Pastoral Support Worker

Northern House Academy; Oxford; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

The Gallery Trust in Oxford is seeking a dedicated role to support pupils with special educational needs, delivering pastoral and therapeutic care and helping students emotionally and physically engage with learning.

The role requires resilience, the ability to work across different settings, and commitment to safeguarding and inclusive practice. Training is provided, and adjustments can be made to support applicants throughout the process.

Qualifications

• Flexible and adaptable to different settings
• Ability to establish rapid rapport with colleagues and students
• Interest in SEND arena and development

Responsibilities

• Manage and deliver pastoral and therapeutic support to students and be responsible for preparing children emotionally and physically to engage with teaching and learning
• Address the needs of students who need particular help to overcome barriers to learning, which will involve key working a particular student on a personalised pathway
• Manage the supervision and support of pupils whose pathway requires work outside the class, who are not working to the usual timetable and to work with the teacher to ensure the personalised pathway is planned, delivered and assessed
• Provide behavioural support for pupils on an on-call basis

Job description

If you share our passion for making a real difference to the lives of children and young people with special needs, this is an opportunity to work in a successful and thriving SEND school where you could make a real difference to our students’ lives. In return for your contribution to our team, you will work in an organisation which will support your career development, in a role which is rewarding and fulfilling.

About the role

The role of the PSW involves setting appropriate boundaries for students who have additional behavioural needs and may exhibit complex barriers to learning. You will take a resilient and instinctive approach in meeting our students’ needs and will be prepared to undertake restrictive physical interventions following training. You will have the ability to use behaviour management strategies effectively and be able to work using your own initiative while following policies and procedures to deliver positive outcomes. You will support colleagues within the class environment as well as contributing to specific interventions designed to encourage engagement with learning and development of social and independence skills.

Some responsibilities include:

• Manage and deliver pastoral and therapeutic support to students and be responsible for preparing children emotionally and physically to engage with teaching and learning
• Address the needs of students who need particular help to overcome barriers to learning, which will involve key working a particular student on a personalised pathway.
• Manage the supervision and support of pupils whose pathway requires work outside the class, who are not working to the usual timetable and to work with the teacher to ensure the personalised pathway is planned, delivered and assessed.
• Provide behavioural support for pupils on an on-call basis

About You

You will demonstrate a high level of flexibility and will welcome the opportunity to work in different settings with different approaches to engage learners. You will be capable of establishing a rapid rapport with colleagues and students and will relish the opportunity to extend your skills and experience in the SEND arena.

At The Gallery Trust, inclusion is paramount. We are committed to ensuring that everyone feels welcome, respected, and supported throughout our recruitment process. If you have a disability, are neurodivergent, or have any additional needs that may require adjustments at any stage of your application or interview, please let us know. We are very happy to talk with you about what would help you feel comfortable and able to perform at your best. This might include providing information in alternative formats, allowing extra time, or making practical adjustments to the process. You can contact our recruitment team in confidence at [e-mail] or by calling 01865 557004. We are here to help and would love to hear from you.

For more information about this role can be found in our candidate information pack. The Gallery Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Any offer of employment with The Gallery Trust is subject to verification of ID and qualifications, satisfactory evidence of the right to work in the UK, health clearance, and Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check. The Gallery Trust is an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from candidates from all ethnic and community backgrounds.