Teaching Assistant (Outreach Support - Attendance & Wellbeing Focus)

We Manage Jobs(WMJobs); Stafford; On-site; GBP 21,000; Full time

Job summary

The Haven Independent School seeks a Teaching Assistant with an outreach focus to support attendance and wellbeing for students facing various challenges. This full-time role provides an opportunity to make a significant impact in a nurturing environment, engaging with pupils in school and their communities to build trust and improve academic engagement.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting children with mental health challenges or additional needs.
• Understanding of safeguarding and child protection.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Provide outreach support to pupils with poor attendance.
• Work with families to explore barriers to education.
• Develop and implement support plans for students.

Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Communication Skills

Organizational Skills

Empathy

Flexibility

Education

Relevant Qualifications in Education or Child Development

Job description

The Haven Independent School

Job Title: Teaching Assistant (Outreach Support – Attendance & Wellbeing Focus)
Location: Haven School - Dunston site
Salary: £20 664

Required for Summer Term 25
Contract Type: Full-Time (may consider part-time for suitable candidate)
Reports To: Operations Manager & Wellbeing Liaison Worker

The Haven School is an independent special school for young people who have an EHCP for social, emotional and mental health difficulties. This is a small school for 50 pupils aged between 11 and 19 who require a therapeutically informed environment in which to access their education.

Our pupils may have attachment difficulties linked to childhood and ongoing trauma, and there may also be a diagnosis of ADHD or ASC. Our timetable provides for flexible learning programmes which prioritise health, social and emotional development alongside academic achievement within a creative and challenging curriculum.

Our staff are trained and experienced in developing a safe and respectful environmentfor learning. We encourage an atmosphere of mutual respect where pupils work hard, make progress and achieve their potential as a result of having their individual needs assessed and catered for. Our staff group is welcoming and supportive and our school is a happy one.

Accreditedqualifications available include a range of GCSEs, BTECs and functional skills. We put great emphasis on academic achievement and are very proud that all our pupils sit these exams and achieve impressive results.

Job Purpose:

We are seeking a dedicated, compassionate, and flexible Teaching Assistant to join our outreach team, providing targeted support to pupils struggling with attendance due to a range of challenges including anxiety, school refusal, and mental health difficulties. This is a varied and dynamic role requiring work both within the school setting and in the community, including pupils’ homes or other pre-arranged venues.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide outreach support to pupils identified as having poor or inconsistent attendance.
• Work closely with the Operations Manager and Wellbeing Liaison Worker to identify pupils in need of intervention.
• Meet with families and pupils outside of school to build trust, explore barriers to attendance, and support re-engagement with education.
• Offer tailored academic and emotional support to pupils in the home or alternative venues.
• Assist in developing strategies and support plans to help pupils gradually transition back into school.
• Maintain accurate records of visits, support provided, and progress made.
• Travel independently across Staffordshire to support pupils; access to a vehicle and business insurance is essential.
• Occasionally use school transport vehicles, where available.
• Manage your time effectively to accommodate visits to multiple pupils in one day when needed.

Essential Skills & Attributes:

• Experience working with children and young people, particularly those with additional needs or mental health challenges.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to engage with pupils and families.
• Understanding of safeguarding and child protection procedures.
• Ability to work independently and use initiative while remaining part of a wider pastoral and attendance team.
• Sensitive and empathetic approach to families facing complex circumstances.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.
• Flexibility to adapt to the needs of different pupils and situations.
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle with appropriate business insurance.

Desirable:

• Previous experience in outreach or home-based educational support.
• Relevant qualifications in education, child development, or mental health support.

This role provides a fantastic opportunity for a committed professional to lead an important area of enrichment in the school and ensure that all pupils benefit from safe, engaging learning experiences beyond the classroom.

The Haven School Safer Recruitment Procedure

The Haven School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all students.

Disclosure

Level of disclosure required: ENHANCED

This post is classified as having substantial access to children and so is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. Shortlisted applicants will be sent a form to complete and required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions.
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e., that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020). For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

If you are shortlisted to attend for interview you will be asked to complete a confidential Criminal Records Declaration Form. The information disclosed on the form will not be kept with your application form during the application process. The information will only be seen by those who need to see it as part of the recruitment process.

It is important that applicants understand that deliberate attempts to conceal the information requested in the confidential form could result in disciplinary proceedings or dismissal. Further advice and guidance on disclosing criminal records can be obtained from Criminal Record Support Service.

All applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check, and a check will be made with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) before the appointment is confirmed.

Any information will be treated with the strictest confidence, and you will only be prevented from obtaining employment if it is considered that you have a criminal record that makes you unsuitable for the post in question.

Data Protection Statement

Information that you provide for the purpose of your application will be used as part of the recruitment process. Any data supplied will be held securely and access restricted to those involved in dealing with your application and the recruitment and selection process.

Once this process is completed, the data relating to unsuccessful applicants will be stored for a maximum of 6 months and then destroyed. If you are the successful candidate, your application form will be retained and form the basis of your personnel record. All processing of personal data by the school is undertaken in accordance with the principles of the General Data Protection Regulation 2016.

Please call and come and visit and see our school for yourself - 01785 450261

Completed applications should be sent to [e-mail]

Closing date: Monday 7th July

Interview date: Week beginning the 14th July