Learning Support Assistant with Swimming Responsibility - Level 4

Fairfields School, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN2 6JN

18 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  1st September 2025

• Closing date

  2 July 2025 at 5pm

• Date listed

  9 June 2025

Job details

• Job role:
  • Teaching assistant
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Subject: Special Education Needs (SEN)
• Working pattern: Part time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £19,637.61 - £20,936.36 Annually (Actual) £25992.00 - £27711.00 FTE

Learning Support Assistant with Swimming Responsibility - Level 4 job summary

Fairfields School is a community special school in Northampton for pupils aged 4 to 11 years. The school meets the needs of pupils who have significant, severe or profound learning difficulties and sensory impairments. Some of our children may have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Work with us and you will be part of an ambitious team who want to make a real difference.

To complement the professional work of teachers by taking responsibility for agreed learning activities under an agreed system of supervision. This may involve planning, preparing and delivering learning activities for individuals/groups or short term for whole classes and monitoring pupils and assessing, recording and reporting on pupils' achievements, progress and development.

Responsible for the management and development of a specialist area within the school.

Overall job purpose:

To lead the warm water swimming sessions within school. Supporting pupils who require a swimming session to support their physical development and/or the delivery of water confidence and water safety sessions for our Upper Key Stage 2 pupils. To ensure the safety of all pool users and bystanders by intervening to prevent accidents and responding to emergency situations.

Specific responsibilities related to swimming:

Provide poolside instruction or in pool instruction to develop children’s confidence in the water and learn how to be safe

Where appropriate demonstrate and instruct in stroke technique; water skills (treading water/use of floats]; diving; lifesaving skills

Prepare the lesson plans in line with medium term planning

Evaluate pupil performance and make brief notes

Clear away pool equipment at the end of each lesson

Carry out specific duties related to the pool e.g., pool testing (training to be provided)

Be a qualified lifeguard and first aider (training to be provided if needed).

To promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young persons for who you are responsible and with whom you come into contact.

To have read, understood and be aware of the latest Fairfields Pool Safety Operating Procedure and follow the guidance and procedures laid out in the Normal Operating Procedure and Emergency Action Plan.

To contribute to the annual report to parents by writing a summary of progress for pupils.

To supervise all swimmers and not allow them to enter the water until it is adequately supervised and safe to do so.

To safely set up and pack away equipment within sessions as necessary.

To communicate effectively with the Class teachers and senior leaders

On occasions, our school swimming sessions must be cancelled, for example due to low staff ratios, or pool maintenance. When this occurs, the expectation will be that swimming staff support children in the classroom.

Generic Level 4 responsibilities:

Support for pupils

• Assess the needs of pupils and use detailed knowledge and specialist skills to support pupils’ learning
• Take a lead role in managing and delivering pastoral support to pupils
• Undertake comprehensive assessments of pupils to determine those in need of particular help
• Establish productive working relationships with pupils, acting as a role model and setting high expectations
• Assist the teacher with the development and implementation of individual learning/behaviour/support/mentoring plans
• Arrange and develop 1:1 mentoring arrangements with pupils and provide support for identified pupils
• Promote the inclusion and acceptance of all pupils within the classroom
• Support pupils consistently whilst recognising and responding to their individual needs
• Encourage pupils to interact and work co-operatively with others and engage all pupils in activities
• Promote independence and employ strategies to recognise and reward achievement of self-reliance
• Challenge and motivate pupils, promote, and reinforce self-esteem
• Provide feedback to pupils in relation to progress, achievement, and behaviour
• Carry out medical procedures* (e.g., catheterisation and gastrostomy feeding) in accordance with NCC/NHS protocols and generally support the social development and welfare needs of individual pupils including the administration of medicines in accordance with school
• To care for a sick or injured child accompanying them to hospital and remaining with them until the parent arrives to ensure continuity of care

*Medical procedures will only be administered once member of staff is fully trained and signed off by health professional as being competent in identified medical procedures.

Support for teachers

• Organise and manage appropriate learning environment and resources
• Within an agreed system of supervision, plan challenging teaching and learning objectives to evaluate and adjust lessons/work plans as appropriate. (Work with other staff in planning, evaluating, and adjusting learning activities as appropriate)
• Support pupils’ access to learning using appropriate strategies, resources etc.
• Monitor and evaluate pupil responses to learning activities through a range of assessment and monitoring strategies against pre-determined learning objectives
• Provide objective and accurate feedback and reports as required on pupil achievement, progress, and other matters, ensuring the availability of appropriate evidence
• Record progress and achievement in lessons/activities systematically providing evidence of range and level of progress and attainment
• Take lead role in the development and implementation of appropriate behaviour management strategies
• Establish constructive relationships with parents/carers, exchanging information, facilitating their support for their child’s attendance, access and learning and supporting home to school and community links
• Administrative support e.g., dealing with correspondence, compilation/analysis/reporting on attendance, etc., making phone calls etc.

Support for the curriculum

• Deliver learning activities to pupils within agreed system of supervision, adjusting activities according to pupil responses/needs
• Implement agreed learning activities/teaching programmes, adjusting activities according to pupil responses/needs
• Use ICT effectively to support learning activities and develop pupils’ competence and independence in its use
• Select and prepare resources necessary to lead learning activities, taking account of pupils’ interests and language and cultural backgrounds
• Actively seek information and utilise the range of activities, courses, organisations, and individuals to provide support for pupils to broaden and enrich their learning
• Determine the need for, prepare and use specialist equipment, plans and resources to support pupils

Support for school

• Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure all pupils have equal access to opportunities to learn and develop
• Contribute to the overall ethos/work/aims of the school
• Establish constructive relationships and communicate with other agencies/professionals, in liaison with the teacher, to support achievement and progress of pupils
• Take the initiative as appropriate to develop appropriate multi-agency approaches to supporting pupils
• Attend and participate in regular meetings
• Participate in training and other learning activities as required
• Recognise own strengths and areas of specialist expertise and use these to lead, advise and support others
• Assist in the supervision, training, and development of staff

Supervise pupils and plan activities out of lesson times (for example at lunchtimes) to enhance service delivery and encourage structured and positive play

• Supervise pupils on visits, trips and out of school activities as required
• Liaise between mangers/teaching staff and teaching assistants
• Undertake recruitment/induction/appraisal/training/mentoring for other teaching assistants

Safeguarding

Fairfields School is committed to safeguarding the welfare of pupils. This post is subject to satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS check (will be completed once the job has been accepted, please refer to DBS code of practice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk),) and health clearance as well as the usual pre-employment checks. It is a criminal offence for an individual to apply to work in regulated activity if barred. Please see our Child Protection Policy here: Fairfields School : - Policy Documents. Appendix C of the Child Protection Policy includes the Recruitment and Selection Policy.

Equality

Fairfields school is committed ensuring and promoting equality of opportunity for all pupils, staff, job applicants, parents and carers; irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage & civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, belief, sex or sexual orientation and expects staff to share that commitment. We aim to create a supportive and inclusive working environment and welcome applications from all members of the community.

Please see our Equality Policy here: Fairfields School : - Policy Documents

GDPR

As part of the recruitment process, we will gather and use information relating to you, your “personal data”, including data that we obtain from you directly and indirectly from other organisations (your referees, educational establishments, professional bodies, Disclosure and Barring Service). This will include your name, address, contact details, employment history, qualifications, ethnic origin, sex, religion, criminal record, references etc. If you are successful, this will also include details on immigration status, identity documents, DBS, medical checks, and teacher status checks.

We will hold information relating to your application only for as long as necessary. If you are successful, then how long we need to hold on to any information will depend on type of information. Some of this will be held on the Single Central Record. If you are unsuccessful, we will hold the information for a period of six months before it is securely destroyed.

We will process your personal data during recruitment for the purpose of complying with legal obligations, carrying out tasks which are in the public interest, and taking steps with a view to entering into an employment contract with you including assessing your suitability for the role, checking your eligibility to work in the UK and with children and ensuring compliance with the Equality Act 2010.

We will not share information gathered during your application process with third parties, other than professional advisors such as legal as HR advisors.

Please also refer to our Data Protection Policy for further details on making requests for access to personal data.

How to Apply

To apply, please download and complete the application form and return to colemanv@fairfields.northants.sch.uk or alternatively drop it into the school office. Previous applicants need not apply. Canvassing any employee, or member of the Governing Body, directly or indirectly, is prohibited and will be considered a disqualification.

The recruitment process will consist of shortlisting, a formal interview panel and a task.

Contract: Permanent

Location: Fairfields School, Trinity Avenue, Northampton, NN2 6JN

Working Hours: 22.5 hours per week, 39 weeks per year. 3 days per week 8-4pm.

Salary Range: Grade E, Points 4-5 £24404-24790 FTE (Pro-rata £12764.65-12966.55)

Closing Date: 2nd July 2025 at 5pm

Interview Date: 9th July 2025

Start Date: September 2025

Commitment to safeguarding

Fairfields school is committed to safeguarding the welfare of pupils and ensuring equality of opportunity for all pupils, staff, parents and carers; irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage & civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, belief, sex or sexual orientation and expects staff to share that commitment. The post is subject to satisfactory references, enhanced DBS check & health clearance. Please see our Equality Policy and Child Protection Policy on our website. Appendix C of the Child Protection Policy includes the Recruitment and Selection Policy.

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.

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.

About Fairfields School

• School type: Special school, ages 3 to 11
• School size: 124 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 3 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Fairfields School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/fairfields-school

Are you ready for an adventure because Fairfields School has a great opportunity which could be perfect for you. Fairfields School is a community day special school for pupils aged 3 to 11 years. The school meets the needs of pupils who have severe or profound learning difficulties, with additional difficulties that may include physical difficulties, speech and language delay, sensory impairment and under developed social skills. Pupils may also have a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder. All pupils at Fairfields try their best to achieve throughout the school day, every day! The children are happy and have a real love for learning.

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