Teaching Assistant - Landbased and Animal Care in Yeovil

Contract: Temporary - 12 Months Maternity Cover

Hours: 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year.

Lufton College is a specialist residential education provider for 16 to 25 year olds with ASD, learning disabilities and complex behavioural and emotional needs. The college provides a 2-3 year pathway to prepare our students for adulthood, equipping them with the skills and qualities required to lead a fulfilled, independent and ambitious life.

Purpose and Summary of the Job

To support the delivery of the Landbased and Animal Care curriculums, by providing and leading enrichment sessions, in session support to engage and progress learning for students as a support for the Tutor/Teachers and 1-1 support to students throughout their educational day. To provide additional support in the specified curriculum area, supporting the Tutors/Teachers with resources, session delivery and planning. To provide practical support for the department, including assisting with animal care tasks such as feeding, preparing animal housing, performing health checks, and managing the physical environment and resources. This will involve weekend work, as part of a rota to cover animal care tasks during the weekend. This role is contracted permanently for 52 weeks.

Key Responsibilities

• To assist the Animal Care Technician with animal care tasks, and to support the ongoing maintenance of the animal care environment.
• To assist with resources and maintenance of land-based areas as instructed.
• Show flexibility and differentiation when working across all ability levels, supporting all students to engage in learning opportunities.
• Ensure all students are working towards their agreed accreditations.
• Maintain effective partnerships with parent/carers to promote students’ learning and to provide information to parents about achievements and progress.
• Help produce quality displays around the college and ensure that they are updated regularly.
• Support students in a range of activities both on and off site.
• Provide support and care for the students throughout the educational day, as required and in line with support plans.
• Assisting with therapy programmes.
• Supervise and provide support for all students ensuring their safety and access to learning activities.

The successful candidate would be required to work alternative weekends throughout the year as agreed with the Animal Care Technician and Tutor as part of your weekly working hours, with a reduced weekday timetable to provide necessary care to the animals, this would include tasks such as feeding, cleaning and medical support.

Requirements

• No previous experience is necessary but a passion and commitment to gain the required skills, knowledge and experience is vital.
• A qualification in Safeguarding and/or relevant qualifications e.g. Animal Husbandry are desirable as well as experience of working within a similar setting.

We pride ourselves on being an Equal Opportunities Employer and we are committed to safeguarding and protecting the young people and service users within our care. All candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check and reference checks.

If you want to learn from and work with a highly specialist, incredibly proud and integrated team that unlocks the potential of young people, then please talk to us.

Cambian 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. As care must be taken to avoid unconscious bias and any risk of discrimination a person who will not be on the appointment panel will conduct the search and will only share information if and when findings are relevant and of concern.