SEN Teaching Assistant

SEN Teaching Assistant - Aurora Woodlands School

Location: Darwen, Lancashire   

Salary: £12.37 - £13.49 per hour   (£22,745.96 - £24,103.93 actual salary) depending on experience

Hours: 40 hours per week – Term Time Only  

The Aurora Group

The Aurora Woodlands School is an 'Good' rated innovative provider of education and care, supporting students aged 10 - 19 with complex needs typically related to Asperger’s Syndrome, Autism and other conditions.

We’re currently looking for an experienced SEN Teaching Assistant – Level 1-2 to join us at our beautiful woodlands surrounded school in Darwen.

The Role

As our new Teaching Assistant, your role is to support our children with their learning and general wellbeing to ensure every child has the best opportunity to reach their full potential in a caring and safe environment. Where necessary this may include supporting with care needs from time to time as well as positive behaviour management adopting a tailored approach to the individual child.

You will be expected to establish a warm, caring and supportive relationship with pupils in order to support them feeling safe and enabling them to enjoy and learn during their time at the School, and to promote and encourage independence and personal development in pupils and maintain high expectations of behaviour at all times.

You will support the class teacher and contribute to providing high quality, challenging and differentiated educational activities and experiences through supporting the teaching of a broad and balanced curriculum aiming at pupils achieving their full potential in all areas of learning.

Key duties:   

• Participate in the planning and evaluation of learning activities.   
• Provide meaningful feedback on pupil attainment and progress.  
• Support the teacher in monitoring, assessing, recording and reporting pupils’ progress according to the school’s policies in order to monitor and foster pupils’ progress in all areas of learning.  
• Support positive behaviour and concentration levels of the children and adapt own behaviour and responses to any change or escalations in behaviour of the children.  
• Promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development and British values within the PSHE policy across the whole school.  
• Promote pupils’ cognitive, social, emotional, behavioural, physical development and spiritual well-being through a whole Day Curriculum. 

Like many SEN environments; your duties are likely to vary and therefore candidates will need to be flexible and be able to lend a hand whenever required.  Please see the link below for a full job description:

Job Description: SEN Teaching Assistant

Skills and Qualifications:

  Successful candidates are likely to demonstrate:

• Experience working with SEN in an employed or voluntary setting   
• Full UK driving licence and access to your own absolutely necessary, as you will be required to carpool students to and from school, on a rota basis.
• A recognised qualification at Level 2 or above in Support work for Teaching and Learning in Schools or an equivalent is desirable    
• GCSE Maths and English Level 2/C or above qualification is essential.  
• Understanding of the Safeguarding principles and Child Protection procedures.  
• Knowledge or experience of pupils with SEN or SEMH/ASD  
• The desire to put the child first and treat them as an individual  
• Be positive and creative in assisting to meet pupils’ individual needs 

What’s on Offer at Aurora?

We believe in supporting you as much as we support the children and young people in our care. Here’s a snapshot of the fantastic benefits waiting for you:

Grow with Us – Training & Development

Learning never stops at Aurora! We offer a wide range of training programmes and career development opportunities to help you build your skills and reach your goals.

Save Money on Everyday Essentials

With the rising cost of living, our Perkbox app helps you stretch your money further:

• Discounts on groceries, phone plans, internet, dining out, gym memberships & more
• Access to our Cycle to Work and Car Scheme

Access Wagestream – a financial wellbeing app that helps you track earnings, save, get expert money advice, and even access part of your pay early when needed

Competitive Pay & Reward

We regularly benchmark our pay and benefits to stay ahead of the curve. You’ll enjoy:

• Enhanced Annual Leave
• Company Sick Pay
• Enhanced Pension
• Life Assurance

24/7 GP Access – For You & Your Household

Need a doctor? No problem. Book a phone or video appointment anytime, day or night. This service covers everyone in your household.

UK Health Cash Plan

Cover everyday healthcare costs like dental and optician bills. You and your children are included in the scheme, and you can upgrade to add your partner too!

Employee Assistance Programme

Your wellbeing matters. Get confidential support on a wide range of issues, including:

• Freephone counselling (available 24/7)
• Online tools and resources

Refer a Friend – Earn £1,000!

Know someone who’d be a great fit? Refer them and get rewarded!
(*Terms apply)

How to apply?

Please complete an online application form in full, remembering to include all employment and education details.  If you need any assistance or would like any more information please contact Carl in the Aurora Group Recruitment Team at carl.standidge@the-aurora-group.com 

Successful applicants will be subject to pre-employment safeguarding checks including an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Aurora Group is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

The Aurora Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children and young adults in our care and is a disability confident and equal opportunities employer.

This advert could be taken down at any point in time without prior notice if the position is filled. 

Please note that candidates that are shortlisted might be subject to an online search.