Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Up to £27,380 + Excellent benefits

Are you used to wearing different hats throughout the day? We all wear many hats here and no two days are ever the same!

Here at Elmbank Learning Centre, part of Witherslack Group you need to be passionate about working in a fast-paced environment and be prepared to change gears at any moment. Being flexible, dynamic, creative and quick thinking are key to this role. 

Elmbank is a learning centre, catering for a small co-hort of pupils who have had challenging events in their lives and have complex needs. We are looking for a Higher Level teaching assistant who can support the personal development of these pupils and use a trauma informed approach to assist in creating opportunities to flourish in their education.

Higher Level Teaching Assistants need to be comfortable “wearing many hats” while in work: The Higher Level teaching assistant, the entertainer, the counsellor, the good cop and, at times, the not so good cop (putting in boundaries and sometimes saying the words “No, because…”) All these roles help our pupils to learn in the class and understand the acceptable rules of life. That is our commitment to them and their outcomes.

The Role

As a Higher Level Teaching Assistant at Elmbank Learning Centre, you would be part of the vision of creating a positive, safe environment for pupils, which will enable them to reach positive outcomes, and be ready for the next stage of their life. It is not an overnight fix. That’s why we need a committed and enthusiastic individual, who is ready to start every day with a fresh outlook and welcome the children into their learning opportunities. Our work with the children isn’t about us; we are a team who are all about the children, all of the time.

The great thing for you is, you won’t be alone in your goal to have a positive impact on our pupils’ lives. You will have all the support you need from the team at Elmbank Learning Centre and the wider Witherslack Group.

You will need to be able to build trusting relationships with our pupils to help them manage the learning challenges of the day. You will need to think on your feet. It’s about coaxing pupils confidence both academically and socially – helping them feel accepted and understood, and building their resilience to be ready for future challenges.

Day to day, you will…

• Support the teacher by focusing on pupils’ needs, adapting to scenarios, leaving the teacher free to get on with the job of delivering lessons
• Set up any equipment or tech requirements needed in the lessons, ready for use.
• Work one-to-one with pupils to ensure that they’re getting the most out of what’s being taught in the classroom.
• Help to keep disruption to a minimum and de-escalate any challenges you do face with your impressively calm, rational approach.
• Work closely with our therapists to make sure every pupil gets all the mental health support they need to be able to enjoy a fulfilling school experience.

Working with Us

Your experience in a similar role, the NVQ level 2 (or equivalent – or higher) that you achieved and the fact that you’re looking to take that next important step in your career… those things tell us just how seriously you take being a Higher Level Teaching Assistant. We’d also love to see up-to-date welfare and safeguarding knowledge and evidence of great team working skills. Plus, you’ll need the kind of resilience that will send you home from even the most challenging of working days with a sense of satisfaction that you’ve done your best. If you’re emotionally strong and good in a team, we can offer a role with exciting prospects. 

Benefits and Support

The progression opportunities here are plentiful and, with all the support we’ll give you, there’s nothing to stop you from taking them. Promoting from within is what helps us to keep our team strong and consistent, so if you have ambitions to become a Teacher in the future, we can provide the platform and pathway for that.

But that’s not all. Join us and you’ll be entitled to a benefits package that includes:

• A salary and benefits package that’s among the best in our sector including paid summer holidays. Our salaries are not pro-rata.
• Contributory Pension Scheme matched up to 5%.
• Full school holidays, including bank holidays.
• A comprehensive induction package and ongoing training.
• Medicash Health Plan, Employee Assistance and Cycle to Work Scheme.
• We’ll also cover the cost of your Enhanced DBS check.

For further information please contact Kirstie Palmer – Senior Administrator on 01642130329

The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check. We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.

For a full job description and person specification, please click here

To view our ex-offenders policy please click here.

 To view our Child Protection Policy, please visit the 'Parents and Carers' section of this School/Learning centre. You can find all our Schools here.

Special Education / Careers in Care / Careers in Special Education / Working with Children / SEMH / SEN / ASD