Student Support Assistant

**Ready to provide student support at Springfield, Supportive Learning and Foundation into Vocation?**

An exciting opportunity has arisen at Oaklands for Student Support Assistants to provide academic and holistic support to young adults (aged 16-24), all of whom have disabilities, learning difficulties and complex support requirements.

The Oaklands Education group is a vibrant and diverse learning centred community, providing transformational education for over 100 years. Oaklands is more than just a College and is well positioned to be internationally known, nationally recognised, regionally relevant, and locally significant.

Oaklands College has a proud heritage of providing responsive, transformational education. We opened our doors to men and women in 1921. We have provided our students with the knowledge and skills to achieve their individual ambitions and make a valuable contribution to their communities. The College is developing in a transformational way, and we are seeking a number of Student Support Assistants to play a vital role in our Journey.

We are looking for passionate Student Support Assistants to join our team and play a crucial role in providing academic and holistic support to young adults making education inclusive to all. In this position, you will present concepts and information clearly, and appropriately, to meet the needs of individual students’ ability to work effectively, ensure that students are actively working towards SMART targets derived from outcomes stated on their EHCP and support students with complex behaviours in working towards reducing occurrence of these behaviours and developing an ability to “self-regulate” their own emotional state.You will also be responsible in supporting students in developing independent living skills in the community whilst demonstrating an understanding of their specific needs, considering them as a unique individual at all times

You should be proficient in Microsoft Office and capable of managing multiple priorities effectively. Previous experience of this is essential, along with a commitment to providing a high-quality of working with adults with disabilities and or/learning difficulties.

We want you to love coming to work, feeling healthy, happy and valued. That's why we've developed a benefits package with you in mind. We have fantastic benefits like a free on site gym in St Albans, private healthcare options, a cycle to work scheme and financial wellbeing support. We take care of what's important to you.

Oaklands is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to helping find great work opportunities for great people.

**Your Day-to-Day Impact** at**:
**Springfield**
- All students have 1:1 support at all times
- Students are working at, or towards, pre-entry milestones.
- Students may present with more complex behavioural or medical needs (in comparison to Supported Learning). Staff may be responsible for administering medication and carrying it on behalf of the student(s).
- Students may present with a high degree of personal care need. Many students are non-ambulant and/or non-verbal and benefit from a sensory/intensive interaction-based programme of learning.
- Students may be grouped according to their diagnosis or support needs (for example, within the Focus classes, where all students have a diagnosis of autism)
- Students are working towards very differentiated, specific targets, based on their own needs, with a view to increased independence (including work and voluntary placements) in the future where this is a realistic outcome.
- Students may present with a higher degree of difficult or challenging behaviours on occasion.

**Supportive Learning**
- 65% of students have 1:1 support; others have a lower level of support.
- Students are working at or towards entry levels 1, 2, and 3.
- Students are working towards targets based around living and working more independently in the future.
- Students may undertake accredited qualifications in mathematics, literacy, ICT, art, and life skills.
- Students may not be grouped according to their diagnosis or support needs. Instead, students may be grouped according to their working academic level (for example, a class of students whom are all working at entry level two) so that they can support each other with group tasks.
- Some students may present with a high degree of difficult behaviour(s) on occasion.

**Foundation into Vocation**
- Students are working towards Entry level 3, and GCSE levels.
- Students will be working towards improving their life skills, including becoming more independent.
- Students will be predominately grouped according to their social skills and appropriate peer groups to help them develop meaningful friendships.
- Most students will struggle with mental health, low self esteem and low confidence, so require a soft and nurturing approach.
- Some students may present with a degree of difficult behaviour(s) on occasion. Some students