Level 3 Teaching Assistant (Additional Needs/SENSA)

Portland School; Stoke-on-Trent; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 21,000; Full time

Job summary

Portland School is seeking 13 enthusiastic SEN Support Assistants to support pupils with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health needs. Join a dynamic team dedicated to empowering young minds and nurturing futures. Positions available at both Trent Vale and Blythe Bridge sites. Successful candidates will support learning in classrooms and provide one-on-one assistance as needed.

Benefits

Local Government Pension Scheme

Generous holiday entitlement

Electric Car Scheme

Medicash Health & Wellbeing Plan

Free Discount For Teachers Scheme

Free Eye Tests

Cycle to work scheme

Access to Institute of Education

Qualifications

• Experience supporting SEMH pupils in a school environment.
• Ability to manage behavior and build positive relationships.

Responsibilities

• Support learning activities for SEMH pupils within and outside the classroom.
• Deliver specified work under teacher supervision on a 1:1 basis.

Skills

Communication

Proactivity

Resourcefulness

Relationship Building

Job description

Portland School are recruiting for 13 fabulous SENSA’s to support learning in the classroom for pupils with a range of SEMH needs.We have positions across both our Trent Vale and Blythe Bridge premises.

This is an exciting time to join Portland as we are a growing school and are continually welcoming new pupils through our doors and therefore need additional enthusiastic support assistants to add to our team.

The applicant may work within the classroom itself or be asked to support a child 1:1 outside for the classroom for some sections of the day.

Job Purpose

• To work with teachers as part of a professional team to organise and support learning activities for SEMH pupils, within and outside of the classroom.
• To deliver specified work under the direction and supervision of a qualified teacher on a 1:1 or small group basis.
• To plan, organise and undertake other related duties to support pupils who have experienced trauma.
• To evaluate specialist learning and therapeutic activities with the teacher and provide feedback.

We are looking for someone who can:

• Build positive relationships and manage pupils’ behaviour effectively within a school environment.
• Be proactive, resourceful and energetic.
• Communicate effectively with students, colleagues and parents / carers.

AtPortland School, we are dedicated to providingexceptional learningandexperiencesto pupils with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health Difficulties (SEMHD). Our mission is toempower young mindsandnurture futures, ensuring that every student reaches theirfull potential. We are a split site school with two provisions to meet different needs, one at Trent Vale one at Blythe Bridge.We have an amazing staff team who work tirelessly to support approximately 140 pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs.

As a specialist school our pupils benefit from smaller class sizes, a more practical curriculum, access to alternative accreditations and a highly trained staff team.Both sites have spacious grounds allowing us to provide outdoor education, with our Blythe Bridge site boasting specialist classrooms for Design and technology, Art and Design, Science, Food technology and PE.

At the heart of our school are a set of shared values where our entire school community are supported to develop a sense of Respect, Responsibility, Belonging, Independence, show a Team Approach and look after their own Mental Toughness.

All candidates are required to provide a supporting statement on the formal application forms which states clearly your reasons for applying, skills and experience for this position.

Shaw Education Trust are a thriving mix of diverse and growing schools including Primary, Secondary and Special Schools all working together to improve the lives of young people in our communities. We are sponsored by Shaw Trust a charity organisation that focuses on transforming lives. We’re a growing group of dynamically awesome academies providing education to children of all ages and abilities. Staff across our team of schools are dedicated to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to be successful, whatever their starting point in life.

Shaw Education Trust offer the following employee benefits with your Teaching or Support Staff employment:

• An excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (Support Staff) / Teachers Pension (Teaching Staff)
• Support Staff only based on working full time, all year - Generous holiday entitlement from your first day of employment (37 days holiday rising to 39 days after 5 years’ service including Bank Holidays)
• Electric Car Scheme: Environmentally friendly vehicles with our electric car scheme.
• Access to Medicash Health & Wellbeing Plan: Enjoy health services designed to support your well-being.
• Free DiscountForTeachers Scheme for all staff (Support and Teaching), Exclusive discounts to save money with a wide selection of discounts and exclusive offers from hundreds of the biggest brands.
• Free Eye Tests
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to our Institute of Education and fantastic opportunities to help you grow, contribute and flourish in your role and in the Trust.

We know our people are the key to our success and so we’re committed to ensuring the employment experience at Shaw Education Trust is a rewarding one.

Colleagues within the Trust benefit from: Access to a full range of courses both in-house and professionally accredited. These courses include all of the National Professional Qualifications – NPQH, NPQSL, NPQEYL, NPQLL, NPQLT, NPQLTD, NPQLBC are all delivered by the Shaw Education Trust as a delivery partner for Ambition Institute. In addition, we provide access to the NPQEL for Executive Leaders.

• Experienced leadership and subject-specific support.
• Guidance from former HMIs and serving Ofsted Inspectors within the Trust.
• Access to the Trust’s Institute of Education and SCITT.
• Opportunities to work with different schools within the Trust as a Professional Advocate.
• Participating in peer reviews.
• Access to a suite of online courses.
• Placement projects within our family of schools.

Portland School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment, click here to review Safeguarding and Pupil Protection Policy https://www.shaw-education.org.uk/our-trust/key-information

This position is subject to appropriate vetting procedures including an online checks and criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) which will require you to disclose details of all unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions.

All shortlisted candidates will undergo an online search as part of Trust safer recruitment checks.

We are an Equal Opportunities employer and will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.

In accordance with our safer recruitment policy CVs alone will not be accepted.

Application deadline: 9am Friday 23rd May

Interview date: To be confirmed

Actual Salary:£19,280- £20,219

Working hours: 32.5 hours per week, Term Time plus 5 Inset Days (39 weeks total)

We reserve the right to appoint before the closing date as we review applications on an on-going basis and interviews may be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, therefore, we encourage early applications.

Successful candidates will be subject to a fully Enhanced DBS check along with other relevant employment checks.