Teaching Assistant

**Full Job Description**:
**_How would you like to be paid for five days but only work four*?_**

**_ Our colleagues’ wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do at OFG, so we’re always looking for new ways to improve everyone’s work/life balance. We’re taking part in a trial of the 4-Day Working Week, meaning that you could be working one day less a week (or equivalent)._**

**_ 4DWW will be rolled out within our school, when we have a full complement of staff, and within the next year - so there’s never been a more exciting time to join us #teamOFG_**

**Visits to Underley Garden School are Welcome to all applicants**

**Job title: Teaching Assistant**

**Location: Underley Garden School, Kirkby Lonsdale**

**Salary: £22,835.20 per annum**

**Hours: 40 Hours Per Week, Monday to Friday**

**Contract: Permanent, Term Time Only**

**UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.**

As part of our continued growth, we now have a fantastic opportunity for a Teaching Assistant to join our close-knit team at Underley Garden School, part of Options Autism.

**About Us**

Underley Garden School is a large school with small class sizes, focusing on pupils and young people, aged 5-19, who have a range of complex needs associated with autism and learning disabilities, including complex communication, sensory and behavioural needs associated with their disabilities. At Underley Garden, we aim to make a positive difference to the personal, social and learning lives of the people entrusted to our care.

Our School adopts a holistic, person-centred approach to the development of our young people and endeavours to ensure that they achieve as high a standard as possible. We offer a comprehensive portfolio of education, care and therapy to meet the individual requirements of young people with complex special educational needs.

Underley Garden School is located near the market town of Kirkby Lonsdale on the edge of the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales in a commutable distance of Lancaster, Cumbria and surrounding areas.

For over 16 years Options Autism have provided care and education to pupils, young people and adults with autism, complex needs and learning difficulties. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in setting and delivering new approaches that provide measurable outcomes for those in our care.

We are really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.

**The opportunity**

Enjoy a rewarding education career and have a real impact on pupils and young people’s lives. Join an amazing team creating supportive, nurturing environments where our pupils achieve far more than they ever expected.

As a Teaching Assistant, you will connect directly with the brilliant pupils and young people we care for, helping to make sure they get the very best from their education. Each individual has a diagnosis of Autism and may have additional needs. They have so much potential, and they will rely on you to guide their learning journeys bespoke to them.

You will help prepare learning materials and run classroom activities, with plenty of hands-on experience and some supervision too. You will take responsibility for their emotional and physical needs, supporting them to develop as individuals and engage with the world.

Every day will be different, but you will have all the support you need, with lots of skills and experience to draw on along with valuable advice and guidance too.

**Who we are looking for**

We are looking for passionate staff who want to support pupils with a variety of complex needs such as Autism, SEMH, ADHD, Non-Verbal and Pre-Verbal and Communicational difficulties and more. You will be required as a part of your role to undertake personal care duties to support our students.

You will be adaptable and ready to work in a variety of classroom roles, both indoors and outside according to individual need. Taking a responsive and caring approach, you may be running classroom activities, leading outdoor experiences or supervising pupils as they explore further afield.

**Why join Options Autism?**

**Benefits**

**Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including**:

- Life Assurance
- Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
- “Your Wellbeing Matters” - access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks

**And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including**:

- A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
- 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
- Cycle to Work Schemes
- Electric Car Purchase Scheme
- Critical illness cover
- Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, alo