Sla12575 - School Support Assistant (Asn) - Rutherglen High School

Job Description

Permanent Post

Hours - 29.58 hours per week, term time.

Within South Lanarkshire Council it is our mission to deliver positive, meaningful outcomes for our young people. In Education Resources we aim to provide an exceptional learning and working environment within our establishments for pupils and staff. We work in partnership with services and families to focus on the national priorities to improve literacy, numeracy, and health & wellbeing outcomes.

To help meet these needs where a child requires support over and above that provided by their Class Teacher or Early Years Key Worker, we have a flexible role that encompasses three main elements of additional support needed for our schools and pupils. In the role of School Support Assistant (SSA) you will probably work mainly within one of these disciplines but it’s also possible you could work across all three at different times. The flexible role is designed to allow SSAs to work together as a team to support diverse need of the pupils and the school. The nature of schools and pupils means these needs change and can be re-prioritised on a regular basis. This keeps the job of a School Support Assistant dynamic, absorbing and challenging.

In that context, hard work and flexibility is key for successful candidates. The rewards of the role in return are very attractive. As well as the progress and achievements of the young people you support, the posts are mainly term time, so having the same holidays as schools means these jobs are ideal for people seeking a positive work/life balance. You’d also be joining a Local Authority that values its staff. We are a family friendly employer who understands the needs of our employees through a range of supportive policies. You’d have excellent job security and employee benefits, and we hold the “Investors In People” Gold accreditation. You’d have access to a very well-developed training and development programme for School Support Assistants.

Requirements

Please Apply online

All correspondence will be via your email address registered with myjobscotland.

Legislative Information

This post is excepted in terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 2003.

This post is considered Regulated Work with Children, under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act, 2007. Therefore, it is an offence to apply if you are barred from working with children.

Preferred candidates will be required to join the PVG Scheme, or undergo a PVG Scheme Update check, prior to a formal offer of employment being made by South Lanarkshire Council.

Please refer to http://www.disclosurescotland.co.uk for further information about the disclosure process and best practice.

Delivering a Fairer Future

Under the Council’s positive action programme, applications to this post are particularly encouraged from Male applicants.

Foreign Police Check

Candidates should be able to detail any gaps in employment and provide a foreign police check where applicable for any periods living or working abroad.

Equal Opportunities and Armed Forces Community Covenant

South Lanarkshire Council is an Equal Opportunities employer and encourages applications from all members of the community. As a user of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum competency/behaviour requirements for the position.

South Lanarkshire Council is committed to providing support to members of the armed forces, veterans and their families which is set out in the Armed Forces Community Covenant. Veterans are guaranteed an interview who meet the minimum requirements for the position.

Responsibilities

The three elements of the role are;

• Administration and clerical support within the school office. This includes the need to work with different administration systems and with key Microsoft software packages such as MS Word and Excel. A school office is not only an office though. You certainly don’t sit at your desk doing administration all day! It is the hub of the school, dealing with incoming and outgoing phone calls, being the first person visitors interact with at reception, provision of an excellent and helpful customer service to pupils, parents and teachers, liaising with South Lanarkshire Council HQ on items such as school transport and admissions as well as with other internal and external customer groups. It still involves lots of interaction with children, being in the playground and dining room supervising pupils or providing first aid and other assistance such as administration of medicines.
• Classroom based support curricular support for individuals and groups of pupils. The support would be provided to achieve literacy, numeracy outcomes and other priorities for learning. This could involve support in and out of the classroom. It will involve good communication with the class teachers of the pupils you are supporting. Often it will mean providing a safe, calm nurturing environment for pupils, including those displaying distressed behaviours to help them be ready to learn.
• ASN (Additional Support Needs) support in and out of class for pupils with more complex needs, such as dealing with medical support and personal care needs as documented in Health Care plans, administration of medicines, physical and emotional support for our most vulnerable pupils with a range of needs which could include non-verbal pupils, pupils with complex needs relating to ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) or Attachment and Communication support needs. Training in relevant topics (e.g. moving and assisting) is provided where required. Training on other relevant matters is also delivered by our NHS partners.

The Individual

You will work as a member of the support services team within a learning community with a drive and enthusiasm to make a difference for young people.

While a formal qualification is not essential, any of the following would be desirable:

• NC in Early Education and Childcare at SCQF Level 6
• SVQ Social Services (Children and Young People) at SCQF Level 6
• HNC Additional Support Needs (Supporting the Individual)
• National Progression Award Playwork and Child Care
• PDA in Education Support Assistance at SCQF Level 6
• SVQ 2 Playwork at SCQF Level 6
• SVQ Children's Care Learning and Development at SCQF Level 2.

Essential attributes:

• Experience of working with and/or supporting children, young people and/or adults or some transferrable skills, that would be useful within our learning environments
• Able to demonstrate proven literacy and numeracy skills
• Flexible and adaptable