Learning Support Assistant

Orchard Hill College; Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension Scheme

Salary Sacrifice Schemes

Employee Wellbeing

Employee Discounts

Season Ticket Loan

Employee Referral Scheme

Job summary

Orchard Hill College is seeking Learning Support Assistants to support learners through educational, personal care and therapy programmes. The role runs 36 hours per week during term time (36 weeks) with daily hours from 8.45 am to 4.30 pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45 am to 4.15 pm on Friday.

You will assist students to build independence, follow class instructions, promote wellbeing, and help learners access home, community, work-related and basic skills programmes.

Qualifications

• Experience of working within a team.
• Experience of working with or caring for children or adults who have barriers to learning and/or special educational needs.
• Must hold level 1 Maths and Level 2 English qualifications or be willing to enrol on a functional skills course within your first year of employment and complete the course within 2 years.
• Able to demonstrate a commitment to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
• Able to take responsibility for individual and small groups of students, with a range of needs, including behaviours of concern, in different settings.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate the mentality that students can and do achieve.
• Follow instructions and guidance from the Classroom Lecturer to provide support for students reinforcing their learning and constant promotion of independence. As well as a complete understanding of destinations and targets.
• To encourage students in all areas of the curriculum, to progress to their chosen career destination, gain greater independence in the home and promote community-based learning.
• To positively support the health and wellbeing of learners by follow the guidelines for individual support, care needs and medical interventions (including basic first aid and administration of PRN medications (EpiPen, etc.).)
• Follow the Health and Safety policy and procedures to ensure the safety of learners and staff at all times.
• Experience of working within a team.
• Experience of working with or caring for children or adults who have barriers to learning and/or special educational needs.
• Must hold level 1 Maths and Level 2 English qualifications or be willing to enrol on a functional skills course within your first year of employment and complete the course within 2 years.
• Able to demonstrate a commitment to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
• Able to take responsibility for individual and small groups of students, with a range of needs, including behaviours of concern, in different settings.

Job description

Working Pattern: 36 hours per week, Term Time only (36 working weeks), 8.45 am - 4.30 pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45 am to 4.15 pm on Friday Orchard Hill College is an Outstanding Specialist College (Ofsted, April 2025) offering life-changing learning opportunities to young people and adults with a range of special education needs and/or disabilities. We operate vibrant community-based College Centres across London and Surrey, where committed specialist teams deliver a variety of programmes designed to meet the diverse needs of our students. Students who study with us have a wide range of needs including profound and multiple learning disabilities, communication and behavioural difficulties and specific medical needs. All students are individual, and their learning programme is designed to support and empower them to achieve their aspirations and goals, whilst developing skills to become more independent members of their community. We are looking for Learning Support Assistants (LSA) to support learners through their educational, personal care and therapy programmes, ensuring student's health and wellbeing is maintained. As an LSA you will engage with students during lesson and break times, promoting their independence and communication as directed by the class Lecturer. You will support our students to gain self-confidence and independence through encouragement and reassurance, by supporting the students in accessing a range of home, community, work related and basic skills learning programmes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate the mentality that students can and do achieve.
• Follow instructions and guidance from the Classroom Lecturer to provide support for students reinforcing their learning and constant promotion of independence. As well as a complete understanding of destinations and targets.
• To encourage students in all areas of the curriculum, to progress to their chosen career destination, gain greater independence in the home and promote community-based learning.
• To positively support the health and wellbeing of learners by follow the guidelines for individual support, care needs and medical interventions (including basic first aid and administration of PRN medications (EpiPen, etc.).
• Follow the Health and Safety policy and procedures to ensure the safety of learners and staff at all times.
• Experience of working within a team.
• Experience of working with or caring for children or adults who have barriers to learning and/or special educational needs.
• Must hold level 1 Maths and Level 2 English qualifications or be willing to enrol on a functional skills course within your first year of employment and complete the course within 2 years.
• Able to demonstrate a commitment to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
• Able to take responsibility for individual and small groups of students, with a range of needs, including behaviours of concern, in different settings.

Orchard Hill College is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values and skills.

Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:

Rewards & Benefits:

• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme, Home Electronics Scheme and Employee Car Lease Scheme)
• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme
• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)

Our Trust The College is an Academy sponsor and established Orchard Hill College Academy Trust in 2013 which is home to 13 special schools. Together Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust provide for over 1500 pupils and students with SEN across London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire. To find out more about us, and what makes us a special place to work please visit our vacancies page. Working together to transform lives is what we do and across the whole organisation we have a range of experts and practitioners who advocate for children and young people with SEND to ensure they receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential. As a large specialist education provider we employ over 1500 people across our schools, college and central support team. There is a wide range of job roles available, ranging from teaching and therapy to business support roles and significant career progression opportunities. It is an exciting time to be part of OHC and we are keen to recruit talented people who can play a key role in realising our mission and who want to make a difference. In return, we offer training and development, competitive pay and benefits in a positive and inclusive working environment. We are committed to promoting and advancing equality of opportunity by attracting and retaining the most diverse range of students, staff and partners.

If you wish to discuss this opportunity before or after submitting an application form, please get in touch with the college directly. Visits to the College in advance of applications are encouraged.