Learning Support Assistant (SEND)

We are seeking to appoint an exceptional Learning Support Assistant (SEND) who will be fully committed to all aspects of our school vision and our core values of Ambition, Growth, Fellowship, and Scholarship. You will be joining a team of dedicated staff who are committed to going the extra mile to help make a real difference to the children in our care.

The Greenwich Free School (GFS) opened in September 2012 as a state-funded, mixed, non- denominational, 11-16 comprehensive school for the children of Greenwich. In September 2018, the school joined Ark Schools Network, and is now Ark Greenwich Free School.

Our ideal candidate will be a driven and passionate person with the ability to learn from feedback and a hunger to constantly improve and develop. We are looking for someone who can work as part of a team, roll their sleeves up and excel at what they do. You will be a passionate about academic excellence, have an unrelenting obsession to be the best you can be, and in turn motivate the pupils in your care to excel. You will need to be calm, well organised, and self-confident, with excellent communication and inter-personal skills. The post requires close collaboration with colleagues but will also involve working on your own initiative to find the best approaches to supporting pupils with SEND to achieve their potential. You will need to be a cheerful and organised self-starter, flexible and adaptable, with a helpful, friendly and inclusive approach.

The post provides a unique opportunity for the successful candidate to excel across a range of areas, including classroom support for pupils with special needs and disabilities and the delivery of high-quality interventions. The successful applicant will support pupils, classroom teachers, and the SENDCo on a daily basis in the classroom and around the school, through academic and pastoral support sessions, some light medical care, and some routine administrative duties. LSAs at AGFS participate in regular pupil observations to help support the development of inclusive provision and also engage in regular peer-observation and coaching, offering you the chance to grow and develop in your role.

Hours of work during term time will between the hours of 08:00 and 17:00 Monday - Friday.

If you have any queries please contact Victoria Hemmings on 020 8319 3692. If you would like to speak with the Assistant Headteacher (SEND) directly, please call on the number above. Visits to the school are welcome and please contact Victoria to arrange.

We look forward to receiving your application.

Interviews may take place before the closing date for suitable candidates, we reserve the right to close the advert early.

Ark value diversity and are committed to safeguarding and promoting child welfare. The successful candidate will be subject to DBS and any other relevant employment checks.

Job description

Purpose

To work within your specialist department and the SEND Team to provide outstanding support to pupils, families and teachers at AGFS.

Objectives

1.     To support individuals and groups of pupils to help them learn and address their specific learning needs.

2.    To support teachers and other colleagues to help create a purposeful and exciting learning environment.

3.    To work in collaboration with the classroom teacher, SENDCo, Head(s) of School and Student Welfare Officer to set and monitor learning and behaviour targets for pupils.

4.    To act as role model in setting high expectations and standards of behaviour in line with the AGFS ethos and vision and to implement the school’s behaviour policy.

5.    To support pupils outside of the classroom environment, including accompanying students on school visits, supporting pupils with behavioural needs at lunch time, and some light medical care.

6.    To support one form in the role of co-tutor.

7.    To liaise with parents and families about pupil progress.

Principal Accountabilities

A.        LEARNING SUPPORT

1.     Work with the SENDCo and class teachers to implement the provision required by pupils’ Statement of SEN, EHCPs or other documentation.

2.    Develop professional understanding of the special educational needs and disabilities of pupils within the school and of appropriate strategies to support pupils with a profile of SEND.

3.    Deliver in-class support to pupils with a profile of SEND to enable them to flourish academically and socially and to ensure that their progress is in line with national and school expectations.

4.    Plan and deliver high quality 1:1 and small-group academic support sessions.

5.    Develop resources appropriate to pupils’ needs, including materials for curriculum lessons, intervention sessions, and displays.

6.    Support teachers with differentiation of the curriculum, including curriculum objectives, lesson content, resources and assessments.

7.    Assist pupils with physical difficulties to access the curriculum.

8.   Work with teachers and the SENDCo to assess the learning needs of individual pupils.

9.    Observe, record and feedback information about pupil performance and progress.

B       OTHER SUPPORT

1.          Supervise pupils in the playground or games room at lunch and break time.

2.         Assist with follow-through for related services, for example Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy or Physical Therapy.

3.         Maintain pupil and family confidentiality.

4.         Attend regular meetings and training as required.

5.         Promote inclusion and acceptance of all pupils in the school, including those with physical and learning difficulties.

6.         Maintain high expectations of all AGFS pupils and hold them to challenging but achievable standards of dress, discipline, attitude and effort.

C       PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

1.          Take responsibility for your own professional development and demonstrate a commitment to continuous professional development by undertaking, and seeking out, opportunities to build your capabilities.

2.         Maintain an up-to-date expert knowledge of relevant best practice and policy.

3.         Ensure you understand your professional responsibilities in relation to school policies and practices.

4.         Evaluate your own practice critically and use this to improve your effectiveness.

5.         Engage, positively, with the AGFS performance-management system.

D       NON-SUBJECT RESPONSIBILITIES

1.          Demonstrate consistently high expectations of all pupils and a commitment to raising their achievement and social and emotional wellbeing. Promote the positive values, attitudes and behaviour expected from all pupils by treating them with respect and consideration.

2.         Develop strong and positive relationships with pupils.

3.         Implement all school policies, including the school’s behaviour policy.

4.         Contribute to the design and delivery of the school’s enrichment curriculum in line with your timetable and the AGFS enrichment policy.

5.         Model the ethos and vision of the school at all times.

6.         Communicate promptly and sensitively with parents, carers and other relevant bodies where necessary.

7.         Establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues including support staff.

8.        Be familiar with and comply with the School’s Health and Safety policies.

9.         Be responsible for the Health & Safety of pupils when they are authorised to be on school premises and when engaged in authorised activities elsewhere.

10.     To be accountable, along with every other member of staff, for ensuring that your actions contribute to the following:

·       Aspiration: AGFS will support and challenge pupils to aim high and fulfil those ambitions because we believe every pupil can succeed.

·       Excitement: AGFS will create an exciting school environment that will engage pupils with learning.

·       Challenge: AGFS will provide a stretching and challenging curriculum that will interest pupils and provide them with the skills and knowledge needed to make a valuable contribution to society.

·       Expertise: AGFS will provide excellent teaching that will help pupils learn in a way that helps each one of them progress.

·       Enrichment: AGFS will provide a rich and varied enrichment programme to help each pupil develop as a rounded, skilled individual and give him or her opportunities to develop passions.

·       Community: AGFS will create a community of which its pupils feel a part – that they care about, and that cares about them.

·       Discipline: AGFS will provide a calm, secure and stimulating environment of which pupils can be proud.

·       Leadership: AGFS will provide opportunities for pupils to lead and work as part of a team.

·       Adhere, at all times, to the expectations of teachers at Greenwich Free School, outlined on the final page of this document.

11.      Any other duties as required by the Headteacher commensurate with the post.

NOTES

·     All new staff will be subject to a probation period of six months (which may, in certain circumstances, be extended by up to 10 weeks). The probation period is a trial period, to enable the assessment of an employee’s suitability for the job for which he or she has been employed. It provides the school with the opportunity to monitor and review the performance of new staff in relation to various areas, and also in terms of their commitment to safeguarding and relationships with pupils.

Expectations of all staff at the Greenwich Free School

Every member of staff at the Greenwich Free School will pledge to:

1. Uphold the school’s vision, which means…

·     You will be totally aligned to the school’s vision, core purpose, aims and ethos, as laid out in the AGFS School Strategy.

·     You will have the moral courage to challenge any behaviour that runs contrary to the school’s vision and ethos.

·     You will demonstrate your belief in the potential of all pupils to succeed if given outstanding teaching and pastoral care.

·     You will work hard and do everything you can to contribute to the Greenwich Free School delivering the highest-possible level of education.

·     You will proactively uphold all school policies and procedures with consistency and care, maintaining a ‘high expectations’ and ‘no excuses’ approach to pupil (and colleague) attitude, work and discipline.

2. Model positive behaviour at all times, which means…

·     You will, at all times, act as a role model for pupils with regard to your attitude, behaviour, dress, honesty, integrity, courage, language and diligence.

·     You will behave courteously, respectfully and professionally at all times, maintaining appropriate boundaries with pupils, parents and other staff.

·     You won’t reveal any confidential information to anyone except colleagues who ‘need to know.’

·     You will ensure that AGFS is a non-smoking, gum-free and litter-free zone.

3. Take responsibility for doing everything you can to enhance our offer to pupils, which means…

·     You will proactively look for opportunities to develop pupils’ emotional wellbeing as well as nurturing their academic potential – avoiding complacency at all costs and actively pursuing an entrepreneurial approach to developing the school.

·     You will endeavour to get to know the School’s pupils as individuals and take an interest in their lives beyond school through regular informal conversations, eating lunch with them and accompanying them on school trips and visits.

·     You will build trust-based relationships with your pupils and never behave in a derogatory, intimidating or abusive manner towards any member of the school community.

·     You will welcome and encourage communication and partnership with parents and carers, ideally returning calls and emails on the day of receipt and certainly within two school days.

·     You will attend all school assemblies and key school events in the calendar, such as parents’ evenings and award ceremonies.

·     You will maintain excellent attendance and punctuality, arriving on site by 07.50 each day to be in your classroom to greet your pupils at 08.00 (unless your contract states otherwise).

·     You won’t engage in any behaviour inside or outside school that could bring AGFS into disrepute. This has implications for use of social networking sites, engagement in additional employment and recreational behaviour.

·     You will strive to make your own teaching practice as good as possible by enthusiastically engaging in school-provided CPD activities and seeking opportunities to arrange your own additional CPD, as well as engaging positively in the AGFS Performance Management approach. This includes operating an open-door policy, welcoming regular observation of and feedback on your practice, and regularly reflecting on how to improve your own practice.

4. Be organised, and help the school be organised, which means…

·     You will read staff notices at the start of every day and pass on notices to pupils as required.

·     You will monitor the school calendar and weekly bulletins, to ensure you are aware of upcoming or recurring events.

·     You will learn how to make use of the school’s management information system and take responsibility for maintaining and making effective use of the data it contains.

5. Dress professionally, which means…

·     You will dress smartly and professionally in formal business attire, in accordance with the AGFS staff dress code.

·     You will hide any tattoos from view and limit visible body piercing to one earring in each ear.

The role: Learning Support Assistant (SEND)

The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Team: supporting the whole school structure

At AGFS we believe that all pupils can succeed if given outstanding teaching and pastoral care. The SEND team is a crucial part of delivering both of those things.

Learning Support Assistants at AGFS are used to ensure that all pupils, no matter what their background or previous attainment, can make progress in every subject specialist lesson. You will be working with pupils one-on-one, and in small groups, to provide support to any pupils needing additional academic assistance. Whatever your background, you will be prepared to work with students who have barriers to learning and build strong, trust-based relationships with individual young people.

The SEND team will liaise closely with the SENDCo to ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, are supported to make good progress, whether that is in the classroom, in small groups or one-to-one sessions. They will also liaise closely with the Student Welfare Officers and Head(s) of School, to ensure that there is effective communication between teaching staff, parents and pupils about the academic and behavioural interventions being implemented for pupils in the school, and that discipline is proactive, through early intervention and incident-response.

AGFS places significant emphasis on the importance of relationships between pupils and staff. Working with the SEND team and your subject specialist department, Graduate Teaching Assistants will promote and further reinforce this culture. This could include working with staff to plan lessons or units or work, giving advice to teaching staff about how to support individual pupils, or leading training for other members of staff in areas of experience.

Person specification