Teaching & Learning Support Assistant

Forest Oak School Mission Statement: Working Together, Releasing Potential

Forest Oak school caters for pupils aged 4 to 18 years with moderate learning difficulties. Ofsted say we are an outstanding school (latest Ofsted 2024).

Forest Oak is seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic person to join our team as a Band C Teaching Assistant. Working under the instruction of the Senior Leadership Team, you will collaborate with teaching colleagues to support the delivery of quality learning, teaching and assessment to help raise standards of achievement for all learners.

To be considered for this post you must hold an NVQ Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualification or other relevant childcare qualification, and have experience in working with learners preferably those with additional needs. You must be an individual who has the skills and passion to positively impact on our learners. You must also possess the commitment, enthusiasm and energy to inspire them every day. You must show your ability to interact well with learners and teachers alike in a culture built on the values of mutual trust and respect.

Our Teaching Assistant roles are different from other settings. We require our Teaching Assistants to have not only the academic ability to support our pupils but also, the passion, enthusiasm and determination to engage our pupils in their learning. We expect true partnerships with parents and the confidence to facilitate these independently; you need to be able to work at pace in a fast-paced environment producing consistently high quality work. Your pastoral work will be excellent and you will be confident being one of the first points of contact for parents in need of support. Optimism and consistency will be your core performance virtues. You will be both IT literate and IT confident. You will be assured in challenging colleagues to undertake their best endeavours for all learners, recognising excellence and challenging when standards of excellence are yet to be met. At interview we will explore your ability to develop rapport with learners.

It would be advantageous if candidates could demonstrate the following:

• Experience of supporting learners with speech, language and communication needs.
• Experience of working with learners with cognition and learning needs thereby able to collaborate with teachers to differentiate / scaffold learning tasks and activities for learners working significantly below age related expectations.
• Must be prepared to train for, or be experienced in delivering, intimate care plans.
• An understanding of learner's sensory differences
• Experience of helping learners to understand and regulate their emotional responses and develop a greater sense of self-awareness, independence and resilience
• Working knowledge of a range of interventions and approaches to enhance literacy and numeracy development
• Partnership with parents