Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Full Job Description

How would you like to be paid for five days but only work four*?

Our colleagues’ wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do at OFG, so we’re always looking for new ways to improve everyone’s work/life balance. We’re taking part in a trial of the 4-Day Working Week, meaning that you could be working one day less a week (or equivalent).

If the trial is a success, we’ll be rolling the 4DWW out across the Group – so there’s never been a more exciting time to join #teamOFG!

Job title:          Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Location:         Ryecroft School, Walsall, WS2 7BH

Salary:             £23,000.00 per annum

Hours:             37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday 8:30am-4:00pm

Contract:         Permanent, Term Time only

UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.

We now have a fantastic opportunity for a Higher Level Teaching Assistant to join our new Options Autism School - Ryecroft School located in Walsall.

About the role

To form part of the senior support lead team and assist teachers in offering mentoring support, training and guidance to other Teaching Assistants

To lead and model positive behaviour management with proactive and solution focussed approaches. 

To contribute to the preparation and planning of lessons including developing resources and opportunities for young peoples to learn in school and out-of-school contexts in accordance with lesson plans and in response to young people need.

To prepare and deliver lessons, under the direction of the teacher, including covering for teacher absence.

To share the school’s responsibility to support and promote the learning, personal development, safeguarding and well-being of all young people.

To ensure recording and reporting across the school is completed to a high standard. 

Responsibilities

• Having a range of strategies to support, cascade and establish a purposeful learning environment and promote good behaviour.
• Leading, promoting and modelling the ethos/work/aims of the school.
• Promoting a positive environment within the school.
• Assisting with the development and implementation the young peoples’ risk assessments and support plans.
• Establishing constructive relationships and communicating with other agencies/professionals, in liaison with the teacher, to support achievement and progress of young people.
• Attending and participating in regular meetings.
• Recognising own strengths and areas of expertise and using these to advise and support others.
• Providing appropriate guidance and general supervision to less experienced staff who may be undertaking duties/tasks as part of their personal development.
• Supporting in welcoming new staff; through supervision assisting them to understand and adhere to the school’s ethos and policies.
• Establishing productive working relationships with young people and staff team; acting as a role model and setting high expectations for behaviour and learning.
• Having responsibility for keeping and updating records as agreed with colleagues and contributing to the reviews of systems /records as requested.
• Liaising sensitively and effectively with parents/carers and participating in feedback sessions/meetings with parents either alongside teachers or as directed.
• Providing and demonstrating the skills and capability to self-reflect and work in a solution focused method whilst debriefing and supporting a staff team.
• Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all young people is paramount to everything we do.
• Supporting the staff team to effectively record and report within the current framework and guidance.
• Undertakes other duties as assigned by the senior leadership team. 

About the school

Our New Options Autism School - Ryecroft School has capacity for 60 pupils and opened September 2024. Ryecroft School is in Walsall and caters for autistic pupils and young people aged 4 – 18 years.

Walsall is a market town in the West Midlands County. It is located 9 miles north-west of Birmingham, 7 miles east of Wolverhampton and 9 miles from Lichfield.

For over 16 years Options Autism have provided care and education to pupils, young people and adults with autism, complex needs and learning difficulties. We are a leading provider of education for neurodivergent young people and young adults. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in setting and delivering new approaches that provide measurable outcomes for those in our care.

We are really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.

Why join Options Autism? 

Benefits

Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks

And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:

• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover
• Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.  

And that’s not all, we place the outcomes of the pupils and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

*You’ll work 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, giving you more time to do the things that make you happy. 

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