HLTA - Outdoor Play & Learning (Forest School)
The Downley School, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP13 5AL46 days remaining to apply
Start date details
September or earlier if possible
Closing date
21 April 2025 at 11:59pm
Date listed
20 December 2024
Job details
Job role
- Teaching assistant
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Part time
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- £27,310.00 - £29,295.00 Annually (FTE) Grade 3 Pts Bucks Pay Range 3.16 -Range 3.20 FTE, £27,310.00 - £ 29,295.00 pro rata for hours worked. 39 Weeks per year, 37 hours per week with a 30 minute unpaid lunch break
HLTA - Outdoor Play & Learning (Forest School) job summary
We are currently looking to appoint an energetic and enthusiastic HLTA to develop and deliver our outdoor learning curriculum. The successful candidate will have a passion for outdoor physical education and engaging children with the natural world. Your primary responsibility will be running forest school and delivering outdoor and adventurous learning opportunities through play and physical education. You should be self-motivated, with the ability to work under pressure and as part of a team, with an excellent knowledge of current wildlife & conservation issues.
Candidates should be ideally be a qualified HLTA with a level 3 Forest School Leader (or equivalent) and have previous experience in leading outdoor education sessions with the primary age group. If you have experience but are not qualified, we could provide full forest school training / qualification for the right candidate. A sporting background would be of benefit as the role may require some involvement in delivery of our PE curriculum.
The successful candidate will:
Have a passion for children learning outdoors
Plan and lead outdoor education sessions
Extend our range of extra-curricular outdoor activities with specific skills and interests
Assist in delivery of environmental projects
Contribute to the delivery of our PE curriculum
Be able to work collaboratively and positively with all colleagues
What our school offers its staff:
A skilled and supportive Senior Leadership Team
A positive school ethos that celebrates success and is committed to inclusion
A commitment to your professional development
A well-planned and ambitious curriculum
Extensive outdoor learning environments
A committed and dedicated staff team working together to develop excellence and enjoyment
Welcoming staff, well-behaved children and supportive families
Visits to the schools are actively encouraged and warmly welcomed. Please telephone to make an appointment: 01494 527033
The benefits of joining The Downley School
The Downley School (TDS) is a great school to work at (Staff survey 2024) and over 90% of parents would recommend the school (Parent survey 2024).
Do NOT believe what you read in the March 2022 Ofsted report!
We are a much-changed school with new leadership, vision and direction. We are on a school development journey and would love for you to come and be an instrumental part to our improvement story and the next chapter for TDS.
Our curriculum offer is enhanced and enriched with the following facilities and resources:
- A bespoke Art and DT room that promotes our creative skills
- Food technology kitchen to refine our culinary skills
- An Imagination Studio that creates an immersive experience
- A drama teacher and costume cupboard to produce any given performance
- A Scandinavian yurt with log burner
- Private woods and nature areas including a pond
- Extensive fields for outdoor learning
- Well-resourced library
- Air conditioning throughout the school
- Coming soon...An additional all-weather playground, purpose indoor sport hall, and purpose dining area!
We support staff to perform at their best and progress in their careers:
- Leadership opportunities - we believe in all staff contributing to school improvement
- Excellent professional development - Experienced and talented staff both from within the school and the trust support in developing staff
- IT equipment provided
- Supportive staff that are working together and are proud of the changes they are making to this unique school
- Customisable planning completed for all curriculum
- A fun, friendly and sociable team
The benefits of joining the Oxford Dioceses Bucks Schools
The ODBST family consists of 13 primary schools across Buckinghamshire, and we are delighted you are considering joining our school for the next step in your career. Being part of a Trust, makes you part of the family and this comes with many opportunities from CPD training and networking to in-house support and career development.
We are committed to our staff and offer benefits which include:
Employee Assistance Programme with Schools Advisory Service - Through this programme, staff can access a wide range of support including a GP service, menopause support, counselling and mindfulness, chronic illness support, physiotherapy, fitness services and so much more!
Free flu vaccination vouchers
Free eye test for computer users
Cycle 2 Work Scheme
Pension Schemes for both Teaching and Support staff
Extensive CPD, Coaching, Apprenticeships and Mentoring opportunities in-house and external.
Full commitment to sustainable ways of working, green energy and reducing our Trust emissions to reach net zero by 2035.
The Downley School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. Post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures and a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced check. This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) Order 1975. The ODBST is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.
Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.
Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children
You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applying for the job
This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.
CVs are not accepted.
About The Downley School
- School type
- Academy, ages 4 to 11
- Education phase
- Primary
- School size
- 388 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- The Downley School website
School location
Similar jobs nearby
Quick Apply
Penn Wood Primary and Nursery School
Penn Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL2 1PH
SALT Teaching Assistant to the SEN Team
William Harding School
Hazlehurst Drive, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP21 9TJ
Specialist Teaching Assistants
William Harding School
Hazlehurst Drive, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP21 9TJ
Get a job alert when similar jobs are listed
Find more school jobs in High Wycombe and Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes