SEND Teaching Assistant

Sherwood Foundation School

Teaching Assistants

Salary: NJC Pay Scale, Grade 4-5, Points 7-15, £22,252 - £24,970 per annum FTE £30,288 - £33,987

Contract: Part time, 30.75 hours per week worked across 5 days, Monday to Friday (Term Time plus one week - 39 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.

As a SEND Teaching Assistant, you will be able to:

•     Communicate and work effectively and supportively as a member of the school team including students, parents and carers, other staff and external agencies.

•     Establish positive relationships with students and empathise with their needs

•     Provide levels of individual attention, reassurance and help with learning tasks as appropriate to students’ needs.

•     Physically support learners and push those who use wheelchairs and / or special seating systems within school and also hoist and position some of the pupils. Guidance and manual handling training will be given as to the most appropriate way to do this.

•     Work with learners on their independence and self-care procedures and support pupils with their intimate and personal care with dignity and respect.

Experience of supporting students in a classroom environment, including those with special educational needs is desirable, but we have lots of experience supporting TAs to do well from all sorts of backgrounds. Most importantly we are looking for the right person who can demonstrate a respect and ambition for our pupils – we look forward to hearing from you!

We have a full support and induction training programme for our staff, all of whom are highly valued.

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