1:1 TEACHING ASSISTANT - Westfield Arts College

Westfield Arts College

Fixed Term 1:1 Teaching Assistant

Grade 6 - SCP 6

31.65 hours per week  (8.40am – 3.30pm Monday to Friday)

We are looking for an enthusiastic, nurturing 1:1 Teaching Assistant to join our dedicated, friendly team. This vacancy is for a fixed-term period to support the needs of an identified pupil within our KS2 cohort.

The successful candidate must be flexible and adaptable and be able to support the pupil to be successful in their learning environment. The successful candidate will also demonstrate a commitment to working closely with colleagues.

Understanding a therapeutic approach to managing the needs of our pupils is essential to our Teaching Assistant roles and it is expected that the successful candidate will undertake appropriate training.

Westfield is a highly regarded 4-19, 234 pupil Dorset special school. All pupils have moderate/complex learning difficulties and more than half have a diagnosis of ASD. The successful candidate will be joining a vibrant and successful school. They will also receive the full support of an exceptionally committed and skilful staff team.  Ofsted judged us as outstanding in February 2023.

Westfield is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to have an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check in line with the Government’s safer recruitment guidelines.  We value the diversity of our workforce and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Job description and application forms are available via the Dorset Council website.   

Further information about Westfield can be found at www.westfield.dorset.sch.uk.

Closing Date:  Friday 3 January 2025

Interview Date:  Friday 10 January 2025

Contact: 

Julie Rook, Admin Officer (Personnel)

[email protected]

The pro rata salary shown is based on the number of hours and weeks worked and includes appropriate paid annual leave and bank holiday entitlements.

The salary quoted is the annual salary for the position at the time of advert. The salary will be paid in equal monthly instalments and will be adjusted at the start of employment and again if leaving part way through the school year to ensure the correct salary is received for the work completed in an academic year.

This role is UK based and your Right to Work will need to be established as part of the appointment process.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The amendments to the ROA 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975, (2013 and 2020)) provide that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected’, so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. The MOJ’s guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide.

Keeping Children Safe in Education

The school will conduct online searches of shortlisted candidates. This check will be part of a safeguarding check, and the search will purely be based on whether an individual is suitable to work with children. All aspects of social media and internet searches will be conducted. As care must be taken to avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination, a person who will not on the appointment panel will conduct the searches and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern.