Level 3 Teaching Assistant (SEN)

The Trustees are looking to recruit to the post of

Level 3 Teaching Assistant (SEN)

New Bridge School

NJC scale points 12-17

£27,711 - £30,060 per annum (full time, full year salary)

£20,737- £22,495 per annum (actual salary, pro rata)

SEN Allowance £1,491 per annum

Commencing as soon as possible

Part of the wider New Bridge Multi Academy Trust (MAT), New Bridge School is a generic special needs school for pupils and students between the ages of 11 and 19 across three sites within Oldham.  

The school has an Outstanding rated provision which caters for 380 pupils with a wide range of SEND, from moderate learning difficulties to profound and multiple learning difficulties, including severe and complex learning difficulties. The school also caters for pupils with physical disabilities, multisensory impairments, visual impairments, hearing impairments and specific conditions including autism spectrum condition. All pupils have an EHC plan. In order to cater to the needs of the range of pupils the school has developed a range of different provisions. We have vacancies in 4 of these provisions and an overview of each is provided below.

The Trustees are looking to appoint a resilient and enthusiastic Level 3 Teaching Assistant to join our dynamic, growing and committed staff team in the following area:

Main Body Key Stage 3

Our main body provision is for pupils who are working towards a destination of being independent or working with support in their community. With this in mind the curriculum is underpinned by the intent to maximise the ability for every pupil to live as independently as possible. To achieve this, we seek to offer an engaging, fun and relevant curriculum that is flexible to the needs of our pupils and which reflects EHCP outcomes and supports their wellbeing. In the main body we implement this through a blended model where 70% of lessons are delivered by the form tutor, including English, Maths, Science, Living Skills and RSE. Other Enrichment subjects such as Art, PE, Music and Cooking are delivered by subject specialist teachers. Our main body groups are usually 13 pupils or less with a one teacher and up to two TA’s depending on the needs of the pupils in the group. As a TA3 in our main body you would be assigned to a form group and would support this group both when they are with the class teacher and also when they move around the school to their other subjects.  

Applicants should be able to demonstrate how they meet the following essential criteria:

• Minimum 3 years’ experience of supporting young people with complex needs and/or a range of learning difficulties within an SEN setting.
• Experience of supporting teaching and learning activities for students including the preparation and organisational processes involved in the day to day running of a lesson.
• Experience of working in partnership with classroom teachers to differentiate appropriate interventions for students in relation to the curriculum.
• Experience of delivering bespoke interventions to individuals or small groups of learners.
• Experience of providing cover in the short-term absence of the class teacher.
• Experience of monitoring and assessing student progress and engagement; and providing regular feedback to stakeholders.
• Experience of supporting young people to overcome barriers to their personal, social or learning development from a pastoral perspective.
• A nurturing and empathetic approach to behaviour management.
• The physical and emotional resilience to support pupils with complex needs, taking a non-judgemental approach and understanding that all behaviour is a form of communication.
• Experience of intervening to support students in crisis or trauma by using either emotional or educational support.  
• The ability to build relationships with students, families and key partners around the students. 
• Experience of supervising students over lunch and break times as directed.
• The ability to work as part of a team using own initiative when needed.
• Willingness to participate in own professional development.

Although based initially at our Roman Road site, all staff are employed by the MAT and are expected to work at any site within the New Bridge Group 

We are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. 

This post will be subject to a number of pre-employment checks including an enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and proof of right to work in the UK in accordance with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996. It will be exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. DBS Code of Practice which can be viewed here. 

 For successful candidates, an online search will be carried out as part of our due-diligence in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023.

We strive to create a fair and inclusive workplace that is as diverse as the communities we serve. We positively welcome applications from all candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. 

Salary: NJC Scale points 12-17: £27,711 - £30,060 per annum (full time, full year salary)

Actual salary: £20,737 - £22,495 per annum (pro rata)

Allowance: SEN allowance £1,491 per annum

Status: Permanent

Contracted hours: 32 hours 55 minutes per week / term time only (190 days)

Based: Initially based at New Bridge School, Roman Road, Hollinwood, OL8 3PH 

Closing Date: Friday 21st February (9am)

Interviews: To be confirmed

Further info: Debbie Birch-Hall, Deputy Head of School dhall@newbridgegroup.org 

Completed applications to be sent to: recruitment@newbridgegroup.org