Social and Learning Support Assistant

Job Description

This is a chance to make a difference to a remarkable teenage boy within an independent, supportive and proactive working environment of an independent boys’ secondary school. The job provides relevant and proactive experience of a number of specialist fields.

Reporting to: Deputy Head Academic & SENCO

LSA’S General Role – 

Your primary role is to support the student’s emotional wellbeing by developing a productive and trusting relationship with him by providing a positive and upbeat presence:

• Establish a good working relationship with the student’s acting as a role model and being aware of and responding appropriately to his needs

• Establish a positive and proactive relationship with the student’s male peers

• Maintain robust understanding of the student’s ASD traits, and with training support him when he struggles with appropriate responses/interactions

• Model appropriate social communication and interaction and conversation initiation and repair strategies

• Provide easy going but clear boundaries and be at ease with teenage boys and their banter

• Very organised and proactive in supporting the student in a friendly and practical way 

• Good communication skills and a friendly personality to encourage development of the student’s soft social skills

• Provide support to help him understand and manage his emotional needs with training and input from specialist team at GOSH

• Full note taking in class and support with all aspects of recording work 

• Communicate effectively with teaching staff, SENCO, Head teacher/Deputy Head/Tutor 

• Keep OG safe across the school day 

• Actively promote the acceptance and inclusion of the student at Wetherby 

Specific Role – Social and Learning Support

Supporting the Student Socially in School

• Play a significant role in enabling socialisation with the student’s current and chronological male year group which will support the student’s emotional wellbeing 

• Able to access and enjoy topics and activities of interest to teenage boys

• Interact with male peer group and enable and support the student to access social opportunities

• Model appropriate soft social  skills and act  as a social bridge between the student and his peers 

• Interact easily as an appropriate role model for the student and his peers and be able to increase or fade support as appropriate

• Provide specific support to help the student to manage his social communication difficulties as he has mild ASD

• Enable opportunities for the student to interact appropriately with peers

• Support the student’s social development and social confidence within school

Supporting the Student’s Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health 

• Understand and be aware of the student’s mental health challenges and with support and training develop your ability to help him to continue to access school

• Help the student to manage his emotional wellbeing within school environment and play an active role supporting him socially

• Support the student’s desire to fit and not feel different within school 

• Help him to maximise socialisation opportunities  

• Unobtrusively but kindly support the student when he is unable to access socialisation opportunities

• Be able to use humour to distract or encourage

Supporting the Student’s Physical Needs

• You need to be fit and strong to support the student’s physical needs

• Provide physical support and intervene to carry school books/equipment in a firm but sensitive way

• This will require the development of a good working relationship with the student and an understanding that he will not ask for help and does not want to stand out from the crowd 

• Ensure his safety across school sites and in between 

• Awareness of the student’s physical state and fatigue levels 

• Be organised and plan ahead about his books, learning equipment. Minimise transitions between school sites where possible to minimise any extra physical effort he has to make

• LSA will be given a full understanding of the student’s complex medical needs and the role will include firm but sensitive monitoring of regular nosebleeds, and management of the student’s medical box etc. Training will be given

• LSA to proactively encourage and support the student when he is fatigued/in pain 

Supporting the Student’s Medical Needs

• You will receive briefing and relevant training to be able support the student’s access to learning alongside his changing medical needs 

• You will receive briefing and support to understand the student’s complex diagnoses from specialist clinicians and the very experienced team around the student

Supporting the Student’s Focus and Concentration 

• Be responsible for full note taking in lessons and recording what the teacher is saying to enable the student’s to understand and clarify lesson content for subject matter recall for prep/testing/exam  purposes

• Self motivating approach to presentation of material in most suitable way for the student e.g. use of visuals/colours etc. to enhance his engagement with and understanding of subject material

• Support and training will be given to help you be able to cue the student back in to the lesson if he zones out and loses the thread of what is being taught 

• Ability to liaise with teachers re lesson plans as needed and full set of lesson notes

• Support the student’s organisational needs with planning and acting on initiative

Supporting the Student’s Learning and Reduced Timetable 

• Be a team player to support the student as he works towards GCSEs 

• Whole team approach enabled by LSA to put in place strategies to maintain and sustain structure, routine and boundaries across the student’s school day

• Play a key role coordinating this and communicating with school team, the student and other relevant team members

• The student’s LSA will be required to support the student appropriately during his 6/9 free periods per week and make productive use of reduced timetable and free periods with whole team support

• Give the student a full, legible detailed set of lesson notes with all supporting material at end of school day

• Ensure that the student has all necessary materials for prep before he goes home 

• Attend relevant whole team meetings about the student

• Support the student appropriately when he is unable to attend school by attending lessons, taking full notes, communicating them to the student when appropriate and managing catch-up 

Supporting the Student’s Speech and Language and Occupational Therapy Programmes

• Attendance at all school based SALT and OT sessions to observe and learn about the student’s specific therapy goals

• Carry out daily/weekly SALT programme with the student to practise appropriate social communication and on a dynamic basis 

• Carry out daily/weekly OT programme with the student as required in EHCP and on a dynamic basis. 

• Support the role of professionals such as SALT and OT by effective communication, attendance and cooperation

Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.