HLTA (Special School)

Oakfield Park School, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF7 7DT

4 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  As soon as possible

• Closing date

  28 September 2025 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  8 September 2025

Job details

• Job role:
  • HLTA (higher level teaching assistant)
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time: Monday - Friday 30 hours 25 minutes. Term time plus inset days.
• Contract type: Permanent
• Pay scale: Grade 6 unqualified / Grade 7 qualified

What skills and experience we're looking for

SEN HLTA required:

We are looking for a committed and compassionate Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) to join our dedicated team at Oakfield Park School an Outstanding specialist school for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

It is essential that the successful candidate is:-

· Committed to providing children who have severe and complex learning difficulties with the best possible educational opportunities. This will include students with profound and multiple needs, autism and/or behaviours of concern.

· Enthusiastic to work alongside the teacher to contribute to supporting and implementing learning programmes to meet the pupils’ needs.

· Able to demonstrate a willingness to contribute constructively to our whole school aims and values.

· Committed to the school’s safeguarding practices and policies.

· Confident enough to be able to work independently and to use their initiative in order to provide the best outcomes for students who may display a wide range of emotionally and/or physically challenging needs.

· Willing to undertake a process of self-evaluation resulting in a commitment to partake in appropriate training.

· Prepared to be flexible and to work in a wide range of settings within school.

· Able to plan and deliver sessions to a range of classes across the school.

· Able to work collaboratively with teachers and therapists to implement personalised education and support plans.

· Committed to use strategies to promote independence, emotional regulation, and communication skills.

· Abie to provide tailored support to pupils with additional needs, ensuring their safety, engagement, and progress.

· Abie to foster a positive, inclusive, and nurturing classroom environment.

· Confident to cover classes for teacher PPA, ensuring continuity of learning.

The following would be beneficial but are not essential as training can be provided:

· Holds HLTA status (or is working towards this).

· Experience of working within the SEN field.

· Relevant qualifications including Team Teach or Moving and Handling accreditation.

· Some experience of using a recognised form of sign language.

What the school offers its staff

We are dedicated to providing a safe learning environment for all of our students as well as ensuring the well-being of our staff. We offer a wide range of training and in-house CPD to support staff to up-skill and meet the needs of all our learners. We also aim to support staff where possible to pursue further external qualifications.

We have a team of over 130 staff supported as part of smaller class teams. Our three Assistant Headtheachers provide in and out of class training to all staff within their Key Stage and are available throughout the school day to advise and support.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Oakfield Park is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our students and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The Governing Body has a duty of care to students and all members of the school community. There is a comprehensive Safeguarding policy in place which, along with a policy for Health and Safety, is regularly reviewed by the Governing Body.

Our Safeguarding policy can be found on the school website under the Policies section and is also available upon request from the school office.

Applying for the job

This job requires you to download an application form, you will be able to upload the application once complete.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

Upload additional documents

If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.

HLTA Job Desc.doc - 113 KB (opens in new tab)

About Oakfield Park School

• School type: Special school, ages 11 to 19
• School size: 162 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 19
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Oakfield Park School website
• Email address: Recruitment@oakfieldpark.wakefield.sch.uk
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/oakfield-park-school

Oakfield Park School is a Local Authority maintained school situated in the pleasant village of Ackworth, near Pontefract. We provide a high level of specialised education for young people aged 11 to 19 years who have severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties. Many of our pupils have additional complex needs including ASDs, sensory impairment, challenging behaviour and physical difficulties. We provide high-quality specialist resources across the school, including a hydrotherapy pool, a sensory room, activity and soft play area, a food tech room, and a variety of outdoor resources.

We aim for all our students to develop a ‘voice’, to be as independent, social, and healthy as possible, enabling them to become citizens who engage positively with society while leading happy and fulfilled lives.

In October 2019 we received our second consecutive Ofsted judgement of “Outstanding”. The inspectors found that:

• The quality of education at Oakfield Park is outstanding.
• Oakfield Park is a remarkably friendly and welcoming school.
• Pupils work hard and achieve highly at Oakfield Park.
• Pupils say they love coming to school
• They (pupils) feel happy and safe because they know that adults care about them.
• By the time students leave school, they are exceedingly well prepared for adult life.
• Sixth form students get precisely the right support to help them to get ready for when they leave school.
• [There are] exceptionally strong relationships between pupils and staff

Pupils attend from across the Wakefield Metropolitan District. The school is well equipped providing excellent accommodation for pupils with disabilities including those with physical and complex needs. It is a single-storey construction allowing access for wheelchairs. We have:

- A heated hydrotherapy pool which is used by school pupils and hired out for community use.
- Activity soft play room
- Sensory Room
- ICT Suite
- Specialist Food Technology Room
- Independent Living flat
- Adventure playground
- Horticulture area including a large poly-tunnel
- Sensory garden
- Large wildlife area
- Spacious playing fields
- Well resourced specialist classrooms
- 3 adapted minibuses and a people carrier

Our Aims

We are a school which provides a centre of excellence through:

• Working in partnership with parents, families, staff, governors and other professionals to ensure the right of every person who has special educational needs to access the quality of education to which they are entitled.
• A shared commitment to building on knowledge and skills to develop independence in preparation for lifelong learning.
• Having high expectations of pupil standards, achievements and behaviour.
• Ensuring the care, safety and welfare of all of its pupils.
• Valuing every member of the school community.
• Providing a highly trained, professional staff team who are committed to delivering quality learning experiences that are challenging and rewarding.
• Celebrating progress, success and achievement through building on ability rather than disability.
• Being inclusive and promoting equal opportunity for all.

“All Different, All Valued, All Equal”

Arranging a visit to Oakfield Park School

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email Recruitment@oakfieldpark.wakefield.sch.uk.

School location

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