Teaching Assistant

We seek an individual who is keen to give quality support to students' learning and behaviour in classrooms and around the school, including breakfast club, break and lunch times, study club, after school and/or in the Additional Resourced Provision for SEND students according to need.

Job Description

Purpose of the post: To give quality support to students’ learning and behaviour in classrooms and around the school, including breakfast club, break times, lunch times, study club, after school and/or in the ARP (Additionally Resourced Provision for SEND students in the i-Block) according to need.

To help the students develop resilience and independence, both learning in lessons and in having positive peer & staff relationships.

To support the school’s inclusion centre as directed, working with students who may be in danger of permanent exclusion.

To support the work of the ARP by helping our SEND students to make social and academic progress.

To initiate and sustain active parental engagement.  This will include sending regular emails to parents and dealing with day-to-day concerns.  Concerns will be escalated to the SENCO where appropriate.  

To support students to make progress across the curriculum in relation to their targets and have the highest standards of behaviour for learning, by:

• contributing to teachers’ planning and preparation

• monitoring student progress, e.g. interims, learner 

response in exercise books

• providing feedback and reports as required on student achievement to parents,  carers and other professionals

To attend suitable training, and then communicate that training to the SEN team, subject teachers and pastoral teams.  

To make effective use of training from external professionals and SEN Lead Teachers in supporting students and their families, both 1-2-1 and in leading quality small group sessions.

To offer professional support to help families understand the special educational needs of their child.

To provide support to students with exam arrangements.  Completing training to ensure compliance.

To support students off site e.g. Trips and visits as directed by the SENCO.

To share information about the student’s needs and academic progress to help professionals (including GHS staff and external experts such as therapists and psychologists) meet those needs effectively.

To provide interventions to support students and, where appropriate, their families, using a variety of skills such as mentoring or group work.

To be familiar with the school’s Child Protection Policy and to act within its guidelines to ensure concerns are appropriately identified and reported to the Child Protection Officer in a timely manner.

Accountable to: Deputy SENCO; ARP Manager; SLT member responsible for Learning  Support

Responsible for: Identified student(s) on the SEN register 

Duties:

1. To work closely with parents and carers ensuring the best possible outcome for an identified student.

2. To develop strong communication with parents, carers and family and give support to help them use consistent behaviour management at home.

3. To monitor progress, set targets and ensure that the appropriate intervention strategies are put into place for a small cohort of identified students.

4. To help teachers plan to support learning and progress for the identified student.

5. To act as the first point of contact for issues with that student and liaise with other staff across the school.

6. To support development of the student’s resilience and independence, in classrooms and around the school.

7. To run small group activities to help the student meet their targets.

8. To be supportive of the student’s social development before and after school and at breaktimes by running enrichment activities in the playground.

9. To work alongside other staff involved in inclusive learning including Assistant Headteacher i/c of Behaviour, Assistant Headteacher i/c of Inclusion and SENCO.

10. To work in accordance with key whole-school initiatives: Literacy, Numeracy, AfL, Business and Language College status etc.

11. To participate in appropriate meetings with colleagues and parents to facilitate the proper execution of the postholder’s responsibilities.

12. To undertake a share of general supervisory duties in accordance with the school’s organisation of duty rosters.

13. To support with SEN coffee mornings.

Person Specification 

Qualifications and Experience

Appropriate qualifications, including Literacy and Maths qualifications to Level 2 or equivalent - Essential

Demonstrable relevant experience for professionals other than teachers - Desirable

Knowledge and Experience

Understanding and/or experience of current developments in secondary education. - Desirable

Understanding and knowledge of child protection and safeguarding issues.Essential

Understanding and experience of tackling the social, emotional and psychological obstacles to students’ learning and achievement.-Desirable

Understanding of current approaches to assessment, recording and reporting procedures at various levels.-Desirable

Knowledge of the implications for working in a multicultural environment.-Essential

Knowledge and understanding of issues related to equal opportunities and their implications for classroom practices in teaching.-Essential

Professional Skills

Ability to liaise with other teaching staff and work in co-operation with colleagues - Essential

Ability to motivate pupils using a variety of methods and the setting of appropriate goals and monitoring of progress - Essential

Ability to assess, monitor and report on students’ progress - Essential

Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing - Essential

Ability to interpret and track student progress using data - Desirable

Ability to successfully encourage students to the highest standards of individual achievement - Essential

Educational Commitment

Commitment to the promotion of positive images and equality of opportunity for all students, irrespective of gender, sexuality, disability or ethnicity.- Essential

Commitment to the school’s Mission Statement and code of conduct.-Essential

Commitment to the welfare of every child and to the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures.-Essential

Commitment to addressing whole-school issues and cross-curricular themes in the subject, including literacy, numeracy, Student Voice, Assessment for Learning, G&T, Personalising Learning, work-related learning and enterprise education - Essential

Commitment to the achievement of quality in education through Continuous Professional Development.-Essential

Commitment to the development of links between the school, home and the community -Essential

Commitment to providing a supportive environment for the pupils particularly for those with special educational needs.- Essential

Commitment to developing and using the VLE/ICT for the benefit of students’ learning.- Essential