Student Support Assistant

We are seeking two dedicated and enthusiastic Student Support Assistants to provide tailored, individual support for students with SEMH and additional needs. Working alongside teaching and pastoral teams, you will promote inclusion, support wellbeing, and help students build confidence, independence, and positive engagement in learning both inside and outside the classroom.

The Ideal Candidate will

• Experience working with children or young people
• Have a patient, resilient and supportive approach to managing behaviour
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills
• Committed to safeguarding and inclusion
• Organised with good attention to detail

Overall Purpose of the role:

To provide targeted, individualised support for a named student's with identified needs, enabling them to engage with education, develop independence and achieve their Personal Best. Working under the guidance of the SENDCo and wider Student Support Team, the role focuses on supporting the student's social, emotional, behavioural and wellbeing needs, alongside facilitating. The postholder will provide consistent, adaptive support both within and beyond the classroom, working collaboratively with staff, parents/carers and external professionals to ensure a coordinated and effective approach to support.

Safeguarding Requirement:

This post requires the post holder to work in settings with children and young adults. Any employment offer is therefore subject to the results of an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). People who may have contact with younger children (i.e. primary school age) are also required to complete a declaration about family or other members of their household.

Applicants MUST complete the online application form through MyNewTerm to be considered, will be required to provide evidence of identity and qualifications and offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references. For applicants who work or have recently worked in a school, one of the references must be from the Head.

Key outputs:

Provide targeted 1:1 and/or small group support to meet the individual student’s social, emotional, behavioural and learning needs, enabling access to the curriculum and development of independence.

Work under the guidance of the SENDCo and Student Support Team to monitor and record progress against individual support plans (e.g. IEPs/EHCP outcomes), including behaviour, wellbeing and engagement.

Build positive, consistent and trusting relationships with students to support engagement, emotional regulation and participation, alongside effective collaboration with staff.

Actively support the inclusion of students by promoting confidence, self-esteem and participation in learning and wider school life, adapting support approaches to meet individual needs.

Work collaboratively with teaching staff, pastoral teams and external professionals to ensure a consistent and coordinated approach to meeting students’ individual needs.

Contribute to the review and implementation of support plans (e.g. IEPs/EHCPs), providing insight into student progress, barriers to learning and effective support strategies.

Provide personal care and support to meet students’ physical needs where required (e.g. toileting, feeding, intimate care), in line with school policies and appropriate training.

Engage in reflective practice and ongoing development to improve the effectiveness of support for individual students.

Promote and actively support the school’s safeguarding responsibilities, maintaining vigilance and responding appropriately to any concerns in line with safeguarding procedures.

Carry out your duties with due regard to current and future College policies, procedures and relevant legislation. These will be drawn to your attention in your appointment letter, your statement of particulars, induction, and on-going performance development and through College communications

Expertise in role required:

Essential

• Be able to demonstrate levels of numeracy and literacy to GSCE [A-C or equivalent]
• Ability to engage and influence others
• Experience of working across departments and with external organisations
• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent behaviour management skills
• Commitment to the safeguarding of young people
• Ability to monitor and evaluate impact of interventions and strategies
• Ability to deal with the personal care and comfort, and necessary treatments with students, i.e. toileting and intimate care issues
• Ability to assist the teacher in planning class activities

Other (Physical, mobility, local conditions)

• Is willing to work flexibly within scope of overall hours, e.g. evening meetings.

Desirable

• NVQ 3 for Teaching Assistants or equivalent qualifications or experience
• Experience of working with children/young people in a school
• Experience of working with children who have SEN / EAL
• Ability to use ICT to support learning

Expertise in Role - After initial development - Level 2

• Ability to deal with students who require physical restraint and interventions, using such methods as Team Teach, under the direction of the Principal.
• Ability to assess individual students core skills and maintain appropriate records
• Working knowledge or understanding of relevant policies and codes of practice.