Teaching Support Practitioner

Contract: Permanent, term-time only, 35 hours per week

Salary: NJC Scale 12 - 18 dependent on experience and qualifications (£29,542.00 - £32,578.00 FTE) (£23,772.44 - £26,215.51 Actual Salary)

Responsible to: Head of Education

The William Henry Smith Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. The foundation has effective and child and adult protection policies which provide clear directions to staff and others about expected codes of behaviour in dealing with safeguarding issues. Our recruitment process aims to create and maintain a safe workforce and contains robust vetting procedures. The successful applicant will be appointed subject to references and enhanced DBS check (the is a position working in regulated activity). The successful candidate will be subject to a rigorous safer recruitment process and must adhere to a strict code of conduct regarding behaviour at all times. Shortlisted candidates will be subject to online searches in accordance with KCSIE. The foundation is also committed to promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of both learners and staff and reflects life in Modern Britain.

Join our team:

We are looking for Teaching Support Practitioners to join William Henry Smith School and 6th Form to support learners with SEMH and associated SEND to feel safe, engage in learning, achieve their potential and become increasingly independent. Working under the direction of teachers and tutors, you will help make the curriculum accessible through targeted interventions, agreed support strategies and positive relationships with learners and families. You will contribute to learners’ learning, wellbeing and personal development, working closely with teachers, therapists and other professionals to deliver consistent support and promote positive outcomes

Key Duties:

Support Teaching, Learning and Student Development

• Deliver targeted interventions and agreed support programmes for individuals and small groups.

• Support students to access learning, achieve agreed outcomes and develop independence.

• Promote communication, confidence, resilience and positive participation across college life.

Promote Positive Behaviour, Regulation and Wellbeing

• Implement Positive Behaviour Support plans and agreed therapeutic approaches.

• Use preventative, co-regulatory and de-escalation strategies to support emotional regulation.

• Maintain safe, consistent boundaries and contribute to a positive learning environment.

Observation, Assessment and Student Planning

• Observe learning, wellbeing and behaviour, maintaining accurate records.

• Monitor progress and intervention impact, sharing observations and recommendations appropriately.

• Identify and escalate concerns, risks or changes in need.

Keyworking and Collaborative Working

• Act as Keyworker for allocated students, maintaining positive professional relationships with students and families.

• Contribute to review meetings, transition planning and preparation for adulthood.

• Work closely with teachers, therapists and other professionals to provide coordinated support.

Learning Environment and Resources

• Prepare and maintain safe, organised and accessible learning environments.

• Support learning across classrooms, community settings, educational visits and enrichment activities.

Professional Responsibilities

• Safeguard and promote the welfare of students at all times.

• Maintain confidentiality, accurate records and appropriate professional boundaries.

• Recognise the limits of the role and seek support, guidance or escalation when required.

About You

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience supporting young people or adults in further education, specialist education, care, youth work or another relevant setting, with examples of building professional relationships and helping them make progress.

• Understands how SEMH needs and associated communication, sensory or learning differences can affect participation.

• Understands safeguarding responsibilities, reporting routes and professional boundaries.

• Can use calm, consistent approaches to distress and behaviour and recognise when to seek support.

• Can communicate respectfully with students, families and colleagues.

• Demonstrates warmth with boundaries, ambition with patience, reliability and initiative.

• Shows team commitment, values other disciplines and follows coordinated plans.

Application Information:

Visits to the William Henry Smith Foundation are highly recommended prior to making an application.

For further information on this post or to arrange a visit, please contact the HR Department on email HR@whsfoundation.org.uk or telephone 01484 710 123 option 4

All our roles are by application via SAM Recruit, our recruitment portal - we do not accepts CVs

When completing your application, you must refer carefully to the Job Description and Person Specification found in the Recruitment Pack. Please ensure that you fully complete all sections of the application form and clearly demonstrate how you meet each of the essential criteria outlined in the Person Specification. Shortlisting decisions are based solely on the information you provide in your application form. It is therefore important that you give specific examples and evidence to show how your skills, knowledge, and experience meet the requirements of the role. Applications that do not clearly address all essential criteria may not be considered for shortlisting.

Please apply by visiting our vacancies page: Our Vacancies

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, we would encourage you to submit your application as early as possible.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended 2013)

Posts which involve substantial access to children are exempt from provisions contained within this Act under which the job applicants are entitled to withhold information about any previous criminal background which is either unspent or would otherwise be considered ‘spent’ under the terms of the Act. However, changes to the legislation in 2013 mean that spent convictions may be protected and do not have to be disclosed to prospective employers. Employers cannot take protected offences into account when making employment decisions. If the job for which you have applied involves substantial access to children and you have been shortlisted for the post, you will be provided with a form on which you will be asked to disclose any relevant previous criminal background. We will provide more information on protected offences at that stage. If you are the successful applicant you will be required to have an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service disclosure & we will also check the DBS barred list (children). Failure to complete this form will result in your application not proceeding any further. The possession of a criminal record will not automatically debar you from consideration for the post for which you have applied. Any information given will be treated as confidential and will only be used in relation to the post for which you have applied.