed a comprehensive programme of school improvement. This is being supported by a grant of £190k from the Department for Education’s Opportunity North East School Vision programme.  Our partners in school improvement are colleagues from Cardinal Hume Catholic School, an outstanding neighbouring academy.  We also work well with other external partners, including Gateshead Council.  On a recent monitoring inspection Ofsted noted that we have made substantial progress and improvements, and that leaders are taking effective action.  We know where we need to focus our efforts in improvement, and we have coherent and strategic plans.  Staff are willing and dedicated: together, we have achieved so much over the course of this challenging year, and there is much still to do.

We are a happy, secure academy with a very welcoming and open approach.  Everything we do is designed to make students feel confident, secure, well supported and happy during their time at Lord Lawson of Beamish.  

We are committed to improving our skills and offer a wide range of professional development opportunities for staff.  Many of our staff go on to promoted posts within the academy and elsewhere.

The Application

Shortlisting will be carried out according to criteria which will be assessed using the completed application form and the letter of application that should accompany it.  In this letter it would be helpful if you describe the core beliefs which shape your approach to teaching and learning, the impact you have had in your own classroom, and the impact you have had on the practice of other teachers.  In essence, we want to know what you can offer our academy and our students.

The Interview

Shortlisted candidates will be notified via email/phone as soon as possible.  We have yet to finalise the arrangements for the interview, but it is expected that the interview will take place on Monday 28 June 2021 and will last for one day.  

The interview will be designed to give candidates every possible opportunity to demonstrate their strengths.  It will certainly include an element of interactive work with students which will be signalled clearly in the letter inviting candidates for interview. Interviews will be subject to COVID-19 Regulations in place at this time.

If successful you will be required to apply for an enhanced Disclosure.

For further information or an application pack please email: recruitment@lordlawson.academy

Completed application forms must be returned to: recruitment@lordlawson.academy no later than 12 noon on Thursday 24 June 2021

Salary amounts quoted are from the 1 September to 31 August and therefore if you commence employment part way through the academic year they are subject to an equated salary adjustment.