Learning Support Assistant

Job Description

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Learning Support Assistant

Hours:14 hours per week

Start date: January 2025

Band: 2 point 3

Salary: £24,733 full time equivalent including fringe allowance (pro-rata).

Actual salary: £7,951.26

Closing date: Thursday 12th December 2024, midnight

Interview date: Thursday 19th December 2024

The Wickford Church of England School are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic, caring and flexible Learning Support Assistant to join our friendly and hard-working team.

The successful candidate must:

be educated to NVQ level 2 in learning/support/early years, NNEB or equivalent qualification/experience
have a minimum qualification of English and Maths at GCSE level C or above (or equivalent)
have experience of working with children, ideally in a school setting
put the needs of our children at the forefront of all you do
demonstrate patience, calmness and flexibility at all times
have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to relate well to children, parents and other adults
have a passion for developing individual learning and encouraging pupils to achieve their best
be a team player
have some knowledge of strategies to support behaviour

For an informal discussion or to arrange a visit, please contact Nathan Haisman-Baker, School Business Manager: wickfordcofe.admin@heartsacademy.uk or 01268 733297

For all vacancies at HEARTS Academy Trust please visit our website: https://heartsacademytrust.co.uk/careers/vacancies/

How to apply

It is very important that the HEARTS application form is completed in full, particularly section F which refers to references. We must have the full contact details of two referees, including their name, address, telephone number and email address.

Please note that we will write to the Headteacher for all education references. Incomplete application forms will not be considered.

CVs are not accepted.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the closing date should we have enough suitable applications, therefore we advise applying early.

HEARTS Academy Trust is an equal opportunities employer and will not discriminate against any applicant on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race. For this reason, all application forms are anonymised before shortlisting takes place to ensure applicants are considered only on the relevant qualifications, skills and experience that are profiled on the application form and personal statement.

If you would like any support or assistance at any stage of your application process, please contact recruitment@heartsacademy.uk / 01268 572672. We will be happy to discuss this with you.

Why choose HEARTS Academy Trust as your new employer?

The HEARTS way of working is based on our values of happiness, self-esteem, achievement, respect and responsibility, truth and service, all of which are embedded within each of our schools.

HEARTS Academy Trust offers a comprehensive rewards and benefits package to all colleagues, including but not limited to:

Pension schemes (LGPS/TPS)
Professional development opportunities
Access to our trust Counsellor
Access to our Mental Health First Aid team
Additional week's leave during October
Excellent CPD opportunities with purposeful training, including trust-wide twilights
Supportive leadership and opportunities to collaborate across the trust
On request, and if appropriate, flexible working

HEARTS Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to the receipt of a satisfactory application form, satisfactory references that meet the requirements as set out in KCSIE, satisfactory online search and an Enhanced DBS check, to include a children's barred list check, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020). This means that certain convictions and cautions are considered 'protected' and do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account.

Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974

All applicants can view a copy of our Records Retention Policy on the Trust website, the policy sets out how we will gather, process and hold personal data of individuals during and after the recruitment process.

For further information about the HEARTS Academy Trust please visit our website at: http://www.heartsacademytrust.co.uk

Information about the School

The Wickford Church of England School is a small, friendly school, close to good transport links. Our school is a place where children can thrive in a safe and nurturing environment. The school provides education for children from the ages of 2-7 in the local area. As a team, we aim to create a respectful, caring and secure place for children to explore, learn and be happy together.

As a distinctively Christian school, spirituality is at the heart of all we do and we are supported in doing this by the close links we have with the Wickford and Runwell Diocese. HEARTS is an acronym inspired by our vision of Happiness, self-Esteem, Achievement, Respect and Responsibility, Trust, Service and Spirituality for all pupils.

The Wickford Church of England School is part of the HEARTS Academy Trust, a trust of local schools that has the values of happiness, achievement, self-esteem, respect & responsibility, truth, spirituality & service. The trust is truly innovative and rewards outstanding staff for outstanding outcomes. The school calendar consists of 184 contact time with pupils, 5 non-pupil days and the equivalent of 6 days of high quality continuous professional development.

The Trustees are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The post will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, online searches, medical check, prohibited from teaching check and references. References are taken up prior to interview. A copy of the trusts Child Protection Policy is available on our website:- https://www.heartsacademytrust.co.uk/policies

We can offer you:

an excellent CPD entitlement with purposeful training, including trust-wide twilights throughout the year
a two-week October half-term
supportive colleagues who want to provide the best possible opportunities for their pupils
a highly effective learning environment
a responsive and involved leadership team
the HEARTS four-day face-to-face teaching week model whereby all teachers in the trust receive 20% non-contact time. This goes above and beyond the national entitlement of 10% PPA.
a school with a highly positive culture that supports all staff; mental health, workload and wellbeing are at the forefront of our vision and values
access to our school counsellor and network of Mental Health and Wellbeing champions

For further information about HEARTS, including policies and procedures, please refer to our website www.heartsacademytrust.co.uk

All appointments are subject to safer recruitment requirements to ensure the safeguarding of children and young people. All positions will involve appropriate checks and clearances.