Job Description
About The Role
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Compass Community School Eld Park is an independent specialist school providing high-quality, therapeutic and child-centred education to boys and girls from 6 to 17 years of age in Thetford, Norfolk.
Our children come from a wide range of backgrounds, but all have Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH). Many will also have other Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) such as Autism, ADHD, and communication difficulties.
The work we do is both varied and challenging and, as a trauma and attachment informed organisation, all staff are provided with extensive therapeutic training and support.
Our closely triangulated approach places the child at the centre of decision making, ensuring that education and therapy professionals, parents/carers, local authority teams and, most importantly, our students can work together to secure outstanding outcomes for all.
The Role
TAs at our school know that no two days are the same and that no two children are the same either. Our children require very special adults who can support children with complex and challenging behaviours.
They will know that our children require lots of attention, just the right sort of communication, consistency and flexibility in equal measure, and a non-judgemental approach. They need to be resilient, persistent and solution focussed to meet the needs of our children and to do so they need to wear a lot of hats and be prepared to change them at a moment’s notice!
Our Teaching Assistants may be
supporting teachers in the classroom
working with children 1:1 or delivering sessions with small groups of students
managing classroom resources
taking children on trips and visits
having their lunch with children who struggle socially
managing heightened behaviours and keeping children safe
playing board games
conducting science experiments
making amazing displays
celebrating success
part of therapy sessions or reflecting on difficult periods
We want our TAs to be part of the decision making that drives our school, provides outcomes for children and advocates for every child. We welcome their input in developing both the academic curriculum and the opportunities in our extra-curricular offer – bringing their own interests and passions to the table.
Benefits and Rewards
Staff laptop and mobile phone
Competitive salary
Extensive training and professional qualification opportunities
Small class sizes with specialist TA support
The chance to be part of an expanding, national organisation that recognises skill, effort and potential and grows its own leadership teams
Enhanced occupational sickness scheme
Flexible pension
Regular therapeutic and supportive supervision
Employee benefit service with access to wellbeing services, salary sacrifice schemes, high street vouchers, money off eating-out and takeaways
Safeguarding
This role is subject to an enhanced DBS check.
The Compass Community values equality and diversity across our workforce and aims to ensure our staff community is reflective of the diversity of the children and young people within our care. In support of this commitment, we welcome applications from individuals of Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds.
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