Attendance Support Officer and Higher Level TA (dual role)

Shorefields; Chelmsford; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading independent special needs school is seeking an empathic Attendance Support Officer and Higher-Level Teaching Assistant to join their team. This full-time role combines vital family support and classroom assistance for pupils with complex learning and SEND profiles. The position offers great benefits, including a recruitment incentive, professional development opportunities, and a supportive working environment.

Benefits

Full pension

Private health benefits scheme

10 Term-time WELLBEING days

Annual pay rises

13 INSET days provided

24/7 Wellbeing support

Generous budgets for resources

Qualifications

• Passionate about supporting young people with SEND.
• Experience working with pupils with high-functioning autism and SEMH.
• Full driving license and car ownership required.

Responsibilities

• Monitor pupil attendance and engage with parents to address barriers.
• Provide in-class support for pupils with complex needs.
• Lead 1:1 or small group sessions linked to student interests.

Skills

Empathy

Flexibility

Communication

Leadership

Job description

Attendance Support Officer and Higher Level TA (dual role)

Position Start Date: 01/09/2025   Contract Type: Full-time   Contract Term: Permanent

Application Close: 29/06/2025 Midnight   Date of Interviews: Applications will be shortlisted upon receipt

** Recruitment incentive - £2000 payment upon the successful completion of probation! **

We offer:

• Full pension
• Private health benefits scheme
• 10 Term-time 'wellbeing days' tagged onto beginning / ends of terms for your own use
• Annual pay rises (since we are independent of National School pay scales)
• Stability and job security
• Extremely generous 13 INSET days provided per year
• Supportive, empathic, professional team to work with
• Therapeutic approach to pupil behaviour and SEND provision
• Small school, maximising professional nurturing of children in accordance with updated Psychological research
• Substantial non-contact time each week
• Additional time for staff members' own individual CPD programme
• Protected lunch break each day in our quiet, staff retreat area
• 24/7 Wellbeing support from the Employee Assistance Programme (including free face-to face counselling and supervision sessions if desired)
• Generous budgets for resources for subject delivery, each child has a personal ICT and SEND budget
• Schemes of work and resources provided
• Staff 'thank you' events throughout the year to show our appreciation to you
• Refreshments provided throughout every day

- We are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate rather than Ofsted!

Attendance Support Officer and Higher-Level Teaching Assistant - HLTA (dual role)

Hours: 36.5 hours per week (daily unpaid 30 mins lunch break)

Schedule: Mondays 8.30 - 5.30, Tuesdays to Fridays 8.30 - 4.00

Work pattern: 5 days per week, term time only

Required from: September 2025

Are you passionate about making a real difference to the lives of young people with SEND?

Are you a skilled educator or support professional ready to step into a role that combines classroom support with vital family and attendance work?

At Clarity Independent School, we're seeking a dedicated and empathic Attendance Support Officer and HLTA to join our small, specialist team. This unique, full-time, term-time role would ideally suit an experienced teacher seeking to step away from full-time classroom teaching into a flexible, highly relational position that combines family support with in-class involvement. It blends two key areas:

1. Attendance Support Officer:

You'll be responsible for the day-to-day monitoring of pupil attendance, engaging directly with parents and carers to address barriers, offering mentoring and practical support, and liaising closely with safeguarding and SEND staff. You'll take a trauma-informed approach, with strong pastoral instincts and a clear understanding of how SEND and family circumstances impact school attendance.

2. HLTA in-class support:

You'll provide in-class support in the mornings following attendance support work, working with pupils with high-functioning autism, SEMH, and complex needs - helping to differentiate work and maintain therapeutic engagement. In the afternoons, you'll lead 1:1 or small group sessions linked to student interests, such as ASDAN or Unit Award Scheme activities.

We are looking for a positive, flexible, compassionate person to join our friendly team at this independent special school for 13 pupils, soon expanding to 18, which opened in September 2019. Pupils are aged between 6 and 17 years, with a main cohort usually between 10 and 17 years.

Together as a staff team, you will be required to transport and accompany children to local activities. Ownership and use of a car full-time, as well as a full driving license, is therefore essential.

Candidates are welcome to visit the school prior to making their application, although please note, we will shortlist and interview as soon as applications are received rather than waiting for the closing date; therefore, we encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible!

If you would like a tour, please contact the Headteacher to arrange this; [e-mail].

The school is committed to safeguarding its pupils, and as such, a DBS check and online checks, such as social media checks, will be conducted, along with references sought prior to appointment.

Information about the School

Clarity Independent School is a small special needs school for pupils with complex profiles of learning and SEND. We take pupils aged between 6 and 17 years, and all pupils are referred to the school by the Statutory Assessment team of several Local Authorities around Essex and surrounding areas. We have 13 places.

All appointments are subject to safer recruitment requirements to ensure the safeguarding of children and young people. All positions will involve appropriate checks and clearances.

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