Occupational Therapist
Alfriston School, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, HP9 2TS28 days remaining to apply
Job start date
1 September 2024
Closing date
3 June 2024 at 12pm (midday)
Date listed
23 April 2024
Job details
Job role
- Pastoral, health and welfare
- Other support roles
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Working pattern
- Part time, term time: 15 Hours Per Week
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- Bucks Pay Range 7-8 ISN 36-45 (£39,646 - £49,593) Pro Rata
What skills and experience we're looking for
Role: Occupational Therapist
Salary: Bucks Pay Range 7-8 ISN 36-45 (£39,646 - £49,593) Pro Rata
Contract Type: Permanent, Term Time Only (39 Weeks)
Hours: 15 Hours Per Week
Start Date: 1st September 2024
Alfriston School is an outstanding Special School with Academy status for girls aged 11-19 with Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) alongside Speech and Language Difficulties. We are committed to ensure that all our pupils become the best that they can be, and they can enjoy and achieve in all that they do. Our staff have a strong sense of commitment and use their excellent subject knowledge to provide interesting and creative lessons in which all pupils learn well. They have high expectations of their pupils and develop good supportive relationships and a positive learning atmosphere where the girls can thrive.
Our aim is to provide pupils not just with a body of knowledge but with the skills required for a lifetime of learning, to prepare pupils for integration into the wider community, able to enjoy and participate in life as contributing adults. Alfriston provides a holistic environment that recognises the need of the individual in order to secure the best outcomes for adulthood. Our ethos is routed in Learning for Living covering key areas of: Engagement, Organisation, Independence, Risk Taking, Resilience and Social Interaction.
We are looking for an experienced highly motivated and committed Occupational Therapist to join a friendly, hard-working team, supporting pupils to improve or maintain skills for day-to-day activities and wellbeing. The ideal candidate will be a qualified Occupational Therapist with extensive experience providing therapy to children with communication, motor, and sensory needs within a school setting.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced practitioner to further their experience and contribute to the health and welfare at the school. The role demands exceptional people skills, and attention to detail together with energy and enthusiasm and the willingness to go the extra mile while providing extensive therapy to children with communication, motor, and sensory needs within a school setting.
To Apply: Please visit our website www.alfristonschool.com to download and complete the application form, please send a supporting cover letter with your application.
All applications are to be sent via email to recruit@alfristonschool.com for the attention of Mrs Ellie Davison. If you would like to make an informal visit please also contact Mrs Ellie Davison who will be delighted to arrange this for you.
Closing Date for Applications: Monday 3rd June 2024 at 12.00 Noon
Interview Date: Wednesday 5th June 2024
What the school offers its staff
Alfriston School is based in Beaconsfield. The school benefits from outstanding modern facilities, all of our classrooms are fully equipped with interactive screens and access to class sets of laptops or iPads. All teachers are provided with a laptop that is renewed every three years. The school enjoys a recently modernised performing arts and music facilities that include the use of a dance studio, sound/recording studio and performance space, along with our exceptional sports facilities that caters for a range of indoor and outdoor activities including mountain biking, trampolining, cycling, football and many others. The school also enjoys use of its spacious swimming pool designed by a bespoke architect, as part of an upgrade of the sports facilities at Alfriston, the architects developed a concertina-like roof structure that echoes the shape of the pitched roofs on other buildings in the area causing minimal sound reverberation which is beneficial for the use of our students with their Special Educational Needs.
Staff often remark that Alfriston it is a great place to work. Staff retention is high which we think reflects the supportive and friendly environment in which we work. Our pupils are inspirational and full of potential. Staff feel they are people “You just want to be with!”
Having been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in July 2013 it was noted “The excellent personal and academic opportunities offered ensure that the school makes a huge difference to the lives of students. As a result, all groups achieve outstandingly well from their individual starting points.”
The school culture of teamwork and aspiration is reflected in the report where it states “The headteacher has a very ambitious vision for the school. Senior leaders and managers place a significant focus on improving staff performance through regular high-quality training and checks on their work. The governing body makes an excellent contribution to the school’s effectiveness and work tirelessly to raise achievement through its regular visits to check teaching and learning.”
Alfriston offers a wide and diverse range of professional development opportunities for staff, including the opportunity to train with Astra School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT), a local Ofsted-outstanding school-centred teacher training provider.
Alfriston School also offers staff:
- A friendly working environment
- Supportive and caring colleagues
- Excellent opportunities for professional development
- Onsite parking
- Transport links (Chiltern Line and close to the M40)
- Discount on hire of selected school facilities
- Close to local amenities
Further details about the role
Essential Qualifications
- Current Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registration
- Professional Qualification in Occupational Therapy - BSc degree or Equivalent.
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable Qualifications
- Member of Royal College of Occupational Therapy
- Member of a relevant Royal College of Occupational Therapy Specialist Group section
Essential Experience
- Working with children/adolescents with additional needs (educational, social, emotional or mental health)
- Working with parents / families who need support
- Working with a range of professionals and agencies
Essential Knowledge and Skills
- To operate as a practitioner with knowledge of SEN and associated mental health difficulties to ensure that individual occupational needs are identified.
- To have a broad understanding of Occupational Therapy models and approaches across the spectrum of health conditions, to include physical and mental health.
- To have a baseline knowledge of the Occupational therapy clinical evidence base, assessment and intervention approaches specific to the people we support, which can be developed through time in post.
- Evidence of ability to problem solve and make effective use of clinical supervision and informal support from more senior practitioners to bring about learning and effective outcomes for clinical intervention.
- To develop the skills and knowledge of approaches to support people through situations where there may be high levels of distress, where they may require complex reasoning to solve crisis situations or fluctuations in health needs.
- To have experience of making best use of clinical supervision and take a lead role within your own access to and positive use of the supervision process to bring about professional development and learning.
- Ability to communicate information to a broad range of individuals in a sensitive, appropriate manner.
- Demonstrate the values and beliefs through daily practice that reflect the core Occupational Therapy philosophy.
- Ability to develop and maintain strong and positive relationships whilst maintaining clear role, ethical and professional boundaries.
- Have attention to detail in order to ensure safeguarding and medical records are accurate
- Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, families and agencies.
Commitment to safeguarding
This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children which will be reflected throughout recruitment. The selected candidate will be required to provide suitable references and undergo an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before taking up the post.
Applying for the job
Please download the application form using the link below, and once completed send to recruit@alfristonschool.com
Upload additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Alfriston School
- School type
- Academy, ages 11 to 18
- School size
- 155 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report (opens in new tab)
- School website
- Alfriston School website (opens in new tab)
- Email address
- recruit@alfristonchool.com
- Phone number
- 01494 673740
Alfriston is an outstanding Special School with Academy status for girls aged 11-19 with moderate learning difficulties and speech and language and communication difficulties. We currently have 155 girls on roll. All the pupils have an Education Health Care Plan and are taught in small groups and with additional support. Our staff are specialist subject teachers and are experienced in working with a range of special needs and abilities.
Pupils attend Alfriston from all over Buckinghamshire and some neighbouring counties. We also have weekly boarding provision for 20 pupils.
We consider the staff team as our most valuable resource. Training and development is a high priority in the school. There is also personal support given to staff to manage the diverse and challenging work needed to support pupils with significant special needs. At present there are 70 staff employed at the school working in the teaching, support, residential and administrative teams. We are proud of the excellent standard of education provided at Alfriston.
Arranging a visit to Alfriston School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email recruit@alfristonchool.com.
School location
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