Job description
A special school in Leeds are currently seeking LSA's (Learning Support Assistants) to join their team. These roles are full time and part time and will be day to day the first instance, you will be required until July 2019. Following this period, there will be an opportunity to apply for a permanent position in school.
Our client is a 98 place school that supports pupils aged 3-19 with diagnosis of ASC, SLD and PMLD. Facilities in the school include a hydrotherapy pool, a range of outdoor play areas, a sensory garden, two multisensory rooms and soft play areas. All staff are passionate about providing a vibrant and exciting curriculum with independence, life skills, communication and physical development as common threads across all areas.
You will join a large staff team with a vast amount of experience of working with children and young people with learning difficulties. As well as teaching staff the school offers an onsite School Nurse, Physio team, Speech and Language Team, Counselling team, Outreach programme and Occupational Therapy and sensory integration.
As a Learning Support Assistant, your duties will include:
- Supporting teachers to provide an inclusive and engaging learning atmosphere that promotes social development, communication and independence
- Attending to the physical needs of students as required such as, feeding, toileting, changing and hand washing
- Developing good professional relationships with students and other staff members
- Attending regular staff and pupil progress meetings
- Undertaking activities with groups of students during lunchtime clubs e.g. football, outdoor play, magazine club, art club, sensory story club
- Becoming familiar with all aids and equipment used in school after relevant training, including the use of hoists to move pupils, and to be able to use the equipment safely and in a way which maintains the dignity of the students.
- Responsibility for implementing statutory and local authority policies and procedures relating to standards of Education, Health and Safety and Care and to carry out those procedures competently e.g. accident, fire, child protection
- Being actively involved in promoting and supporting inclusive experiences for all pupils both inside and outside of school
The successful candidate will have:
- A positive approach to working with children and the ability to motivate, inspire and build rapport
- A strong regard for pupil safety and well-being
- Respect for diversity, as you'll be working with pupils from a range of backgrounds
- Interpersonal skills to build relationships with pupils, parents, teachers and governors
- Excellent team working skills as you'll be working with other support staff, classroom teachers and other professionals, such as educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, social workers and external agencies
- Creative ability
- Patience
- A professional attitude to work
- A willingness to keep up to date with educational policy and training related to your role.
Additional training or qualifications in related areas such as childcare, nursery, play or youth work is also desirable