Inclusion and Support Assistant

Permanent contract (term time only)

36 hours/week, 39 weeks/year

Bexley scale 6  (dependent on experience, specialism and deployment)

£22,995.00 - £24,258.00 per annum, pro-rata

Required as soon as possible

This is an exciting opportunity to teach well motivated pupils in an oversubscribed grammar school situated on the London Kent border, with easy access to both central London and the wonderful Kent countryside.

Townley Grammar School is a multi-cultural, academically selective and socially responsible girls’ school with a coeducational Sixth Form. As part of Odyssey Trust for Education alongside King Henry School in Erith, staff and student life is improved through a broad scope of collaborative opportunities in two distinctly different but equally driven schools. Townley Grammar School is rated outstanding by Ofsted and highly commended by the DfE for our leading-edge character education provision.

We are committed to prioritising the wellbeing of our staff as professionals as well as constantly striving to improve teaching and learning practice. We have ten CPD days over the academic year, weekly bespoke CPD for staff as well as a two-week half term in October. You will be respected as a professional colleague and work with inspirational students every day.

The landscape of education and the lived experience of children is changing; schools have a civic duty to build a sustainable and equitable future for the next generation. Odyssey Trust for Education recognises the invaluable role of skilled associate staff in this endeavour and are looking to recruit forward thinking, flexible staff who are passionate about the education and life opportunities of all students, whatever barriers they face.

We believe that every student’s ambitions are possible and they should have the opportunity to achieve them through developing academic, physical and emotional confidence. This means having the courage to take risks and learn from their mistakes. Success in education, as in sport, is the result of successive small failures followed by ever increasing challenges.

Inclusion of all students is at the forefront of our work at Odyssey Trust for Education we believe there should be no child left behind. The role of and Inclusion and Support Assistant is key to achieving this; the right candidate will be passionately motivated to contribute to education of children who struggle to access school communities and curriculum. You may have experience as a teaching assistant with children with special educational needs or you may thrive working as a mentor, to promote safety and success in children.

As an Inclusion and Support Assistant you will use your personality, experience and the bespoke induction process at Odyssey Trust to work in a range of roles. You may use your skills in class, support behavioural intervention or provide essential provision for individual students with particular needs to be part of a team where best practice is shared to provide support for our students and their families. You will need strong, positive support in our school for such a sensitive role and we would expect you to seize the opportunity to have professional supervision supplied by the school; we believe that our students can only depend on well-supported staff.

Your career so far may have been in the classroom, as an associate staff member, in youth programmes or the health and social care sector but pastoral provision for children will have underpinned the majority of your experience. You will be able to advocate for the most vulnerable in society as well as successfully collaborating with other adults whose role it is to help. You will be looking for something above the usual expectations of school support roles and will want clear trajectories for promotion within a Multi-Academy Trust. You will enjoy variation in your work, be unfazed by the unpredictable and want clear targeted outcomes in order to prove your successes. Our school development plan focusses on the attainment and experience of vulnerable groups, so your work will be valued and supported by all school stakeholders.

The position offers professional challenge and a rewarding opportunity supported by talented and dedicated colleagues. Townley Grammar School is part of Odyssey Trust for Education, we work alongside King Henry School, enhancing opportunities for career development and experiences.

The school offers a full induction programme for all new members of staff with excellent professional development opportunities.

Townley Grammar School is committed to the wellbeing and happiness of staff. We have an extensive programme of wellbeing sessions for all staff and are committed to providing a positive and supportive working environment for all.

Rated as Outstanding by OFSTED in November 2015, key findings include:

· Teaching is outstanding. Teachers are passionate about their subjects, have high expectations and excellent subject knowledge.

· They support the leadership of the academy in its ambitious vision of success and the very best for all pupils.

· A particular strength of the academy is its encouragement of STEM subjects

Townley Grammar School is committed to the wellbeing and happiness of staff. We have an extensive programme of wellbeing sessions for all staff and are committed to providing a positive and supportive working environment for all.

Latest Date for Applications:  30th January 2022

We encourage applicants to apply sooner or at least by the ‘Latest Date’.

Please note that early applications are encouraged as the school reserves the right to close the advert should we feel able to appoint an appropriate candidate.

The school is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and

promoting the welfare of children and young people.

The Trust operates a no smoking policy.