Lunchtime Support Assistant

Sherwood Foundation School

Lunchtime Support Assistant

Salary: NJC Pay Scale, Grade 1 to 3, Points 2 to 6, £4,927 to £5,212 per annum

FTE £28,221 to £29,856

Contract: Part time, 7.5 hours per week worked across 5 days, Monday to Friday (Term Time - 38 weeks), Permanent

Closing date: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Positions open until filled

Sherwood Foundation School is a Foundation Special School located in the London Borough of Sutton and made up of three campuses:

Sherwood Hill Campus

Sherwood Hill Campus is a specialist school for autistic learners aged 3–19 years who have multiple and complex barriers to learning, requiring high levels of support to access education and learning around their peers. Many of our learners may also have severe learning difficulties and/or struggle to maintain a regulated state for learning.

Sherwood Park Campus

Sherwood Park Campus is a specialist school for learners aged 3–19 years who have severe, multiple and complex learning difficulties and/or disabilities. This includes learners who have highly complex access needs resulting from their physical and/or health conditions. All learners require high levels of adult support to access learning.

Sherwood Manor Campus

Sherwood Manor Campus is a specialist school primarily for autistic learners aged 11–19 years who have moderate to severe barriers to learning. Most of our pupils can access a highly adapted formal learning environment with high levels of adult support. Some of our learners struggle to deal with the demands of an adult-led learning environment so may need a highly individualised learning offer to meet their academic potential.

We have high aspirations for all our pupils and we pride ourselves on putting the child at the centre of everything we do. Our curriculum ensures that our pupils, who come from a wide range of backgrounds, have exceptional opportunities to excel and access exciting opportunities in school, and beyond school, to develop their physical, social and emotional well-being.

As Sherwood Foundation School continues to expand, we are recruiting for a number of roles across our three campuses to support the children and young people we serve.

All staff are expected to work across campuses when required. Candidates are welcome to indicate a site preference on their application form; this preference should be based on where you believe your skills and experience best align with the needs of the learners.

Working under the direction of our Senior Lunchtime Supervisors or the Class Teacher your duties will include:

•     Attending to pupils' personal care needs (including toileting, changing nappies/pads & sometimes clothing when needed, this applies to pupils of all ages throughout the school from 3-19 years)

•     Supervising and assisting pupils with eating and feeding

•     Supervising, interacting and initiating play activities with pupils in our playgrounds

Some experience of working with children and assisting them with feeding, toileting and self-care is desirable but not essential and we have lots of experience of supporting staff to do well who join the school from all sorts of backgrounds.

Overall, we are looking for someone who has good communication skills and is able to work effectively, flexibly and supportively as a member of the school team. You will need to be able to physically support pupils including those in special seating/wheelchairs & walking aids to move around the school and to supervise, assist and implement care/self-care for the pupils.

We have a full support and induction training programme for our staff, all of whom are highly valued. Training will include Safeguarding Children, Manual Handling, Positioning, Eating & Drinking and regulation training. Training is compulsory. 

If you feel you have the right skills and experience for this role and would like to apply, please submit your application form as per below:

Please note applicants must demonstrate how they meet all sections and subsections of the person specification for this role. Although you will be employed by Sherwood Foundation School, if you could please specify a preference as to which campus you think you would be best suited to.

Staff Benefits

We know that to achieve our vision, it is our people who make the difference. We offer a competitive reward and benefits package:

•     Enrolment in Local Government Pension Scheme

•     Competitive Salary

•     Access to Employee Assistance Programme via Vita Health Care Group

•     Benenden Health - health care cash plan

•     On-site staff parking (at two campuses)

•     Comprehensive training and development opportunities

•     Opportunities for career progression across three campuses

•     Flexible working policies

•     On site staff swimming sessions

•     Access to school dinners

•     Commitment to staff health & wellbeing

Safeguarding Recruitment Statement

Sherwood Foundation School is committed to equal opportunities, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are made subject to receipt of a completed application, satisfactory references and an Enhanced DBS check.

Closing Date for Applications: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Positions open until filled. 

Interviews: TBC