Teaching Assistant-Hearing Impaired Children

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, accepting of all, and free from discrimination and bias. The Coventry Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) Support Service exists to deliver the aspirational challenge set to us by young people with SEND and their families: ‘To Lift the Cloud of Limitation and enable them to enjoy an ordinary life’. We are a creative, connected, and forward‑thinking service. Together with families, schools, the NHS, and third sector partners, we have driven change that puts us at the cutting edge of SEND, embedding co‑production across all service delivery, investing in our workforce, and pioneering initiatives such as the award‑nominated 'Together We Can' partnership group and the family‑centred 'My Support Plan'. When Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) conducted a Local Area inspection of Coventry in October 2019, they commended our “genuine passion and commitment to get things right for children and young people with SEND and their families”; our respect for the “lived experiences of children and young people with SEND and their parents” and the “strong partnership between school settings and education service providers.”

The Sensory Team are specialist (hearing and vision) teachers and support staff providing highly specialist support and advice for children and young people with hearing or vision difficulties in Coventry aged from 0–25. The team is highly regarded by families and schools and provides information, equipment, and direct teaching in homes, early‑years settings, and schools across Coventry to promote inclusion, empower families, and raise achievement.

Our Values

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: Organizations work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

We are looking for an experienced and highly motivated teaching assistant to join our well‑established team. The role is 28 hours per week, term time only. Under the advice of a qualified Teacher of the Deaf, you will support the fullest possible inclusion of deaf children within their educational peer group and provide support to hearing‑impaired children across family homes, schools, pre‑school settings, and Hearing Resource Bases. The post is exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and requires a satisfactory DBS check. All candidates must have the Right to Work in the UK. We are not offering sponsorship for this role.

Who are we looking for?

To be considered for this unique post you will need to demonstrate:

• Relevant experience working with children with special educational needs and/or a hearing impairment in an educational setting;
• Excellent communication and written skills;
• British Sign Language (BSL) Level 1 qualification (or equivalent) and a willingness to learn BSL Level 2;
• GCSE English and Maths GCSE Grade C or Level 4, or equivalent.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

Members of the Armed Forces and veterans; People currently in care or who have previously been in care; People who consider themselves disabled or have a long‑term health condition.

For an informal discussion about the unique post, please contact: Lorna Lingard, Deputy Lead Sensory Team – Hearing Impairment. Email: lorna.lingard@coventry.gov.uk. If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you. Interview date: week commencing 2nd February. If you join us, we will provide a fantastic rewards and benefits package – to find out more please visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies.