Special Support Assistant

We are seeking a full time Behaviour and Reflection Mentor to join our Pastoral Team at Alderbrook School.

You will be responsible for providing effective and efficient pastoral support in our specific Pupil Support Centre, in order to promote positive attitudes to learning and to behaviour in order to maximise the achievement and wellbeing of students.

We are looking for a colleague who can demonstrate excellent relationships with pupils, yet be fair and firm in their approach to managing behaviour. A sense of humour and the ability to adapt and be flexible with challenges will be essential.

In this role, you will be able to demonstrate your experience of implementing a range of effective behaviour strategies to deliver positive behaviour outcomes and lasting impact.

This is a wonderful opportunity for individuals with the expertise to lead and influence change in a positive, collaborative way.

Main Responsibilities;

• Provide particular and skilled support: mentoring, target setting, review meetings, and liaison with parents, staff and outside agencies to a range of students



• Support students' learning needs to ensure their individual targets and deadlines are met and they achieve their 'personal best'



• Evaluate interventions for each student and provide relevant reports and records to appropriate personnel e.g. student, relevant teaching staff, SLT, family members, external bodies



• Utilise relevant student data to monitor and track student progress, including action plans, progress reports and additional needs to ensure students remain on track, meet deadlines and targets and achieve their potential. Meet students to discuss mentoring and liaise with teaching staff



• Plan and prepare differentiated resources / learning methods which will remove barriers for students



• Organise and contribute to Pastoral Support Plan meetings and follow-up work



• Monitor and plan interventions on behavioural data, working with the SENCO, Pastoral Managers and other support (both internal and external)



• Contribute to supervision of students in the Pastoral Support Centre and support these students around the school



• Make referrals to and to liaise and collaborate in multi-agency work with other practitioners, educational colleagues, local agencies and community groups



• Support learners and encourage positive attitudes to learning in and around school



• To contribute to small group work, for example: self-esteem work, anger management, and other pastoral initiatives



• To liaise with and establish positive and proactive relations with staff, parents, agencies and students to overcome barriers to learning



• To support the work of the Heads of Year and Attendance Officer in improving students' attendance



• To assist in the reintegration of students following a period of absence or exclusion



• To arrange and develop 1;1/group support arrangements with students and provide guidance for disaffected students
  
  talented, enthusiastic students who want to learn



• dedicated, knowledgeable and highly motivated staff and governors



• a very successful, ambitious school, determined to build on the standards we currently achieve



• a proven track record in the professional development of colleagues



• a happy working environment where staff turnover is low and wellbeing is prioritised



• a mutually strong and supportive Pastoral Team ethos



• a motivated, energising climate



• a well-resourced school with extensive grounds
  
  We've implemented a new system from Monday 4th March which will improve your candidate experience! To access your candidate portal for our new system, head to https://solihull.wm-jobs.co.uk/members/


About Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

Solihull is regarded as a popular and vibrant place to live in the UK. As one of the most prosperous towns in the Midlands, almost two thirds of our borough is designated as green belt. We have over 1,500 acres of parks across the borough, with 16 Green Flag Awards. Solihull is very well connected, with great transport links such as the M40, M42 and M6 all close by, and an excellent rail network, plus, of course, an international airport. We are home to the award-winning Touchwood Shopping Centre, National Exhibition Centre, Resorts World Birmingham, and the Resorts World Arena.

It is an exciting time for Solihull, although we are a relatively small local authority (c. 6000 employees), we still have ambitious plans including the development of UK Central and HS2.

Here at Solihull Council, we want to ensure that all our citizens have an equal chance to share in Solihull's success. We do this by putting our customers at the heart of everything we do.

We recognise that our employees are the key factor in achieving our vision and as such, we are always on the lookout for talented individuals, who want to make a real positive difference to people's lives and can help us to continue building on our success.

Both Smarter Ways of Working and Employee Wellbeing are key Council Priorities.

The transition to Smarter Ways of Working has presented us with the opportunity to re-think how and where we work. With the option to access portable technology, dependent upon the requirements of the role, a lot of our people are not bound to a single workplace or traditional ways of working, with many choosing to spend a good proportion of their week working from home.

Our people told us that they value flexibility, and that choice enables them to have a better work-life balance, manage family responsibilities, enhance their personal wellbeing, and continue to deliver excellent outcomes for the residents of Solihull.

Our people are our number one asset, and our aim is to have a healthy, happy engaged and thriving workforce.

Wellbeing is at the heart of our employee offer and we are a bronze accredited West Midlands Combined Authority Thrive at Work employer. This recognises our commitment and action in support of employee wellbeing; we are currently working towards silver accreditation.

Unpaid carers carry out a key role within our community and know that this can be challenging when combined with employment. Our Carer's Policy and the ongoing support we give to our employees has resulted in us winning Employer of the Year 2022 at the Carer Friendly Awards.


• Competitive salaries including, for those at the top of their scale, the opportunity to receive a non-consolidated lump sum;


• A range of flexible working options;


• Annual leave starting at 25 days and rising to 30 days after 5 years' service in addition to public holidays with an opportunity to purchase up to 10 additional days' holiday per year;


• A generous flexitime scheme (available for most roles);


• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme;


• A wide range of learning and development opportunities;


• A range of family friendly policies;


• Employee benefits including subsidised travel passes, Cycle 2 Work Scheme, confidential Employee Assistance Programme and staff discounts.


Solihull Council is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.

As users of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who demonstrate they meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

Solihull Council has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk, and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

For roles eligible for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check this will be indicated in the advert and supporting recruitment documents. Where the post involves working with children, other vulnerable groups or in a position of trust it is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Further guidance is available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/945449/rehabilitation-of-offenders-guidance.pdf

Please note, where sufficient numbers of applications are received, we reserve the right to close a vacancy before the advertised closing date. We therefore advise that you submit your application as soon as possible.