Job Description
Learning Support Assistant (Special Educational Needs)
Job Title: Learning Support Assistant for pupils with Special Educational Needs
Place: Just for Kidz Ltd
Responsible to: Manager Line Manager: SENCO
Purpose of Job: To assist and support children with special educational and general learning needs.
Liaison with: SENCO, Manager, Room Leaders, classroom staff and other support staff, which may include outside agencies, e.g. Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists on behalf of the SENCO should the need arise.
Responsibilities of the post:
The Learning Support Assistant’s (LSA) main role is to provide support for children with special educational needs. The LSA will ensure that the children can integrate as fully as possible in the activities generally undertaken by the other children in the class and make progress.
Duties will include running specific programmes and activities to assist the pupils’ individual learning and social needs. The LSA will be responsible for implementing the targets on the pupils’ Individual Plans in liaison with the nursery staff and the SENCO.
Supporting pupils
- To provide learning support for children in class or in 1:1 situations.
- To develop knowledge of the particular needs of the children and seek advice from the SENCO, class teacher and outside agencies as required.
- To aid access to the full range of learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom and provide modified materials as required e.g. worksheets, games, visual prompt cards etc.
- To make or modify resources as suggested and advised by the SENCO, Educational Psychologist or other outside agencies.
- To organise and maintain an inclusive learning environment across the whole nursery environment.
- Provide positive reinforcements, praise and rewards to pupils.
- Facilitate inclusion in small group activities with peers and support interaction between them.
- To attend in service training and relevant meetings relevant to the post in order to keep up to date with developments in working with children with special educational needs.
Supporting the SENCO
- To work as part of the team to ensure that the well being and personal development of the child enhances their learning opportunities and life skills.
- To attend planning meetings with the SENCO to develop learning programmes and to assist in the delivery of the individual learning programmes on a daily basis to promote learning ,behaviour and communication skills.
- To provide regular feedback to the SENCO and, where necessary, relevant outside agencies about any pupil’s difficulties and progress.
- To contribute to the child`s annual review by writing a brief report and attending the meeting.
Supporting the School
- To foster links between nursery and school.
- To participate in relevant professional development as deemed appropriate.
- To understand and apply nursery policies on learning and behaviour, and the statutory guidelines relating to disability discrimination and special educational needs.
- To maintain confidentiality and sensitivity to the pupils’ needs but have regard to the safeguarding procedures of the school.
- To carry out duties as directed by the SENCO or Manager.
Personal Specification for Special Educational Needs Learning Support Assistant
You will need to
· Have experience of working with children with special educational needs in an Early Years setting
· Have GCSE, ‘O’ Level or equivalent qualifications in Maths and English.
· Have NVQ2 or equivalent in relation to childcare training.
· Have knowledge and understanding of the different social, cultural and physical needs of pupils.
· Have an interest in how children learn and behave.
· Provide appropriate role models of behaviour both in the classroom and around school
· Really care about children, particularly those who find learning and managing their behaviour difficult.
· Have relevant SEN training / experience.
You must be able to:
· Carry out tasks and responsibilities under the direction of the SENCO or Manager.
· Plan and prioritise tasks and work under the pressure of a busy nursery environment.
· Be productive and show initiative.
· Communicate effectively and appropriately with children of different abilities and ethnic backgrounds.
· Motivate children to learn.
· Motivate children to be sociable.
· Assist with the organisation of the learning environment.
· Maintain accurate records of the pupils.
· Work effectively with other adults in the nursery and wider community.
· Be a responsible and trustworthy role model.
· Have patience with children who find conforming to rules and expectations difficult.
· Have patience and be flexible and innovative with a clear understanding of how children might behave who find learning new concepts and remembering taught concepts difficult.
· Respect and maintain confidentiality but have regard to the safe guarding protocols of information sharing where necessary.
· Be computer literate.
· Attend training courses considered appropriate for the post.
Job Types: Full-time, Temporary contract
Contract length: 4 months
Salary: £7.49-£10.42 per hour
Benefits:
Schedule:
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Sheffield: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Special education: 1 year (required)
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 01/05/2023
Expected start date: 24/04/2023