Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Higher Level Teaching Assistant |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Children’s Services |
Service |
Schools and SEND |
Business unit |
SEND and Inclusion |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
Teacher of Visual Impairment |
Accountable to (line manager) |
Teacher of Visual Impairment |
Salary grade |
F |
JE ref |
CSERV023 |
1. Key purpose of job
- To complement the professional work of the Teacher of Visual Impairment by taking responsibility for agreed learning activities under an agreed system of supervision. This may involve planning, preparing and delivering learning activities for individuals/groups and monitoring pupils and assessing, recording and reporting of access to learning and equipment needed.
- To have responsibility for the management and development of assessment and interventions in the service and/or management of other teaching assistants that are working with children and young people with visual impairment (VI) in schools, colleges and nurseries.
- To support the Teacher of Visual Impairment in matters relating children and young people with a Visual Impairment that have been referred into the service.
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- Contributing to an effective and accessible learning environment for pupils.
- Planning cycle of interventions is in place at the start of each term.
- Teaching and learning staff to feel confident in meeting the needs of children and young people with VI.
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- Responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children at all times.
- Holding a caseload of children and young people with VI in order to ensure each child has a robust and effective education experience.
- Supporting the assigned teacher by organising and managing an appropriate learning environment and resources, including specialist literacy and numeracy resources.
- Supporting accessible learning activities to pupils within agreed systems of supervision, adjusting activities according to pupil responses/needs.
- Conducting assessments and delivering interventions.
- Monitoring and evaluating pupil responses to learning activities through a range of observation, assessment and monitoring strategies against pre-determined objectives.
- Providing objective and accurate feedback and reports as required on pupil achievement, progress and other matters, alongside access to appropriately modified resources ensuring the availability of appropriate evidence.
- Use of specialist technology to prepare and train others to prepare learning materials.
- Supporting the role of parent/carers in pupils’ learning and contributing to/leading meetings with carers to provide constructive feedback on pupil progress/achievement etc.
- Establishing productive working relationships with pupils, acting as a role model and set high expectations for behaviour and learning.
- Establishing positive working relationships with staff in a variety of settings.
- Promoting independence and employing strategies to recognise and reward achievement of self-reliance & self-advocacy.
- Developing and implementing SEND support plans alongside school and college SENDCO’s.
- To support young people, inside or outside the classroom, in order to achieve targets. This could be through one to one, as a group, or in-class intervention.
- Using ICT & Access Technology effectively to support learning activities and develop pupils’ competence and independence in its use where applicable.
- Selecting and preparing resources necessary to lead learning activities taking account of pupils’ interests and language and cultural backgrounds.
- To provide a prompt response to requests for intervention on educational matters or referrals for advice.
- Deliver training, advice and information to educational professionals on matters relating to Visual Impairment.
- As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
6. Working environment and conditions of the post
- Normal office and agile working.
- Regular visits to children in their school settings.
7. Physical demands of the post
8. Specific resources used by the post
- Normal agile and office working equipment.
- Use of pool car for travel.
9. Key contacts and relationships
- External:
- Designated Teachers/carers;
- Schools in Torbay as well as nationwide;
- Careers South West;
- CAMHS;
- Tuition/inclusion services as required.
- Internal:
- Staff in Torbay Send SERVICE;
- Wider Children’s Services staff including education as well as social care teams.
10. Other duties
- To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.
Other Information
- All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
- The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
- The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children's Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
- The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
- The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
- This post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
- The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
- If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.
- As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Criminal Records Bureau before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
- The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures.
- If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
Person Specification
Note for Candidate
All Candidates
The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement.
In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.
Candidates who consider that they have a disability
Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.
If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.
Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.
If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.
Job info |
Job info details |
Job Title |
Higher Level Teaching Assistant |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Children’s Services |
Service |
Schools and SEND |
Business unit |
SEND and Inclusion |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- Ability to constantly improve own practice/knowledge through self-evaluation and learning from others.
- Ability to demonstrate and promote good practice in order to support the work of the VI Advisory Teacher.
- Ability to organise, lead and motivate the ‘Team Around the Child’.
- Ability to build effective working relationships with children and adults, including other professionals/carers.
- Ability to work constructively as part of a team, to understand school & classroom roles and responsibilities and own position within these.
- Ability to utilise ICT and other technology to support learning and produce reports.
- Ability to learn new skills quickly and adapt to a variety of learning environments.
- Flexible and adaptable approach to work.
- Ability to deal with sensitive issues and gain the trust of children.
- This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
Desirable skills and effectiveness
- Previous experience of adapting and modifying resources for Children and Young People with a visual impairment.
- Ability to produce work in Unified English Braille Grade One and Grade Two Braille.
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
- Working knowledge of national curriculum and other relevant learning programmes.
- To understand the principles of child development and learning processes and in particular, barriers to learning for CYP with VI.
- Understanding of statutory frameworks relating to teaching a variety of VI needs.
Desirable knowledge
- Eye conditions and their impact on access to the curriculum.
- Unified English Braille Code.
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- Proven experience of working with children and young people in a learning environment.
- Experience of working with CYP in an education setting.
- Experience of liaising with a variety of education professionals.
Desirable experience and achievements
- Experience of working with CYP with SEND and/or VI.
- Experience of working with young people with social, emotional and mental health needs.
- Experience of supporting CYP with VI.
- Experience, under appropriate supervision, of planning, preparing and delivering effective VI Support Programmes.
Qualifications/professional memberships
Essential qualifications/professional memberships
- Meet HLTA standards or equivalent qualifications or experience.
- Numeracy/literacy skills (at least equivalent to Level 2 qualifications or C grade at GCSE).
- Training in relevant strategies and Specialist skills/training in VI Support techniques.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
- An accredited Qualification in Braille.
Other requirements
Other requirements of the job role
- Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people with VI.
- Ability to carry out the physical requirements of the role (i.e. manual handling).
- Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay in order to carry out duties.