Apprentice Teaching Assistant Level 3

We are seeking to appoint Teaching Assistants at our fantastic special school. Briarwood has a dedicated team of staff, governors and parents/carers who are proud to support 167 children and young people aged 3 to 19 years and are passionate about their progress, happiness and care.

Salary will be discussed further at Interview.

Training course: Teaching assistant (level 3)

Hours: 30 hours a week with a day release to college, exact hours to be agreed between the apprentice and their manager. Duration: 1 Year 9 Months.

Work: As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work:

• You will be required to work with a range of pupils who have severe and profound learning difficulties.
• A large number of our pupils have challenging behaviours and are within the Autistic Spectrum.
• Candidates must bring energy, confidence and enthusiasm with a commitment to inclusion.
• We will provide a planned induction within a large, strong and supportive LSA and teaching team.
• Under the guidance of the teaching staff, you will provide direct support for the learning of individual children or groups of children to achieve defined progression targets.
• Following planning to support activities.
• Report behaviour observations to a teacher in order for them to maintain the school’s standard of discipline and behaviour.
• Facilitating children’s general physical, emotional and educational development through activities and play.
• Supervising and encouraging safe behaviour of individuals and groups.
• Reinforcement of structured learning habits and routines which have been defined by the teacher and support access to the curriculum as set by the line manager.
• Prepare, store, retrieve, sort and display materials, finished work, equipment, topic work plans and/or assignment documents to assist in providing an effective learning environment as determined by the teacher.

Training: An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation: South Gloucestershire and Stroud College

Skills:

• Empathy, listening, communication and responding with appropriate language to build rapport with children from a variety of ages, abilities and backgrounds.
• Aptitude to develop a knowledge of the role within an education environment.
• Ability to demonstrate effective working with individual pupils and small groups under the direction and supervision of a qualified teacher.
• An awareness of child protection and safeguarding.
• The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice and information in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

You will need to pass an enhanced background check (DBS).

About this company: Briarwood is a Bristol School committed to providing high quality education, care and life experiences for children and young people aged 3-19 with Severe and Profound Learning Difficulties, Complex Needs, Autism and Sensory Impairment. The school is based on 3 sites across East-Central Bristol and is made up of Briarwood Infants, Juniors, Secondary, Sixth Form and The Nexus (a specialist centre for pupils with Behaviours that challenge). The values of Briarwood are that all pupils should Enjoy their time with us, so that they can Engage and Learn to their full potential.

After this apprenticeship: As well as ensuring full competency as a Teaching Assistant, this standard provides a foundation for potential progression into a number of career paths in the Educational sector including Higher Level Teaching Assistant, Assistant Teacher and Teacher.