Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:

Working Life Mentor (Job Coach) Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Grade and Salary Range:

Grade 12, 14.82-16.62

Responsible To:

Headteacher and appropriate Teacher

Purpose of the Job

This job description is directed towards a Higher Level Teaching Assistant role within Fiveways School, working under agreed systems of supervision to teach a class of pupils.

There is a special needs requirement to support pupils

presenting with Severe, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties. Pupils may not be readily engaged

in activities and some present with behaviours that are a significant challenge. Support is both one-to-one and in groups.

Main Responsibilities and Duties

Support the teaching and learning processes. Working under an agreed system of supervision:

Plan, prepare and deliver learning to individuals, small groups and/or classes modifying and adapting activities to advance pupils' learning as necessary.

Be aware of and work within school policies and procedures.

Assess, record and report on development, progress and attainment and use this knowledge and understanding to support, extend and challenge pupil's learning including Key Stage Assessments, Unit Awards and/or EYFS assessment as appropriate.

Utilise advanced levels of knowledge and skills when assisting the teacher with planning, monitoring, assessing and managing classes.

Work collaboratively with staff and other relevant professionals and provide information about pupils as appropriate.

Use teaching and learning objectives to plan, evaluate and differentiate lessons/work plans as appropriate.

Plan and implement strategies to support pupils in their social development and their emotional well-being, dealing with and following the school's policy on reporting problems as necessary.

Be responsible for pupils who may not be working within the main class group such as those on individual timetables.

Provide support to pupils in more specialist areas of learning (such as therapeutic programmes).

Drive the minibus and take responsibility whilst on the bus as appropriate.

Support the use of ICT in the curriculum.

To provide care and supervision of pupils within the classroom, within the school and outside of the school. Typically, the job may include all or most of the following elements:

Engage in, guide and direct a team of staff to support pupils using cloakrooms, showers and toilet facilities.

Engage and encourage pupils during playtime activity and support them when entering and leaving using school transport.

Escort pupils to school or parental transport, home or to hospital as necessary.

Assist pupils eating, in a controlled environment. Include structured feeding programmes using a variety of specialist equipment involving pupils with special dietary requirements and/or tube feeding.

Develop an understanding of and provide for pupils' specific personal needs and safety. This may include providing for pupil's hygiene/medical and personal care needs, support and assistance to the pupil in respect of toileting. Some pupils may also need the emergency administration of specific medical procedures.

Provide pastoral care for pupils.

Support and assist pupils with independent mobility programmes.

Assume responsibility and supervision of whole classes for periods in the absence of the teacher. In such circumstances supervision would be provided.

Additionally, under an agreed system of supervision. Typically, the job may include some or all of the following duties, depending on the needs of pupils:

Where a current First Aid qualification is held, in the absence of other medical facilities:

- Maintain First Aid equipment and materials, and dispense medicines in accordance with school policy.

- Undertake First Aid.

For some pupils to carry out specific medical procedures (when training has been provided) such as:

- Catheterisation

- Administration of anti-convulsant medication

- Gastrostomy tube feeding

- Suction pumping for congestion

- Reflux conditions

Under the direction of Health service professionals, undertake activities in support of occupational, physio and speech therapy.

Where appropriate, develop Personal Learning Goals for pupils with special educational needs, complete assessments and contribute to the annual review process.

Work with pupil groups, using a range of strategies to gain acceptance and inclusion of pupils with special educational needs. This may involve taking pupils off site and supporting them in mainstream, FE settings and in the community.

Monitor and support pupils engaged on work experience programmes.

Deliver training to the whole school within fields of specialism/knowledge.

Deliver assemblies for agreed classes.

Maintain a clean, safe and tidy learning environment.

Facts and Figures.

When planning, preparing and assessing pupil progress, class size is likely to be 9 pupils and will almost always centre on one class group to support consistency.

Planning will involve short and medium term planning (daily plans, termly plans).

Supporting Processes. Problem Solving and Creativity.

Under an agreed system of supervision:

On a daily basis, plan, prepare and assess pupils progress and report on this to parents/carers and professionals.

Develop a range of strategies to engage individuals and groups of pupils, often with differing requirements, in learning and in their personal, social, health and moral education. For example, developing a plan to motivate individuals to engage within their learning goals.

Work together with a team of staff to develop individualised support plans to promote consistency in approach and improve engagement with learning.

Use a variety of interpersonal techniques to establish and support relationships with pupils, parents and carers.

Additionally,

creativity energy and innovation are needed to meet the special education and care needs of all pupils, such as those with substantial physical disability, substantial emotional difficulties, regular exhibitions of challenging behaviour including aggression.

Liaise with external agencies as required.

Decision Making.

Within the agreed school policies, guidelines and rules, decide on when and how to apply a range of strategies for the benefit of pupil's relation to their education activities, behaviour and care. These decisions often need to be made immediately to deal with the situation presented.

Guidance is normally readily available from teaching staff and more complex or controversial decisions will be referred to a teacher.

There will be often a need to make immediate decisions, without initial referral to teachers, in relation to immediate care, control and safety of pupils with special education or personal needs.

Physical Effort and Working Conditions. A special school environment, although the job holder may be involved in external school activities, such as horse riding, swimming and educational visits.

Most of the working day is spent actively involved and physically engaged, with periods of crouching / bending to engage pupils in activities.

Substantial physical support is required on a regular basis, to give pupils access to the full curriculum, in providing assistance to pupils with significant physical disability, and in some cases to those who challenge behaviourally.

There may be a need to physically manual handle pupils, to facilitate learning as identified in the school curriculum and to attend to safety or care needs. Risk assessments, detailing agreed manual handling good practice will be available for each pupil presenting a physical risk in these terms. Until such a time when these are fully implemented the general advice received in training sessions should influence manual handling practice, supported by advice from the physiotherapist.

There are regular physical risks associated with intervention in incidents of challenging behaviour, including aggression. Staff receive training in safe de-escalating responses and physical intervention.

Contacts and Relationships.

Establish and maintain relationships with parents, carers and other professionals, eg, speech therapists.

Support the role of parents/carers in pupils' learning and contribute to meetings with parents/carers to provide constructive feedback and specialist advice/knowledge eg, pupil progress/achievement.

Contact with all staff in school to pass and receive information, advice, guidance, suggestions and ideas.

Contact with Health Service professionals to provide support for the pupils with known medical conditions.

Contact with parents/carers and other agency staff to provide support for pupils, such as giving feedback on pupil's progress. Such communications can be of a delicate nature depending on a pupil's particular needs.

Additional Information.

While the level of pupil needs will vary from time to time, the job holder will be predominately working with pupils

who are especially difficult to engage in activities, may present more frequent behavioural problems

and where the attention span presents greater challenges and a need for high levels of patience to attain pupils' personal learning goals.

Support for the School.

Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.

Show a duty of care and take appropriate action to comply with health and safety requirements at all times.

Be aware of and support difference and ensure that all pupils have access to opportunities to learn and develop.

Contribute to the overall ethos, work and aims of the school.

Maintain good relationships with colleagues and work together as a team.

Appreciate and support the role of other professionals.

Attend relevant meetings as required.

Participate in training and other learning activities and performance development as required.

Demonstrate and promote commitment to equal opportunities and to the elimination of behaviour and practices that could be discriminatory.

The above is not exhaustive and the post holder will be expected to undertake any duties which may reasonably fall within the level of responsibility and the competence of the post as directed by the Headteacher.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience.

Experience of working with children in an educational setting, preferably with experience on SEND.

Qualities required are discretion, loyalty, commitment, patience, flexibility, good personal organisation, firmness, to be numerate and literate, a team worker and to have good oral communication.

Background knowledge of the curriculum and school's procedures and policies.

Knowledge of pupils' personal learning goals and, where appropriate more specialised knowledge in specific areas.

Significant empathy with pupils who have additional or special educational needs. Where appropriate, to be prepared to undertake special skills training eg, signing, to meet additional educational and communication needs.

A willingness to attend training as required enhancing the knowledge, understanding and skills to improve the level and quality of support given to pupils and teachers.

Knowledge of legislation and regulations applicable to the support and care of pupils.

An education standard equating to HLTA qualification, GCSE grade C in English and Mathematics, a minimum A-C/Point 4 or equivalent is essential, together with a qualification relevant to supporting the learning process in schools.

A suitable qualification for this post would be NVQ3 or BTEC Advanced Award for Learning Support Assistants, or equivalent.

It is vital that as part of Fiveways School's approach to safeguarding, governing bodies and proprietors create a culture that safeguards and promotes the welfare of children in our school. As part of this culture, it is important to adopt robust recruitment procedures that deter and prevent people who are unsuitable to work with children from applying for or securing employment, or volunteering opportunities in schools and colleges.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: 14.82-16.62 per hour

Expected hours: 12.66 per week

Work Location: In person