Teaching Assistant Level 1 SEN

We currently have opportunities for 2 Teaching Assistants, Level 1 SEN, to join us at Piper Hill Specialist Support School.

Successful candidates should be suitably qualified, enthusiastic and experienced teaching assistants to support students aged 11-19 years who have a range of special educational needs. Applicants should also hold a full UK Driving License. Additional D1 license for minibuses would be beneficial.

The role is full-time working 35 hours per week, term-time only, plus 5 additional training days. This is a grade 3 post with a starting salary of £20,990. The full-time equivalent is £24,404.

The closing date for applications is 1st December 2024 with interviews to take place shortly thereafter.

Main responsibilities 

. To work with small groups of children under the supervision of the teacher including the implementation of Individual Learning Plans

· Establish good relationships with pupils, taking on role model by presenting a positive personal image and responding appropriately to individual needs

. To assist the teacher to ensure a safe classroom and outdoor environment, checking materials and personal equipment for defects and implement risk assessments carried out by the teacher according to school guidelines. This will include cleaning equipment used by pupils and ensuring its accessibility.

. To provide support in all areas of the curriculum and on social occasions for pupils who have been identified as having medical conditions which disable their full independent access to mainstream school life. 

. Undertake pupil record keeping as requested e.g. to assist with annotating work books and providing information on pupil progress.

· Support the teacher in managing pupil behaviour, reporting and recording as appropriate. 

Key skills and experience 

. An understanding of the role of the Teaching Assistant and other professionals working in the classroom.

. Basic understanding of child development and learning

. To be aware of policies and procedures relating to child protection, health and safety and security, confidentiality and data protection

. Command of spoken English sufficient to enable the effective performance of the role, including the ability to speak with confidence and accuracy and the ability to listen and respond appropriately dependent on the audience. 

. Understanding of national/foundation stage curriculum and other basic learning programmes/strategies.

We are proud to be part of the Prospere Learning Trust, which was formed in September 2017 through the merger of two multi academy trusts. We currently employ over 900 staff and are passionate about providing exceptional education for children from any background so that they become happy, confident adults with excellent academic knowledge and qualifications. We believe that our staff play a vital role in achieving our vision. 

Working for us 

Great schools thrive because of the great people in them.  

We pride ourselves in being a great place to work, providing a supportive culture with opportunities to grow and develop your career, achieve a healthy work life balance and to be recognised for the great work you do. 

Prospere Learning Trust offers a variety of employee benefits, including;  

• a commitment to continuous professional development for all colleagues  
• membership of Bupa Level 1 Health Plan which allows employees to claim money back for a range of health expenses such as prescriptions and dental treatments  
• access to counselling, financial, legal and personal advice provided through either our free Bupa or Health Assured Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) including confidential 24-hour support  
• access to Cyclescheme   
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) contributions and Teacher Pension Scheme (TPS) contributions 
• We’re happy to talk about flexible working where possible to help employees achieve a healthy work-life balance. 

Applying to work for us 

Applications will only be accepted on the TES application form and references will be applied for at the shortlisting stage. Applications may not be considered if they are incomplete, you must provide information on all employment since leaving full-time education and an explanation for any gaps. We cannot accept CV's. We encourage early applications and reserve the right to close this vacancy before the planned closing date.  

Please note that guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 requires us to carry out an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted candidates. This enables us to identify any incidents or issues which have happened and are publicly available online which we might want to explore at the interview. Once shortlisting has taken place, this search will be carried out for all candidates who will attend an interview. 

All applicants must be permitted to work in the UK and hold a relevant work permit where necessary. This is not a role in which the Trust sponsors a visa application. If you have lived or worked outside of the UK in the last 5 years, the Trust will also require additional information in order to comply with safer recruitment requirements. Any job offer will be conditional on the satisfactory completion of the necessary pre-employment checks including receipt of satisfactory references. Whilst we offer flexibility where possible, we acknowledge that certain roles require a specific environment or on-site presence to meet operational requirements. 

Safeguarding Children 

All schools within the Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. 

Equality Statement 

At Prospere Learning Trust we are committed to creating a community of belonging. This means we continually celebrate the diverse communities within our schools and the communities we serve. As an equal opportunity and disability confident employer, we positively welcome applications from all candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.  

If you would prefer to request an application pack by email or post, or should you require any additional support in completing your application, please feel free to contact us on 0161 527 7953 or via e-mail at jobs@prospere.org.uk