Pastoral Assistant (HLTA)

Pastoral Assistant (HLTA) - Aurora Meldreth Manor School

Location: Meldreth, Nr Royston, Cambridgeshire/Hertfordshire border

Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent, Term time only

Salary: £14.77-16.13/hr - £26,391.40 - £28,821.08 actual salary (based on 44.67 paid weeks) - dependant on experience and qualifications

Hours: 40 hours per week - Term time only

Closing Date: Tuesday 21st October 20:00pm

The Aurora Meldreth Manor School is an independent Special day school which provides a highly specialist learning environment for students aged 6 to 19 who have a range of MLD and SLD needs including autism spectrum disorders, ADHD and associated difficulties, who require an individualised, specialist approach. Many of our students have complex medical needs and sensory/ physical impairments. Our students are supported to manage sensory overload, anxiety, low self-esteem, low confidence, and difficulty with transitions which is often demonstrative through their behaviours. 

We are a well resourced school with exceptional facilities and therapeutic team.

Due to the continued increase in our student role and expansion of the school provision we are currently looking for a Pastoral Assistant to join our NAS accredited specialist team to create better outcomes and life chances for our students in their preparation for adult life.

The Main Purpose of the Role:

This role is designed to support the delivery of Pastoral support to students in a variety of ways using the Thrive model as its basis.

The purpose of the THRIVE practitioner is to ensure the day to day running of a THRIVE provision to support the development, social, emotional and behavioural needs of pupils improving their active engagement in their social and academic environments and access to learning

Key duties:

• Take responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils according to the school’spolicies, including KCSIE and PREVENT.
• Model and lead the effective use of restorative approaches across the school.
• Model the consistent use of PACE approaches for all staff and support others to use PACE effectively.
• Use specialist skills, training, or experience to support pupils’ emotional development and behaviour needs.
• To support the day to day running of a Thrive provision ensuring that pupils are effectively supervised, implementing timetables, planning, strategies and activities to meet the individual needs of pupils
• Establish positive relationships and partnerships with young people, acting as a role model and responding to the needs of each individual student.
• Keep SLT and relevant staff informed of behaviour and developmental progress.
• Liaise with school teaching and support staff to embed the Thrive approach across the whole school environment.
• Work together with SLT, particularly the pastoral lead, to plan and implement Thrive events including parental engagement.
• Deliver 1:1, small groups and class group sessions.

Duties will vary, you must expect to diversify and lend a hand wherever is required.

Full Job Description

Qualifications

• Up to date qualification relevant to post or willingness to complete this ie L4 HLTA
• GCSE pass above C (or 4 in the new GCSE system) in English and Maths
• THRIVE training or willingness to undertake practitioner training
• PRICE trained or willingness to undertake training

Knowledge & Experience

• Understanding of the Safeguarding principles and Child Protection procedures
• Relevant knowledge and experience of pupils with SEN, ADHD and ASD
• Knowledge of children’s social and emotional development/attachment theory
• Working with children and young people with challenging behaviour
• Experience of working with children in an educational setting
• Experience of working within a multi-cultural, inclusive setting
• Experience of supervising groups of pupils
• Good understanding of the principles of child development and the learning process
• Desirable: Experience of running nurture groups/social skills groups

What’s on offer?

• Full training and continued support
• Opportunity to gain qualifications, which will be funded by us!
• Life assurance and pension
• Health cash back plan
• Car lease scheme
• Bike to work scheme
• Perk box
• Free parking
• Employee Assistance Program

For more information on this position please contact Carl Standidge in the recruitment team at carl.standidge@theauroragroup.co.uk 

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

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