Specialist Support Assistant

Job Description and Person Specification

Teaching Assistant

**Teaching Assistant Level 1**

**Special Educational Needs School**

**The Clare School**

**Grade **Scale D**

Responsible to the Headteacher or Support Staff Lead but works to and with a qualified teacher on a day to day basis.

**Job purpose**

Under the instruction/guidance of teaching or other senior staff and within the overall ethos of the school, undertake care and learning programmes and activities to support individuals or groups of pupils, including more specialised support for those with special education needs, enable access to learning for pupils and assist the teacher in the management of pupils and the classroom. Work may be carried out in the classroom or in other teaching areas

**Context**

Job family: Classroom and pastoral

**Other Job Information (e.g. any special factors or constraints)**

Liaise with teachers, other support, health and education specialists, parents, visitors and volunteers and appreciate/support their roles.

**Principal Accountabilities**

**Support to pupils**

1. To attend to the personal and social needs of pupils and any other special requirements depending on the nature of a pupil’s special needs and, wherever possible, making these part of the learning experience.

2. Under agreed school procedures and in line with statutory guidance on supporting pupils at school with medical conditions, to give first aid/medicine and accompany sick children home, or to a health centre or hospital as necessary, or assist with programmes of special care such as physiotherapy, hydrotherapy or speech therapy, under the direction of the appropriate specialist.

3. Supervise and provide particular support for pupils, including those with special needs, ensuring their safety and access to learning activities.

4. Assist with the development and implementation of Individual Education/Behaviour Plans and Personal Care programmes.

5. Promote inclusion and acceptance of pupils while encouraging constructive relationships within the classroom and with parents.

6. Provide feedback to pupils in relation to progress and achievement under the guidance of the teacher.

7. Assist with the planning of learning activities

8. Create and maintain a purposeful, orderly and supportive environment, in accordance with lesson plans and assist with the display of pupils’ work.

9. Use strategies, in liaison with the teacher, to support pupils to achieve learning goals.

10. Monitor pupils’ responses to learning activities and accurately record achievement/progress as directed and provide detailed and regular feedback to teachers on pupils’ achievement, progress, problems, etc.

11. Promote good pupil behaviour, dealing promptly with conflict and incidents in line with established policy and encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour.

12. Administer routine tests and invigilate exams and undertake routine marking of pupils’ work and provide clerical/admin support, e.g. photocopying, typing, filing, money and administer coursework.

**Support for the curriculum**

13. Undertake structured and agreed learning activities/teaching programmes, adjusting activities according to pupil responses, including undertaking literacy and numeracy programmes, recording achievement and progress and feeding back to the teacher.

14. Prepare, maintain and use equipment/resources required to meet the lesson plans/relevant learning activity and assist pupils in their use, including supporting the use of ICT in learning activities and developing pupils’ competence in its use.

**Support for the school**

15. Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.

16. Be aware of and support difference and ensure all pupils have equal access to opportunities to learn and develop.

17. Attend and participate in relevant meetings as required and participate in training and other learning activities and performance development as required.

18. Assist with the supervision of pupils out of lesson times, including before and after school and accompany teaching staff and pupils on visits, trips and out of school activities as required and take responsibility for a group under the supervision of the teacher.

19. Undertake other similar activities that may fall within the grade and scope of the post as directed by the Headteacher.

**Person specification**

**Qualifications - Essential**
- Good numeracy/literacy skills;
- Completion of DfES Teacher Assistant Induction Programme;
- NVQ 2 or equivalent in teaching assistant;
- Training in the literacy/numeracy strategy;
Desirable - First Aid training/training in specific medical procedures

**Experience - Essential**
- Working with or caring for children of relevant age.

**Skills/knowledge - Essential**
- Effective use of ICT to support learning;
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