Office Assistant

Join our talented multi-disciplinary college team as a Learning Support Assistant in North London. Come and support our students aged 16 - 25 with learning differences, with their learning, work experience, personal growth and independence.  

We specialise in horticulture, retail and general employability skills. You will support our students to participate fully at the Harington Scheme’s training centres in Highgate and Hornsey or on work experience. There will also be opportunities to support with enrichment, mentoring and group activities.  We promote high standards of welfare, self-care and independent living skills for the individuals we support.  
  
About you  
  
We are looking for someone with excellent verbal and written communication skills, along with patience and understanding to work with students to give them maximum choice and independence. You must have previous experience working with learners with learning disabilities, ideally within a classroom setting. 

You should have literacy and numeracy skills with at least grade 4 in GCSE Maths & English.   

You may also be a keen gardener, have experience in retail or experience of supporting people into employment. 

About us  

Harington is an Ofsted regulated specialist college based in north London, working with young people with learning differences aged 16-25. Our students undertake individualised learning programmes that lead to vocational qualifications and other aims, including gardening, retail, English, maths, employability and independent living.  We also deliver a supported internship programme.   

Our charity's learning centres in Highgate and Hornsey alongside our charity's gardening business and two charity shops, provide a unique opportunity for students to practically apply their learning on work experience placements. We also work with other employers to provide opportunities in other settings to meet the aspirations of our students.  

Our larger Highgate training centre is located in beautiful grounds, with a 1.8 acre horticulture site where we grow vegetables and flowers to sell at local markets. 

Our benefits  

If you are looking for flexibility in a role to fit around your other life commitments this could be for you. We are looking for someone that can work between 3 or 4 days a week. These can be flexible. This is a term-time only role with shorter days which run from 8.45am - 4.15pm apart from Wednesdays, when we finish at 5pm. (Please see our website for the exact term dates). 
  
In addition to excellent staff training, our employees are also rewarded with various other benefits offered as part of your employment: 

• Opportunity to pursue recognised qualifications and training  

• Confidential employee assistance programme  

• Cycle to Work Scheme  

• Fully paid for DBS  

• Contributory pension scheme   

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion  

We value diversity and positively welcome applications from all backgrounds. This will help ensure our workforce better reflects the diverse wider community we support.   

Safeguarding   

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing and safety of our students and our staff.  We expect everybody working for the Harington to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be required to undertake an enhanced disclosure through the Disclosure and Barring Service for applications of employment as part of our safeguarding procedures.   

Some of our positions involve regulated activity relevant to vulnerable children, adults and young people. It is a criminal offence for people who are barred from working in regulated activity to apply for roles that require them to work unsupervised with that particular group. Our vacancies are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.  
  

How can you apply?  

To apply, please send us a CV and show how us how you meet all of the essential criteria in the person specification by writing a personal statement which is a maximum of two sides of A4. The closing date is 9am on Thursday 25th April 2024. The interviews will be held on Friday 3rd May 2024. 

All offers are conditional and subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks and references including an enhanced DBS check. The salary range advertised is based on the full-time equivalent and appointment on the scale is dependent on the role, qualifications and experience.  

Previous applicants need not apply.