Teaching Assistant
Highfield School, Ossett, West Yorkshire, WF5 9BS16 days remaining to apply
Start date details
As soon as possible
Closing date
22 April 2025 at 3pm
Date listed
5 April 2025
Job details
Job role
- Teaching assistant
Visa sponsorship
- Visas cannot be sponsored
Key stage
- Key stage 3, Key stage 4
Working pattern
- Full time: Monday to Friday 0845-1530 Term time plus 5 inset days
Contract type
- Permanent
Full-time equivalent salary
- between £18,565 and £19,787
Pay scale
- grade 5
What skills and experience we're looking for
Qualifications
- Essential
o Qualified Support Work in Schools (S.W.I.S.) Level 2 or willing to undertake
o GCSE English & Maths Grade C or above, or equivalent (e.g. Level 2 Numeracy/ Literacy)
- Desirable
o Qualifications specific to SEND (e.g. Makaton, PECs, ASC)
o Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools Level 3
Knowledge
- Essential
o Appropriate knowledge of working with students with SEND, specific strategies and learning support contribute towards reports, assessment, curriculum and safeguarding.
- Desirable
o Use of Technology e.g. ICT.
o Child Protection issues
o Health, Safety & Security issues.
o Data Protection issues
Experience
- Experience of working with pupils with SEND.
Competencies and other skills required
- The ability to relate well with children with special educational needs
- The ability to work with adults.
- The ability to work as a member of a team.
What the school offers its staff
In return we can offer:
- Fantastic students who are positive, keen to learn and progress
- A dedicated and skilled workforce, committed to making a difference
- A school with high aspirations and a strong commitment to professional development where every person is valued
- An excellent CPD opportunities
- Staff wellbeing service including physiotherapy, mindfulness, counselling, weight management, chronic illness support, menopause support, GP consultations, private medical operations, stress awareness sessions.
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
Please download the application form using the link below, and once completed send to psayle@highfield.wakefield.sch.uk
CVs are not accepted.
Additional documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Highfield School
- School type
- Special school, ages 11 to 19
- School size
- 203 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 11 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report
- School website
- Highfield School website
- Email address
- psayle@highfield.wakefield.sch.uk
We are a local maintained school providing education for pupils with severe learning needs. Our pupils come from all over the Wakefield area and some from further afield, to benefit from our specialised teaching, excellent pastoral care and the wide range of specialist support services and interventions we provide through our curriculum offer.
Our ambition is to ensure that every pupil is well prepared for the next stage of their education and for adult life, be that finding meaningful employment, continued education, supported or independent living.
At Highfield school we provide a student-centred curriculum, delivered in an inclusive environment. Students develop their communication, independence and social skills to make good or better personal progress towards their EHCP outcomes. We prepare them for the responsibilities and experiences of adult life, building resilience opportunities throughout the curriculum.
Our school vision statement ‘maximising potential for confident and independent futures,’ is embedded through our six-strand curriculum across four pathways in year 7 to 11. These are, semi-formal, formal and blended and SCERTS. The SCERTS curriculum pathway introduced in September 2022, which is a comprehensive intervention model for students with autism and their families. In Post 16 we have three pathways which are, Moving on, Futures and City Futures, which was introduced in September 2022.
Highfield is a school which caters for students with severe and complex learning difficulties and autistic spectrum conditions. A significant number of our learners have associated complex needs relating to visual, hearing and speech impairment, social and emotional difficulties, communication difficulties, a range of chromosomal difficulties and in some cases, physical difficulties.
The development of our fantastic green field site has seen the inclusion of a purpose built Post 16 facility, a sensory room, a library, a fitness suite and the refurbishment of the main entrance, administration office spaces and our Emotional Health and Well- being area. We also have a wide range of outdoor facilities including a wildlife area which supports our Forest School status, a poly tunnel for horticulture, Animal Unit and well maintained sports facilities that contribute to the positive learning experiences of our students. Visitors to our school comment very positively on the warm welcome they receive and the quality of the provision, as well as the outstanding attitudes and behaviour of our fantastic students, of whom we are very proud.
We have a large, well-qualified and committed staff group who work very effectively in teams. All staff members are well supported through supportive appraisal processes to improve their practice and are encouraged to develop professionally. There are clear progression pathways identifiable within the school.
The school has grown significantly during the past five years and has made substantial changes to its model of leadership and curriculum in order to better meet the needs of our pupils. Our most recent Ofsted, November 2023, found that the school was Good overall with outstanding personal development, behaviour and welfare.
Arranging a visit to Highfield School
To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email psayle@highfield.wakefield.sch.uk.
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