Teaching Assistant/ Special Needs Assistant

**About us**

Headstart School is an Independent special needs school which was established in 1999. It has a proven track record of success with learners on the Autistic Spectrum including those with complex needs. We have students from age 5 to 16 and also offer Post 16 courses up to the age of 21.

Headstart School has the benefit of two sites: both situated in the East Sussex countryside, one on the outskirts of the village of Ninfield and the other at Golden Cross, both with their own mini-farm, small animal and pet area and horticultural pods.

**Job Purpose**:
Our vision is for students who attend Headstart School is to experience ‘Positive Learning for Life’. The role of the SEN Teaching Assistant is vital to this vision and the progress of all students at the school. SEN Teaching Assistants at Headstart offer innovative support to learning for all of our students, many of whom have struggled in the mainstream system.

**Objectives**:

- To ensure all students are safe, happy and secure.
- To support teachers to ensure all students receive high quality learning experiences.
- To support teachers to ensure all students make good progress.
- To have responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
- To support students to achieve their personal targets.
- To undertake such duties as are delegated by the Teacher, Senior Leader, or Executive Headteacher.

**Duties and Responsibilities**

**Supporting Teaching and Learning**

The specific nature and balance of these responsibilities will vary according to the needs of the school and individual students. These may be undertaken alongside other colleagues.
- Understand the individual needs of all student with whom you work. Ensure that you have a clear understanding of each student’s profile, risk assessment and individual support plan before you work with them.
- To deliver planned learning effectively to ensure that students have the opportunity to achieve their individual targets.
- To use high quality strategies that keep students engaged through effective questioning, lively presentation and good use of resources.
- To monitor students’ learning, providing constructive feedback.
- To work as part of a team to maintain a safe and stimulating learning environment that supports learning and in which students feel secure, confident and able to take risks in their learning.
- Whilst taking account of the needs of individual students, set high expectations for students behaviour. Act to pre-empt and deal with inappropriate behaviour in line with the school’s Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policy.
- To use the proportionate intervention, as designated by current school policy, to support students with challenging behaviour.
- To log all incident of inappropriate behaviour using the school’s agreed system.
- To ensure that all students are correctly informed of health and safety issues when working with tools, specialist equipment or in the farm / land based areas.
- To Supervise a class if the teacher is temporarily unavailable.

**Whole-School Organisation, Strategy and Development**:

- To contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of the school’s policies, practices and procedures, so as to support the school’s vision and values
- To make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school
- To set a good example to students you support through your personal conduct and presentation.
- To take responsibility for you own professional development, including appraisal procedures.
- To attend training, in or out of school, as directed by the Senior Leadership Team or Executive Headteacher.
- To work effectively as a member of the school team, establishing and maintaining good relationships with colleagues, parents and students.
- To share the responsibility for the welfare, discipline and safety of all the students in the school, whether on site or engaged in authorized school activities elsewhere.

**Health, Safety, Discipline and Safeguarding**:

- To promote the safety and wellbeing of pupils
- To maintain good order and discipline among pupils, managing behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment
- Work in line with statutory safeguarding guidance (e.g. Keeping Children Safe in Education, Prevent) and our safeguarding and child protection policies
- Work with the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) to promote the best interests of pupils, including sharing concerns where necessary

**Professional responsibilities**:

- To take part in the school’s appraisal procedures
- To take part in further training and development in order to improve own teaching
- To take part in the appraisal and professional development of others, where appropriate
- To safeguard and promote the welfare of all young people at Headstart
- To complete all mandatory training to fulfil Headstart School’s statutory and regulatory obligations.
- To effectively communicate with pupils, parents and carers to the hig