Pastoral Support Assistant

How would you like to be paid for five days but only work four*?

Our colleagues’ wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do at OFG, so we’re always looking for new ways to improve everyone’s work/life balance. We’re taking part in a trial of the 4-Day Working Week, meaning that you could be working one day less a week (or equivalent).

4DWW will be rolled out within our school, when we have a full complement of staff, and within the next year – so there’s never been a more exciting time to join us #teamOFG!

Job title:      Pastoral Support Assistant

Location:     Lamledge School, Shifnal, Shropshire

Salary:         Up to £23,000 per annum

Hours:         40 hours per week, Monday to Friday (08:30 - 16:00 except Monday and Wednesday 17:00)

Contract:     Permanent, Term Time only

UK applicants only.

As part of our continued growth, we now have a fantastic opportunity for a Pastoral Support Assistant to join our close-knit team. 

About the Role

The successful applicant will manage pupils’ behaviour, delivering high quality care and support for emotionally vulnerable young people; work in close collaboration with the Pastoral Manager for Senior Staff to maintain a consistent approach and service delivery to the young people.

To practice with a high degree of competence, with the aim of reducing barriers to education and independent social interaction, leading to all pupils achieving their potential and to co-ordinate, all services in school to provide integrated provision for pupils.

To work with specific boys and develop their resilience and skills within lessons and around the site to improve their engagement in their own learning.

The successful applicant will have the appropriate experience working with pastoral teams and supporting pupils with complex needs

Support to Students

• To provide individual support or activities for students in danger of becoming disaffected or disengaged, in lessons, during break times, lunch times and on educational visits as appropriate
• To work with individual students to raise awareness of appropriate behaviour and responses in the classroom and around school, providing them with feedback as to their progress
• To calm and diffuse difficult situations involving students

Support to Staff

• To provide positive role models for other support staff
• To maintain dialogues with key people around individual pupils’ needs (for example: Community Leader, Pastoral Leader, form tutor, Class Teacher, Youth Service and Education Welfare)
• To monitor and evaluate responses and progress against action plans through observation and planned recording, feeding back to appropriate staff
• To assist in the taking of statements for any student involved in an incident that requires further investigation

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

• Effective behaviour management skills
• Good oral and written communication with students and adults
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Ability to respond to challenging circumstances in a positive manner
• Good interpersonal and organisational skills
• Ability to prioritise own workload, meet deadlines and to work independently
• Able to work in a calm, efficient and safe manner

About Us

Lamledge School provides specialist education to pupils with social, emotional and behaviour difficulties. We are within a commutable distance of Telford, Dudley, Stourbridge, Shrewsbury, Stone, Walsall, Wolverhampton and surrounding towns. We are looking to expand our staff team and we hope that we can find the perfect person to join the Lamledge team.

We are a small school on the outskirts of Shifnal with stunning grounds and rolling countryside surrounding us. Our staff are dedicated to delivering education in a therapeutic and trauma informed way.

Acorn Education is the UK’s leading independent provider of specialist education and residential care for vulnerable pupils and young people. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are leading our sector in setting and delivering new approaches that provide measurable outcomes for those in our care.

Why join Acorn Education? 

Benefits

Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:

• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks

And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:

• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme
• Critical illness cover

And that’s not all, we place the outcomes of the pupils and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

We are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

*You’ll work 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, giving you more time to do the things that make you happy.

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