SEND Teaching Assistant

Post: Teaching Assistant

Role: SEND Teaching Assistant

Location: PEAK Academy, Drake Lane, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 5HD

FTE Salary Range: NJC Grade F pt. 9-11. £27,254 : £28,598 pro rata

Actual Salary: £20,483 rising to a maximum of £21,493 per annum

Contract Type: Permanent, term time only

Contract

Hours:

31.25 hours per week

PEAK Academy is looking to recruit an exceptional Teaching Assistant to join our team who is passionate about transforming the lives of children with SEND. You will join a team of dedicated SEND professionals who are committed to empowering every young person to become a safe, confident and independent member of society and will work as part of the team to promote the academic, social and emotional learning of pupils with special needs.

• Support provision within a caring and supportive SEMH environment
• Support pupils in developing effective relationships with peers, younger pupils and adults, challenging anti‑social behaviour
• Help pupils to develop self‑reliance and confidence in a range of areas including decision making, problem solving and general life skills, and deal in a positive way with their emotions
• Lead a literacy and a numeracy group
• Prepare and deliver interventions
• Liaise with colleagues and parents as required

You will need to be a team player and collaborator, sharing ideas and strategies with colleagues whilst learning from them, and reflecting on what has and (sometimes!) hasn’t worked and seeking improvement through solution‑focussed practice. You will be committed to working in a rapidly improving SEMH school, within an ambitious trust, committed to the individual needs of its pupils.

Peak Academy is a day specialist provider of education in Dursley, Gloucestershire for children and young people aged from 11 to 16 years who have an SEMH profile. There are currently 60 pupils on roll but, in partnership with the LA we are working to diversify both number and age range.

Our aim is to build safe independent lives for the SEMH population through a process of understanding, support, and enablement. To achieve this goal the school looks at the unique impact social, emotional, and mental health experiences has on the individual child. From this we aim as a school to personalise the child’s curriculum, care, and therapeutic package to ensure every child achieves and experiences success and independence.

Peak Academy formally joined Reach South Academy Trust in August 2022. The Trust has secured capital to ensure the capacity for growth and diversification.

This is a unique opportunity to not only join the team at The Peak Academy, but also to work for a Trust within a framework of specialist provision. The Trust, our schools, and our pupils require teachers who are looking to be innovative, bold, and collaborative. You can help to design your pupil’s curriculum and influence their future. Your work will always be challenging and rewarding as a part of the Reach South Specialist team.

We are a family of schools working in partnership for the benefit of all our pupils and students. We believe our charitable aim, to advance education, is best achieved through collaboration, both within the Trust and beyond.

We operate 21 academies across Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, serving learners aged 3 to 19. Alongside our primary, all-through and technical provision, we are proud to include a strong and integral network of seven special schools and one alternative provision setting.

These settings are a vital part of our community, providing inclusive, high-quality education for pupils with a wide range of needs, including complex learning profiles, autism, and social, emotional and mental health needs, as well as those who benefit from a more personalised approach. Together, we are committed to helping every young person thrive.

We offer a competitive salary plus TPS pension, great career progression and development opportunities, access to our Employee Assistance Programme with many other benefits. We’re proud of how we support our staff in order that you have high levels…