Teaching Assistant - Complex Learning Difficulties - Term Time - Special Needs Position

Are you looking for a new challenge? Are you passionate about supporting children & young people with complex learning difficulties? Come and join our fantastic Foreland Fields School team. This post is specific to working within our Adventurers Pathway, for pupils with Complex Learning difficulties (ASD/SLD/challenging behaviour).
We are anticipating an increase in pupil numbers in September, specifically those with Complex Learning Difficulties & we wish to appoint Teaching Assistants to work in our Adventurers Pathway. We are looking for team members who are driven to create a nurturing environment where our children & young people can thrive. We would be particularly interested in applicants who can demonstrate knowledge & understanding of pupils who have Complex Learning Difficulties, that is pupils who typically have a diagnosis of ASD, have severe learning difficulties & may demonstrate challenging behaviours. As such we are looking for staff who are committed & passionate about working in this area. We need staff who are solution focussed, reflective & are able to make use of coaching, supervision & debriefing to ensure they are positive & resilient in their approach.
Our Adventurers Pathway operates an Informal Curriculum, with a focus on 'Learning to be' (developing positive intentional communication & the ability to self-regulate) & then 'Learning to do' (developing life & independence skills). We are advocates for the power of intensive interaction & play. We plan proactively to put in place positive behaviour support plans & pupil passports which ensure that provision is individualised & makes use of pupils' strengths & interests. Pupils with higher cognitive skills are given opportunities to 'cross the bridge' with access to literacy/numeracy teaching & learning that is relevant to them. We focus on steadily broadening our pupils' worlds, in places, things & people that they are able to access.
Although this post is specific to the Adventurers Pathway, the post holder may be required to work with any age group/pathway, so that we can meet the needs of our pupils. This includes working within our satellite classes.
We provide all staff with a full week of induction training. We are committed to providing aspirational outcomes for our students & provide regular specialist training for staff throughout their careers. Essential training takes place on Thursdays after school & all staff are required to attend this as well as 5 INSET days per year. There are also opportunities for staff to progress their careers within the school.

Foreland Fields School is a Day Special School for pupils with Profound, Severe and Complex Needs (PSCN), many of whom also have Autistic Spectrum Disorder. As such, Foreland Fields pupils and students have a wide range of needs, including difficulties with communication, learning, physical and sensory development as well as medical and care needs. All pupils and students have either severe or profound learning difficulties and many also have a diagnosis of autism. Classes are needs led and pupils and students follow personalised learning journeys along different curriculum pathways, depending on their individual needs. We have a number of Deaf/Hearing Impaired students across the school who are supported by a Teacher of the Deaf and a team of support staff with BSL qualifications.
We provide for 200+ pupils aged 3-19 in five different pathways. In addition, we have satellite classes at Garlinge Primary School, Hartsdown Academy and East Kent College.
We encourage all of our employees to further their career development and we respect initiative and ambition. We are committed to performance management, staff training and coaching. The successful candidate will embrace the special ethos of the School, and the role will provide an opportunity to take Foreland Fields School into this next exciting phase and beyond.
Foreland Fields School is committed to the safeguarding and well-being of children therefore all successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check and references. We will also complete an online search on all shortlisted candidates.
Please note, candidates will be shortlisted & invited to interview, as we receive applications.
Teaching Assistants working hours are from 8.30am until 3pm, apart from Thursdays where the finish time is 2.45pm on alternate weeks and 4.45pm on other weeks to accommodate essential training.