Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA)

School Gloucestershire Hospital Education Service (GHES)
Address County Offices, St George’s Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
GL50 3EW

Post Title (Subject) Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA)
Grade Grade 6 (pts 15-20) £30,024 – £32,597 pa pro rata
Allowances (Not applicable)
Hours Full Time
Contract Permanent
Interview Date: TBA
Start Date A.S.A.P.

Job Requisition Number: 10928
This post is not open to job share
Job Location: Hospital Educ Serv Outpatient Team Base

About the Role
We are looking for two highly experienced Link Tutors to join our pastoral support team and work alongside our current Link Tutors supporting students in KS4 in Year 10 and Year 11. The role of Link Tutor is hugely rewarding and the successful candidate would find themselves working within a team of highly motivated and creative staff. The role has a pastoral focus, providing support to enable our students to access educational provision whilst they are with us, and to aid transition back to their main school or other identified setting.

The role is peripatetic and county wide. Regular contact and visits to the home of our students is fundamental to the role. The visits enable our link tutors to work with our students to identify barriers to learning, key milestones, develop strategies and skills, and work on aspects of the wellbeing curriculum.

They have responsibility for liaising with Social Care, medical professionals, parents, the mainstream schools, and the academic teachers at GHES. Attendance at TAF, CIN, CP, PEPs and Graduated Pathway meetings are also part of this role. As a short-term service, re-integration back into the student’s mainstream school, alternative provision or post 16 destination is a key feature. The link tutor is responsible for facilitating carefully planned and supported reintegration or transition.

We are looking for an individual who has experience of working with children with additional needs and professionals involved in the education system. The ideal candidate will:

- Understand the graduated pathway and the need for a student-centred approach
- Have experience of, or a good working knowledge of the other professional agencies who provide support for young people of school age
- Place high value on the importance of safeguarding.
- Be well organised, able to work on their own initiative and manage their time well
- Be flexible and creative to achieve successful outcomes for all of our students

Excellent communication skills and the ability to build strong working relationships with students, parents, staff at GHES and professionals are all important qualities for this role. A firm belief that a medical condition should not stop a child reaching their full potential is essential.

About you:
We are looking for a staff member who:
- Takes pride in their work and thrives in a busy environment
- Has the ability to organise themselves and plan their week
- Ensures student voice is at the heart of every decision
- Provides the right level of support and challenge to access education
- Is willing to be flexible and adaptable with tasks as they arise
- Is able to confidently communicate with students, parents, professionals through the main schools in Gloucestershire and NHS professionals
- Has good ICT skills, especially with Microsoft and SIMS

About Us
This is a fantastic opportunity to join the hospital education team. You can be confident of joining a highly professional, passionate, supportive and very experienced team of teachers, pastoral and administrative team working tirelessly to ensure the best outcomes can be achieved for every individual despite the health barriers they may be facing.

Working Arrangements
The role is a term-time only role, 36 hours per week (39 + 5.55 holiday weeks), at Grade 6. This works out as being approximately 0.87FTE. Work would be a blend of working from home, travelling to student homes or their main schools, and working from our county office space in Cheltenham.

GHES is a school and a service within GCC and as such employees are entitled to many benefits within GCC:
• Membership of a Local Government Pension Scheme
• Discounts at a number of major supermarket chains and high street retailers
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Safeguarding

Gloucestershire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people or vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Positions are subject to an enhanced and barred (children) DBS check.

To apply, see details to the right of this advert by clicking on 'Website'