Teaching Assistant (Term time only), Grade D, Fixed Term to August 2025
Whickham School
Gateshead
- £24,790 - £25,183 per year
- New
- Quick apply
- Salary:
- Grade D
- Job type:
- Full Time, Fixed Term
- Start date:
- January 2025
- Apply by:
- 27 November 2024
Job overview
We are seeking to appoint a passionate, motivated and dedicated SEND Teaching Assistant to work in partnership with teaching and other SEND Team staff in the care and support of an individual pupil with a specific physical disability. You will support the learning, engagement and progress of this, and other SEND pupils in a range of contexts.
To recruit and retain the highest calibre staff the school offers a number of enhancements for colleagues. These include:
- High priority for admission of children of staff to the school.
- Access to school fitness facilities, including a gym.
- Access to salary sacrifice schemes.for electric vehicles and bicycles, subject to qualifying criteria.
- Access to a range of training programmes to ensure professional development.
- Access the opportunity to apply for support staff leadership roles.
- A supportive environment where work/life balance issues are considered carefully
The role of a Teaching Assistant is a an important position within Whickham School where the successful applicant will have the opportunity to:
- Work with class teachers to ensure SEND pupils engage in learning and make good progress;
- Promote pupils’ independent learning skills, self-esteem and social inclusion;
- Give support to pupils through structured interventions so they can access the curriculum, take part in learning and experience a sense of achievement;
- Work closely with Faculty Leaders to ensure teaching staff have the skills, knowledge, training and resources to differentiate appropriately to meet the needs of SEND pupils within their subjects
The SEND provision is an exciting, fast-paced and highly motivated, yet supportive environment. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards for behaviour, engagement and academic outcomes. At Whickham School, we value all of our pupils and ensure that they are seen as individuals with differing interests, knowledge, skills and needs. We have an inclusive ethos and strive to increase the learning and participation of all pupils, ensuring access to an appropriate curriculum.
SEND is seen as a whole-school issue, hence the responsibility of everyone. Every teacher is a teacher of every young person, including those with SEND or any other additional need. We work closely with our children, families and a wide range of professionals to ensure the best possible educational outcomes.
Specific details regarding the role, skills and qualities that the successful candidate will need to demonstrate are available to download.
Whickham School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our students and young people. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
We have a robust Safeguarding Policy and all staff will receive training relevant to their role at induction and throughout employment with the school.
This post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service criminal records check for work with children.
Attached documents
About Whickham School
- Whickham School
- Burnthouse Lane, Whickham, Newcastle upon Tyne
- Gateshead
- NE16 5AR
- United Kingdom
The School
Whickham School is a large and successful school in Gateshead with over 1700 students including approximately 350 in our high performing sixth form.
Ofsted
Following our recent Ofsted inspection in May, Whickham School continues to be a good school with enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if Ofsted were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.
“Staff have very high expectations of pupils. Through the school’s values, pupils are encouraged to have empathy and respect for others. They are also encouraged to aspire and to be resilient.”
“The support available for pupils with SEND is exceptional.”
“Pupils behave exceptionally well at Whickham school. They feel safe and well looked after in the school.”
School Organisation
Demand for student places is strong and the school is regularly oversubscribed. Students are organised into year groups whilst eight faculties deliver the school curriculum. The Sixth Form, which has its own dedicated facility, is an increasingly popular choice of students from all over the local area.
In January 2020 many faculties moved into a brand new, state of the art, STEAMS themed building. The stunning four storey building houses Science, Technology (plus Business and IT), Engineering, Art, Maths and Sport.
The Leadership Team meet weekly and share responsibility for policy generation, decision making, planning and the general wellbeing of the school. The relevant governing body committee is involved in strategic planning and policies from the onset. Faculty and Year groups meet every two weeks to discuss strategic issues.
Vision and Values
“Whickham, a school to be proud of at the heart of the community. Where learning is cherished in a safe, caring and supportive environment. A school where everyone is valued and inspired to be the best they can be.”
CPDL & Well Being
Staff development and wellbeing is something that is very important at Whickham - we recognise that the physical and mental health of our staff are crucial aspects of sustaining a motivated, dedicated and high performing workforce. Please see the attachment which mentions some of the steps we actively take to support our staff.
We are committed to ensuring we provide outstanding CPDL and an environment that enables exceptional staff well-being. We will support you in your personal and professional development, enabling you to contribute fully to the creative and dedicated teams of dynamic and ambitious staff you will be joining.
In addition to our School Improvement hour every other week, we have a series of working groups dedicated to Teaching and Learning as well as other opportunities to become involved in driving forward best practice. All of our teachers benefit from dedicated collaborative planning time, and we run a very successful NQT programme which offers comprehensive support and guidance from dedicated mentors.
We are accredited with the Bronze level of the Better Health at Work award and we are committed to supporting staff not only through the dedicated campaigns that we have run, but also in proactively encouraging healthy practice in a range of meaningful ways.
Curriculum
At Whickham School, we aim to provide a broad and engaging curriculum that enables students to fulfil their talents and interests, whilst gaining the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in your further studies, training and employment. High quality information and guidance is provided to help students navigate their pathways through the courses on offer.
A strong foundation is provided at Key Stage 3 where students follow a broad and balanced curriculum comprising the following subjects: Mathematics, English, Science, Modern Languages, Geography, History, RE, Technology, ICT, Art and Design, Music, Religious Studies and Citizenship.
Pupils are allocated to mixed ability tutor groups and are taught in those groups for most lessons. Pupils are taught in smaller groups for Technology and Physical Education. Pupils are taught in setted classes for Mathematics and, from Year 9, English.
At KS4, students follow a two-year programme to provide more time to study key GCSE and Btec subjects in more creative and supportive ways, accelerating progress and achievement.
The curriculum at Key Stage 4 is more varied with students choosing programmes of study from a wide range of curriculum areas. Our new curriculum enables the vast majority of students to follow an academic pathway that enables them to achieve a set of qualifications that would contribute towards the EBAC. In addition, we have an extensive range of creative and vocational courses delivered on and off-site that enable all our students to follow courses that ensure high levels of engagement and success. We continue to collaborate with external partners to ensure that learning in areas such as engineering takes place in real – work contexts.
The school has strong AEN department that provides additional support to encourage academic progress at all key stages.
The breadth of choice continues into the Sixth Form, with large numbers of students selecting from over 35 different A Level and BTEC National courses.
Whickham School is alive with activities that offer students the opportunity to broaden their interests and experience.
Physical education and Sport are highly prominent with a wide range of interests catered for. Music and Drama are also strengths in the school. The school puts on a number of productions each year including an annual musical which plays to packed houses for a week. The school band and drama groups perform at various prestige events. Educational visits and exchanges are organised for students of all ages. Sports Leadership is particularly strong.
The Governing Body
The governing body is enthusiastic and active and they bring a wide range of experiences and skills derived from their diverse employment in commerce, industry and education.
The relationship between the senior management team and the governing body has evolved into one which enables open and frank discussion to take place on school issues. The introduction of more linked governors to specific school subject areas has improved governor involvement and awareness of issues and priorities. Strengths and weaknesses are discussed freely.
The relationship between the governing body and staff is one of mutual trust and openness. The governing body endeavours to provide support as well as challenge and to become actively involved in all school matters. We consider the governing body to be part of the school management team and to support the school in its quest to maximise all student achievements in a happy interesting and safe environment.
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